Broadcasting (Jan - June 1943)

Radio Does Big Job for Government MOST people are probably not aware that this country has just weathered successfully what promised to be the greatest passenger transportation crisis in our history— in the recent holiday period. Mr. Joseph B. Eastman, Director of Defense Transportation, credits the fact that we came through this potential crisis without the muchfeared breakdowns in our railroad and bus systems in large part to the two-week radio campaign on "Don't Travel at Christmas" which was carried on the Office of War Information's Network Allocation Plan in the period Dec. 7 to Dec. 20. Scientifically Scheduled Many other media were, of course, used in this campaign — some of them quite successfully. But no medium was used as radio was used — with a series of mesages scientifically scheduled across all types of programs, hammering away on the same point, and each day delivering those messages to approximately one-third of the homes in the country. Furthermore, probably no other medium delivered a "Don't Travel at Christmas" message with the impact of radio's messages on this subject. For in the great majority of cases this appeal was not simply a bald announcement, but either an effective dramatization of the subject or a fervent plea from one of the country's best known radio personalities. The message reproduced below is a typical example, and is significant because it indicates so clearly how a proven advertising technique lends itself to a Government campaign. Announcer: Do you want this to happen? Girl (about 10) : Will Daddy be wearing his uniform when he comes home? Woman : He's not coming home, dear — not for a long time. Girl: Not even for Christmas, Mommy? Woman: No-o-o. Y'see dear, he can't get a seat on the train at Christmas time. And right after that he's going far (Fade) far away. Announcer : Or this ? Sound: (Long distance telephone ring) (Receiver being taken off hook). Man (about 25) : Yes .... Woman: (Doubling) (On filter) Ready with your call to California. Man: Oh — hello? Mom? (Pause) Say — I guess I won't get to see you before I leave. (Pause) Yeah — I got the furlough all right. But looks like the whole country's traveling this Christmas. I can't get a seat on the train. What? (Pause) Nope — I tried the busses — they're jammed, too. And Mom — I'll be going over right after — so it looks like (Fade) This is goodbye. Announcer : Folks I put it up to you. Network Allocation Plan Is Used Effectively to Reach Millions By SEYMOUR MORRIS Chief, Allocation Division, Domestic Radio Bureau, OWI Could you have that on your conscience? Could you make a pleasure trip anywhere this Christmas time — knowing that _ when you do you deprive some soldier of his last chance of seeing his family ? Y'see for every civilian that occupies a seat on a train — or a bus — or a plane this Christmas time — some soldier is going to stay in camp ■ — -and may miss a final visit with those he loves before he goes over seas. We have just so much equipment for transportation. What we have cannot be replaced. It must last us throughout the war. And the major portion of that equipment must be reserved for use that is essential to the war. Moving troops — shipping tanks — -guns — food ! Getting workers in vital war industries from one spot to another ! The equipment that is left must be rig'dly conserved. Conserved for important business trips — emergency sick calls civilians may need to make between now and the end of the war. So don't travel this Christmas tin** unless you must ! Remember — some soldier may miss his last visit home, if you're occupying a seat on a bus or a train! What Can Be Done The above message is not cited as an "outstanding" example of the kind of messages which network advertisers are regularly delivering: for the OWI under the Network Allocation Plan. It is presented rather, as an expert, workmanlike example of what can be expected when the best commercial writing talent in the advertising business tackles the war messages which are regularlv assigned their programs by our office. This particular message was carried on a daytime serial which was broadcast over two different networks the same day to a total audience of 12.1 (coincidental rating). In addition, this same subject was carried on 64 other radio programs within the previously mentioned two-week period. Assuming minimum duplication, every radio family in the country heard a "Don't Travel at Christmas" message somewhere around 4.3 times. In view of this, it is no wonder that on some railroads during the holiday period traffic was actually below the 1940-41 level. And over the country as a whole there were no serious tie-ups and no breakdowns, as had been feared. The "Don't Travel" campaign will be picked up again