Broadcasting (Apr - Jun 1949)

NETWORK SALES First Quarter Down 1% FIRST QUARTER AM network time sales are 1% below 1948's first three months, according to Publishers Information Bureau figures. The difference of $500,000 in the first three months of the year occurred primarily in the February total, although the March figures for 1949 are about $100,000 below the same month in 1948. Major product groups have shown some marked changes. Food advertising is running 6.1% below the 1948 first quarter; toiletries are 7.2% below the figure for the same period in 1948; drugs and remedies are about 12.2% below the 1948 level. Automotive advertising, which was expected to rise, is running a slight 2.7% below 1948. Tobacco advertising is running well ahead of 1948 (15.2% above) and the same is true of the household soaps and cleansers group, which has shown a 12.5% increase over January-March 1948. Smoking materials advertising has moved up to third place in volume of network advertising in 1949. Last year it was fifth ranking at the first quarter mark. Even with its 6% drop, food is the head and shoulders leader, followed by toiletries. Overall the outlook is about the same this year as last in the AM network advertising picture. Thirteen product groups have shown an increase, and 12 have declined. The decline of $500,000 is not enough to warrant any conclusions about network business; two or three increased appropriations, or one large account could bring the total back to the 1948 level immediately. AFL DISC SERIES Coy Speaks on First Program NO single group in American society should have sole access to radio as an avenue for presentation of issues, whether it's labor or another group, FCC Chairman Wayhe Coy declared in a transcription opening a new series of AFL discs covering 140 stations. "Radio broadcasting is potentially our most powerful medium of public education." Chairman Coy said, reminding that 95% of homes and 25% of autos have sets. "We need to have all viewpoints presented, not only as a matter of fair play but also because we have proved to the world that such practice in th° long run results in soundest decisions." Referring to the AFL series, he lauded organized labor for "helping strengthen our democracy in assisting its members and the people generally to understand public issues. . . . What management has to say may be controversial. What labor has to say may be controversial. But both are entitled to present their case to the public." The AFL discs, produced by Labor's League for Political Education, are sent to local AFL groups which request time from stations in their communities. GROSS BILLING (Source: Publishers Information Bureau) 1. Agriculture & Farming 2. Apparel, Footwear & Access. 3. Automotive, Automotive Access. & Equipment 4. Aviation, Aviation Access. & Equipment 5. Beer, Wine & Liquor 6. Building Materials, Equipment & Fixtures 7. Confectionery & Soft Drinks 8. Consumer Services 9. Drugs & Remedies 10. Entertainment & Amusements 11. Food & Food Products 12. Gasoline, Lubricants & Other Fuels 13. Horticulture 14. Household Equipment & Supplies 15. Household Furnishings 16. Industrial Materials 17. Insurance 18. Jewelry, Optical Goods & Camen 19. Office Equipment, Stationery & Writing Supplies 20. Publishing & Media 21. Radios, Television Sets, Phono graphs, Musical Instruments & Accessories 22. Retail Stores 23. Smoking Materials 24. Soaps, Cleansers & Polishes 25. Sporting Goods & Toys 26. Toiletries & Toilet Goods 27. Transportation, Travel & Resorts 28. Miscellaneous Totals March 1949 Jan. -Mar. 1949 March 1948 Jan. -Mar. 1948 $ 147,581 1 23',760 $ 1 07 655 117,800 $ 410 435 392^577 £ 338 15ft 372,467 656,980 699,694 2,051,272 2,109,205 70,476 101,172 208,404 315,610 1 28,476 660,471 144,707 1,860,948 113,552 647,308 264,108 2,067,633 316,51 1 2,048^099 463,071 5,276,263 282 434 1, 995^582 718,331 6,009,553 4,311,315 4,474,209 12,109,480 12,892,404 619,868 22,992 769,696 96,764 181,000 337,035 is 178,903 535,500 22,092 726,174 101,150 187,415 379,477 50,484 1,825,376 45,984 2,139,287 314,592 588,450 994,281 574,086 1,684,790 71,331 2,099,357 325,250 554,428 1,100,721 160,557 149 046 111,648 1 OA Ol O 133,226 430,647 297,662 730,677 453,177 154,551 5,496 1,945,728 1,925,509 194,007 476,773 16,488 5,948,393 5,322,973 584,232 1,769,821 1,733,670 5,163,517 4,729,937 2,773,647 106,304 233,347 2,963,594 8,082,937 346,000 860,694 8,707,095 218,736 661,690 $17,705,248 $17,802,766 $51,540,735 $52,061,123 ALL-RADIO BIDS Film Companies to Be Asked BIDS will be invited from film companies for production of the All-Radio promotional film within two weeks, Maurice Mitchell, director of the Bureau of Broadcast Advertising and spokesman of the All-Radio promotion committee, said last week. At a meeting Thursday in New York the committee discussed the preliminary script and agreed that it had reached a state of completion that would allow film companies to estimate accurately the money necessary to produce it. The movie, which the committee hopes to have completed for presentation next fall, probably will run about 40 minutes, Mr. Mitchell said. AP Adds Four FOUR additional stations have been elected to associate memberships in AP, bringing the U. S. total to 1,014. Stations are KCBS San Francisco; KHBG Okmulgee, Okla.; WBVP Beaver Falls, Pa., and WRNO Orangeburg, S. C. "I've installed this station!" the latest equipment Drawn for Broadcasting by Sid Hix . nothing old-fashioned about Mr. Rosenwald points out Amarilh headquarters for Southwestern Public Service Co. and KGNC, a he discusses "program" netwon for utility firm's transcribed serie with Ed Weber (I), Southwesten advertising manager, and Mi Watson. UTILITY FIRM To Use 14-Station Hookuf A "PROGRAM" network of 1stations in three Southwest state: will be launched June 5 to handb a new series of transcribed pro. grams for the Southwestern Public Service Co., A R. Watson, vic< president of the electric utility firm, has announced. KGNC Amarillo, home city foi the company, will serve as kej originating station for the network covering outlets in Texas, Okla homa and New Mexico. Monti Rosenwald of Southwest Adver tisers Agency, Amarillo, will an nounce the show, to be aired Sun days at 12:45 p.m. locally, anc commercials will be done "live' from KGNC. Utility company recently appointed the agency tc handle its radio advertising. The 14-station hookup, to bt known as "Your Public Service Company Network," is reportedlj the first of its type to be employee by a regional advertiser in the Texas Panhandle, New Mexico anc Oklahoma areas. Stations to be' used are: KGNC, KHUZ Borger KXIT Dalhart, KDDD Dumas KFYO Lubbock, KPDN Pampa KPAN Hereford, KVOP Plainview' KVOW Littlefield, (all Texas): KICA Clovis, KGFL Roswell KSVP Artesia, KAVE Carlsbad (all N. M.); KGYN Guymor (Okla.). Program is titled Hymns of the World, and is a Teleways production featuring John Charles Thomas and the King's Men. Amarillo office of Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. is setting up lines to service the network. New ABC Business THE VOICE OF PROPHESY Inc.! Los Angeles, through Western Advertising Agency of that city, has signed a 52-week contract with ABC for Sunday morning religious broadcasts. The programs, to be called The Voice of Prophesy, will be aired Sundays, 9:30-10 a.m., and will feature religious sermons and music. Page 26 • May 23, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting