Broadcasting (Jan - June 1939)

WRVA'S 13 YEARS WITH BOYS YMCA Ticup Has Developed Musical and Dramatic Talent/ As Well as Two Staff Members WTAM, Cleveland, has installed what is claimed to be the first gasfilled aluminum coaxial transmission line at its Brecksville, 0., transmitter, completing a $50,000 transmitter project. The line was conceived by NBC and developed in cooperation with Raybould Coupling Co., Isolantite Co. and Aluminum Co. of America. Installation was in charge of William S. Duttera, of NBC's New York radio facilities department, who did much of the research. The line is said to be valuable because of decreased cost, lighter weight, ease of repair, improved performance and design. The outer tubing is 3% inches in diameter, the inner tubing a halfinch, intervening space being filled with compressed nitrogen. S. E. Leonard, WTAM engineer in charge, describes the cable as a noteworthy improvement. It is capable of handling 1,200 kilowatts. Development of a coupling not requiring solder paved the way for use of aluminum lines. Gruen Using 164 GRUEN WATCH Co., Cincinnati, has arranged with Transamerican Broadcasting & Television Corp., New York, for two quarter-hour transcribed series of programs to run for a 13-week campaign through local placement by its dealers on a list of 164 stations. Series have been tentatively named for release shortly after the first of the year. One group is called // / Could Live It Over Again, featuring Walter B. Pitkin, professorauthor, as narrator, and the other will be named S-pringtime Serenade, a musical program featuring Lyn Murray and his chorus, Barry McKinley, Nan Wynn, and John Goth. Account is handled by McCann-Erickson, New York. Bulova on 161 BULOVA WATCH Co., New York (timepieces), effective Jan. 1 has renewed its contracts for frequent daily time signals on a total list of 161 stations throughout the country. Company has been consistently on an increasing list of stations with its "time by courtesy of Bulova" announcements since 1929. Contracts were placed through Blow Co., New York. Chamberlain to Place CHAMBERLAIN Laboratories, Des Moines, la. (Chamberlain's Lotion), will soon start an extended spot campaign. In late December the firm appointed John H. Dunham Co., Chicago, to handle its account. WHEN the WRVA Boys' Radio Club was first started back in 1925, radio sets were more frequently found in attic or workshop than parlor or living room. The most ardent enthusiasts and experimenters were boys, youngsters from 12 to 18. The Richmond YMCA, sensing this new interest for boys, decided to capitalize on it as a medium for reaching and holding the attention of adolescent boys, and that is how the WRVA Boys' Radio Club came about. Officials of the station were approached and asked for time on the air. "Y" representatives arranged musical programs and talks to be given by the boys themselves. After two or three broadcasts the idea had taken hold so firmly that all youngsters with musical or dramatic ability were asking to be allowed to take part in the programs. Fi-om the publicity given the club over the air and in the newspapers, other groups were started in other parts of the State, and frequently came to Richmond to present "guest" air performances. The program has always remained 1937 in spite of the heavy drop in local business dui'ing the midmonths of 1938 when San Francisco was inflicted v^ath a three-month strike in its 32 major department stores and a warehousemen's strike of equal duration. However, settlement of both major labor disputes started a new flow of business to the locals, optimism among the merchants and the return of buyers who had suspended their contracts during the disputes. Time buyers in some of the major agencies believe that new business would start on a gradual scale. All stated that accounts they currently had placed on the air would remain on with the possibility in some cases of increases in the advertising appropriation. Radio folk are of the united opinion that the major factors that will make 1939 San Francisco's banner year are: 1. Solution of its major labor disputes. 2. Opening of the Golden Gate International Exposition, which is expected to attract several millions to the San Francisco bay area during the year. 3. The "Selling San Francisco" Campaign — a vast civic promotional move jointly sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, Salesmanagers Association, Kiwanis Club, Rotary International and every other major civic organization and group. Manufacturers, distributors and retailers in the Golden Gate area are in a more optimistic mood than they have been for several years and those up until this time unitiated in microphone salesmanship are rapidly becoming cognizant of the fact that radio can and is doing a selling job. The major broadcasting stations stated their spot business for 1939 probably would be well over 1938. Most of the station and sales managers were optimistic over the a sustainer for good will purposes, although it might have been commercialized many times. With the growth of radio, and the lessening of air time for sustaining features, the WRVA Boys' Radio Club had its broadcast periods shortened somewhat, but it has