in the near future, inasmuch as railroad and THAT RADIO is performing an outstanding job for the Government in disseminating necessary wartime information is graphically told by Seymour Morris, chief of the allocation division, Domestic Radio Bureau, OWI. Upon his graduation from Princeton in 1933, Mr. Morris joined Lord 8C Thomas and subsequently served with Benton dC Bowles and Compton Adv. Inc., until March, 1942, when he became agency liaison for the OFF. The following June when OFF was absorbed by the OWI, Mr. Morris became chief of the allocation division, where he has done an admirable job in channeling Government copy through the nation's broadcasting outlets. Page 10 • January 25, 1943 bus traffic will be an increasingly serious problem. However, the first major danger point has been successfully passed — thanks largely to radio's help. Reaches Large Audiences The Network Allocation Plan is certainly one of the most remarkable innovations in the use of radio ever devised. And it is interesting that it was not suggested bv the Government, nor urged upon the industry by the outside. Rather, it was conceived, developed, and formally proposed to the Government by a representative group of radio people who have had key positions within the industry for the past decade. Most of the readers of Broadcasting are aware of the mechanics of the plan. They know that every commercial network program (plus a group of sustaining programs requested by OWI) is regularly carrying war messages assigned by OWI on a certain percentage of its broadcasts. Essentially, the factor that makes this plan such an innovation is the staggeringly large audiences which it reaches every day. We estimate that we have a total of about 90 listening units (C. E. Hooper) at our disposal every day through the programs participating in the plan during the big listening months. In general, we schedule only three different campaigns on the plan during a given week. If each of these campaigns had equal weight, they would, of course, divide the 90 points per day among them insofar as possible. In other words, each campaign would have — in effect — a 30 rating program every day of the week, or slightly over 200 points in the 7-day period. And important campaigns can be scheduled for two, three or four weeks, or longer. Best Testimony In Results Aside from "special events" like a Presidential radio address or a newspaper-story campaign of almost unprecedented proportions, the Government has no other way it can reach upwards of 50%* of the population of the country every single day — with subjects of its own choosing, weighted exactly as the needs justify. But the best testimony to the soundness of the plan is not the people it reaches, but the results it has achieved. On many of the campaigns which * Making allowance for considerable duplication within the 90 listening units despite the fact that the shows making up this total are scattered across all 4 networks at all times of day. BROADCASTING • have been scheduled it has been impossible to check results. Many other campaigns have been carried in so many media that it has been impossible to state with finality which one was primarily responsible for the results. If it were not for Mr. Eastman's statement, we would have to put the "Don't Travel at Christmas" campaign ir. that category. There are som« campaigns, however, which were carried on our Allocation Plan exclusively, and these tell an interesting story. Last June the Civil Aeronautics Administration came to us anq told us of their great need foi young men to volunteer for theii glider pilot schools. The Army was increasingly anxious to get all the glider pilots the CAA could produce, yet there was no way of securing candidates for CAA courses through Selective Service, and the number of volunteers was almosl negligible. CAA had studied the problem and knew the reason whj — to most young men piloting i glider sounded like a rather un< inspiring kind of job. If a boy was going to take up flying, he wanted to fly a motor plane or none at alii Dispelling a Myth In the Fact Sheet which was senj to all shows to which this message was assigned, we stated : "Let radii . . . through your efforts . . . Disp the myth that: Although most pe< pie haven't even thought of it> , powered plane is not the only effeo tive type of aviation. Gliders . . properly directed . . . are equall important; offer air-minded men bigger opportunity for adventui ous service." After two weeks on the Networ Plan, 30,000 glider pilots had bee turned up, and every CAA schoi in the country packed to capacit; Men in charge of this operatio told us later that they were frankl amazed at our ability to fill thei needs in record time, since every] (Continued on page A2) Broadcast Advertising