Broadcasting (Jan - June 1940)

TWO FUNNELS and teaspoon handles make up this "loving cup" to be awarded by John E. Surrick, sales manager of WFIL, Philadelphia, to the sales staff member leading the department during the May 20-June 15 period. Along with the trophy, the award includes an all-expense prepaid premium good for a weekend in Atlantic City. Eyeing the cup are (1 to r) Benjamin A. MacDonald, Max E. Solomon, Mr. Surrick, Hal Simonds. Plan to Abandon Daylight Time Shifts Said to Have Approval of Advertisers Only One Outlet For Salisbury, Md. Peninsula Company Alone as Delmarva Asks Cancellation LITTLE Salisbury, Md., community of 12,000 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, will have only one broadcasting station instead of two, despite the action of the FCC last April 13 authorizing two new local outlets there to replace the 2.50-watt daytime WSAL which was ordered off the air as of March 31 after the Commission had found alleged irregularities in its financial background. Applying its "survival of the fittest" theory, as expounded and upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court in the Sanders-Dubuque case [Broadcasting, April 1], the Commission on April 13 granted two construction permits for new stations in Salisbuiy — one to Peninsula Broadcasting Co., 250 watts fulltime on 1500 kc, and the other to Delmarva Broadcast Co., 250 watts fulltime on 1200 kc. Delmarva Cancels Following negotiations between the two companies, during which it was agreed that the community could not support two stations, the Delmarva company asked the FCC for a cancellation of its CP. This was approved May 21, thus leaving Peninsula alone in the field. It is understood the Peninsula company is negotiating to purchase the studio and transmitter equipment of the old WSAL, but there is some talk that the station, to be known as WBOC, may not be put into operation until next autumn. Peninsula's stockholders are 29 residents of Baltimore and the Eastern Shore, headed by John W. Downing, of Salisbury, a Maryland State Bank Commissioner, who holds the largest single block of stock, 350 shares or ILllTc. He is president; William F. Allen, Salisbury banker and nursei'yman, vicepresident; Albert W. Ward, Baltimore, secretary of the State Tax Commission, secretary; John T. Holt, Salisbury oil distributor, treasurer. Prime mover in the project, however, is Clarence W. Miles, Baltimore attorney, a director, who owns 150 shares, as does his law partner Seymour O'Brien.. Hooper S. Miles, Maryland State Treasurer, is also a director and owns 100 shares, and Virginia P. Miles owns 200 shares. The Miles-O'Brien firm is prominentlv identified with the ownership of WCAO, Baltimore. The Delmarva company was organized largely by Robert N. Rogers Jr., formerly employed by WSAL, who is the son of Naylor Rogers, onetime manager of KNX, Hollywood. Young Rogers was equal partner in the now-discarded venture with Paul E. Watson, local banker, and William H. Morton, head of the local Coca Cola Bottling Co. BECAUSE of changes in advertising policy. Ethyl Gasoline Corp., on June 24 will discontinue the CBS program Tuiie-l'jt Time, featuring Tony Martin and Andre Kostelanetz" Orchestra, currently heard Mondays, S-S :30 p.m. Although the .show has had high program ratings and has been successful, the company will not resume the broadcasts in the fall, giving no reason for the change. BBDO, New York, is the agency. ABANDONMENT of the springautumn schedule shifts caused by adoption of daylight time, and vice versa, apparently was approved by most advertisers during the May 13-15 closed meeting of the Association of National Advertisers. The question was brought up in early May by W. E. Heuerman, executive of J. A. Folger & Co., Kansas City Coffee firm, who circulated a letter [Broadcasting, May 15] among ANA members and then brought up the matter at the ANA meeting. Ben Ludy, manager of WIBW, Topeka, circulated copies of Mr. Heuerman's letter among time buyers and others. Reactions from many sources have been obtained by Mr. Heuerman, who based his stand on the claim that daylight time confusion causes loss of audience. Among comments are : S. C. Gale, director of advertising. General Mills, Minneapolis: "In reply to your letter of the 6th, for many years the writer argued with almost everyone he met who was interested in radio to the effect that all radio schedules should remain on standard time throughout the year." George A. Morrell, John Moi'rell & Co., Ottumwa, la. : "In our own case, we have purposely planned our network advertising so as to stop for the summer just prior to the inception of daylight saving, because we might logically stop soon thereafter anyway, and don't like to run into the confusion that exis'^s for a period of a few weeks. For the same reason, we are inclined to start our fall network program after daylight saving time is discontinued." George W. Boiling, vice-president, John Blair & Company, station representative: "My contention has been that daylight saving time costs the radio industry between 5 and 10 million do'lars annuallv in hard cold cash. Season schedules could, and should, run another five to six weeks in the spring, and start another two or three weeks earlier in the fall. The expense of moving local and spot shows twice a year is terrific. Aside from the expense involved, listener's habits must be changed twice a year in those cities not observing daylight saving." John J. Gillin Jr., manager, WOW, Omaha : "I agree with you, daylight saving costs the radio industry not only many headaches but loss in audience appreciation. The listeners do not always receive the information in the newspapers as to the new program time, and those listeners who for some reason or other do not get the information from the station itself through the continued courtesy announcements, may not catch up with the program until a week after the change." Barney J. Lavin, sales manager, WD AY, Fargo: "I'll be glad to talk about it among the other broadcasters, starting with our district here and then maybe carrying it further to the broadcasters convention. I believe that we could get the support of the broadcasters, and certainly many of the advertisers and agencies." John Blair, John Blair & Company: "We have discussed the whole story with practically all of our stations and have urged that they do something about it at the time of the NAB Convention, which is to be held early in August this year. However, I do believe that a considerable amount of ground v,'ork can be done before that time. For instance, you could prevail upon other large advertisers like yourselves to start a plan, and we and the other major radio station representatives could build a strongstory urging all our stations to get behind it." Craig Lawrence, Iowa Broadcasting Co., Des Moines: "There has also been the feeling that even though radio were to keep on standard time, that those advertisers would arrange with the networks to so change the time of their programs to reach the listeners in those metropolitan centers at the same time that they had during standard time in those cities. This, of course, would defeat the purpose of staying on standard time." W. E. Wasrstaff, KDYL, Salt Lake City: "We have written several stations to get their sentiments on the subject and will pass the information we receive to you." PROGRAM SURVEYS DISCUSSED BY ANA METHODS of determining program popularity were discussed by A. Wells Wilbor of General Mills and A. W. Lehman, manager of the Cooperative Analysis of Broadcasting, during the media control session of the 1940 spring meeting of the Assn. of National Advertisers at the Westchester Country Club, Rye, N. Y., May 13-15. Mr. Wilbor, a member of the governing committee of the CAB, attacked the problem from the philosophical side, distinguishing between the coverage of a station, which is based on physical factors, and the circulation of a program, which involves less tangible elements. Mr. Lehman described the four major methods of audience measurement — roster, coincidental, meter and the recall method used by the CAB, explaining the relative advantages and disadvantages of each type of survey. At one session A. A. Schechter, NBC director of news and special events, told the convention how radio covers the European war, circumventing the hazards of censorship and of the five-hour or sixhour time differences between European capitals and New York to bring to American listeners news and comment that is fresh and interesting. Max Wylie, director of the CBS script division, and Earl McGill, a CBS producer, played a transcription of the Columbia Workshop production, "Curly", to illustrate recent advances in production technique, and also demonstrated the latest innovations in sound effects. In a discussion of the consumer movement, J. P. Miller, of Pet Milk Sales Corp., described the activities of his company in giving consumers "the facts about our business that they are demanding of business generally" and told how the company's radio program of general and household news on CBS has aided in the achievement of this goal. Radio Industry Praised For Assisting Red Cross FROM the opening gun of the $10,000,000 American Red Cross war relief fund drive on May 10, networks and individual stations, sponsors and radio stars have "rallied magnificently" in aiding the appeal, it was stated to Broadcasting May 24 by G. Stewart Brown, Red Cross national director of public information, and Charles Dillon, radio director of the organization. Pointing to the special full-hour broadcast aired by the combined networks on May 26 as an example of how radio has risen to the emergency, Mr. Brown stated that more than 75 national sponsors scheduled some 130 spots for the drive on their shows. He also stated that 500 individual stations are carrying 12 one-minute recorded Red Cross announcements as well as giving time to lo^al chapter for live spots, interviews and talks. The May 26 show presented 20 top names in the entertainment world, along with Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Red Cross Chairman Norman H. Davis, and Wayne Chatfield-Taylor, Red Cross European delegate. All talent and musician unions cooperated, with Ben Larson handling production of the show. Page 52 • June 1, 1940 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising