Broadcasting (Jan - June 1945)

NBC Reports Ail-Time High In Spot Sales; Net Up 12% More Sponsored Newscasts, Women's Programs; Fewer Announcements; Seven New Affiliates BUFFALO'S GREATEST NETWORK NET REVENUE of NBC increased approximately 12% during 1944 over the preceding year, Roy C. Witmer, vice-president in charge of sales, disclosed in the netvi^ork's yearend report. With a substantial increase in the number of commercial program periods using the full network, from 89 in 1943 to 111 in 1944, Mr. Witmer reported, the average number of stations per program rose from 78 to 90 for daytime show^s, and from 102 to 112 for nighttime broadcasts. All-Time High for Spots More advertisers used the network's facilities last year than in 1943, with a total of 80 different sponsors on the air in 1944 as against 73 in the preceding 12 months. NBC concluded the old year with an expanded network of 149 affiliates, seven more than last year. The network's spot sales department reached an all-time high in sales volume, ending 1944 with 21% more revenue than in 1943, according to James V. McConnell, manager. While all types of spot business showed substantial increases, program sales were particularly strong, accounting for nearly 50% of the total revenue increase. "The trend towards more established program purchases will continue as companies lay their plans for postwar activity," he predicted. Only 24% of spot sales revenue came from one-minute announcements, compared to 28% in 1943. Sponsored newscasts have gained and revenue from women's cooperative programs increased from 4% in 1943 to 5%, "an indication that this type of program is doing an outstanding selling job for manufacturers of products appealing to women." In line with the general trend, movie and theatre advertising rose considerably in volume, and will continue to rise in 1945, according to Mr. McConnell. Cancellation of all commercial broadcasts on D-Day and, as the result of favorable reaction to this measure, similar action on election night are singled out as 1944 highlights in management policy in the report, which emphasizes throughout ways in which NBC has served the public interest, particularly in bringing the war and its attendant problems before the people. In the FM field, 1944 witnessed j two major developments at NBC — network programs were made available to FM stations operated by NBC affiliates, and in August ! NBC's FM station in New York shifted from experimental to com ' mercial broadcasting under the call ' letters WEAF-FM. ' John F. Royal, vice-president in ' ' charge of television, pointed to the ' introduction of live studio features, and regular arena sports events on WNBT, NBC's New York video outlet, augmenting the film telecasts which predominated in 1943; j and to the fact that the station en ' ters the New Year with five sponsors, the number limited only by I restricted studio facilities. Video i j highlights listed for the year were , participation in FCC allocation ' hearings Sept. 28-Nov. 2 by Presi , dent Niles Trammell ; regional network operations with WRGB ' WPTZ; development of new video techniques and services particularly in election and convention coverage. Prevented by the AFM ban from supplying instrumental music to station and commercial clients during the first 10 months of the year, Thesaurus division of NBC's Ra | dio-Recording Division nonetheless came out at the end of '44 with 3 more subscribers than ever before | —238 as against 227 for 1943. j Peacetime production of record ,i manufacturing alone in cooperation with the RCA factories, more than 'f doubled in 1944 to meet the needs of the armed services, according to ! ^ C. Lloyd Egner, vice-president in ,] charge of Radio-Recording. Hitch-Hikes Abolished J Multiple product advertising by hitch-hike and cow-catcher announcements was abolished during 1944, through cooperation between NBC and its station's planning an|d " advisory committee. :' As a result of special stress on .', individual station responsibility towards public service broadcasting, NBC programs of this type had it larger networks in 1944 than ever before, according to a report on station relations activities. ' WJL8 FJECKLEY, WEST VIRGINIA Expands its markets. . * Daytime coverage increases 1,390 square miles. . .with 110,741 additional potential listeners (FCC survey). 360 on the dial CBS NETWORK Represented by Burn -Smith DAILY PROGRAMS IN 5000 WATTS DIRECTIONAL OVER NEW YORK | BUFFALO BROADCASTING CORPORATION RAND BUILDING, BUFFALO, NEW YORK Notional RepreserHotive : FREE & PtTCRS.INC.