continued as a regular program of the station, and is still under the supervision of the Richmond YMCA. Adults as well as children are frequently heard on the program, and talks, which are limited to five minutes, concern themselves with character development through participation in such activities as those encouraged by the YMCA. Through the years considerable musical and dramatic talent has been discovered and developed through the program. It is interesting to note that two members of the present WRVA staff, Ted Reams, announcer, and Bill Willis, of the Public Relations Department, received their first inspiration to enter radio work through participation in the Radio Club programs. present commitments for the new year. KFRC reported a score of 100% on renewals of its current business for the New Year and stated that the year 1938 showed a "substantial increase over 1937". The first five months of the year came up to its expectations. It already has commitments for more new sponsored shows than ever before in the history of the station. CANADA PROSPECTS for radio advertising in Canada, according to advertising agency executives, vary from slightly better to considerably better for 1939. And all are positive that 1938 was the best radio advertising year yet. Practically all Canadian stations had the best year in their history. Canadian advertisers, say the agency men, are at last convinced that radio is a front-ranking advertising medium, and many accounts used radio for the first time in 1938. Prospects for 1939 show other firms who have never before used radio, making enquiries and planning programs for the new year, spurred on by the success competitors have had with broadcasting. Every type of broadcast advertising, from the local, through the spot transcriptions to national networks, has seen increases in the 1938 use of radio advertising. Networks have grown in number, and are likely to expand a little more; transcriptions have definitely jumped in popularity of use; live local programs are growing in number for both national and local advertisers. Network programs will increase slightly according to present prospects, though a number of Cana dian firms are planning or getting data on networks. Afternoon nets are most likely to grow in number because of the success of those started in 1938. It is felt the number of piped commercial nets from the United States has reached its limit, and any new nets will be originating in Canadian studios. Network and news commentaries may be curtailed during the coming year, though sponsored newscasts locally are expected to be left untouched. The transcription business is so good that some transcription firms are keeping their fingers crossed. Transcription regulations have been relaxed on most stations for evening hours, even the largest stations now being allowed a certain amount of time for evening transcriptions between 7 and 11 o'clock. United States transcription producers are now releasing new transcriptions in Canada at the same time as in the United States, a factor which has made possible more liberal use of transcription continuity shows by big advertisers. Formerly American transcriptions were not released in Canada till two or three years after their first release in the United States. Canadian advertisers are looking for Canadian transcription shows, but neither Canadian scriptwriting nor artist talent has made it possible to produce many shows so far which suit Canadian advertisers, thus forcing Canadian advertisers to buy American-made transcriptions. Program Trends Stunt, novelty, and educational novelty live talent programs are seen by most agencies to be the types most likely to be used in increasing numbers in 1939. Some agency men feel that the new year will see these types of programs give way to more legitimate entertainment and simpler programs. Others are stressing the use of local stunt programs on even small stations for national advertisers because such programs can be put on cheaply and developed from station sustainers. Canadian advertisers are not buying time haphazardly. Surveys are being conducted in increasing numbers as to the suitability of time available by stations. Listeners' reactions to programs and listening habits are also being surveyed in greater numbers before advertisers make new radio appropriations and start new programs. Radio no longer has to be sold to Canadian advertisers. There are no figures available as to how much money was spent on Canadian radio advertising in 1938, or whether transcriptions, locals, or nets were most used. Guesses as to what radio advertisers spent on Canadian stations in 1938 ranged from $250,000 to $8,000,000. Several authoritative sources estimated the Canadian radio advertising total at roughly $3,500,000. Canadian radio advertising is felt to have levelled off now, and will keep on growing a certain amount for the next few years, with a few more stations being added annually. A few years ago Canadian radio was far behind that in the United States. Now commercial development is nearly caught up. 1938-39 Radio Business Survey (Continued on Page 13) Page 42 • January J, 1939 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising