Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1949)

NEW SPONSORS Created by TV, Smith Tells Chicago Club MORE THAN 60% of the time sold on NBC's television network has gone to advertisers who are not currently using the network's sound broadcasting facilities, Carleton D. Smith, NBC director of television operations, told 500 Chicagoans Wednesday at a Radio Management Club luncheon. . Mr. Smith Mr. Smith delivered an address preceding a halfhour NBC television "salute" to the club from New York and Washington via the newly opened EastMidwest coaxial cable. The gathering, in Chicago's Palmer House, was the largest in the history of the radio management group. "Forty percent of our commercial TV schedule has been purchased by current NBC advertisers, but with new money — not from their NBC sound appropriations," Mr. Smith reported, observing that this points up the fact television is a new advertising medium — not simply a replacement of radio or any of the older forms of advertising. Creating New Ad Dollars "TV is creating new advertising dollars, just as radio did. And in our country's entire economic history, no good advertising medium has ever been put out of business when another good advertising medium came along." Mr. Smith noted that for the first time since before the war, a period of intense competition for the consumer's dollar is approaching and the "backlog of consumer demand is beginning to evaporate." Maj. Ridge (Continued from page 28) plementary to the newspaper and there is no fight between the two." However, after years of differences with the local papers over policy, in 1947 Maj. Ridge and the North Carolina Broadcasting Co. bought 16%% interest in the Greensboro News Co., publisher of the Greensboro Daily News and the afternoon Greensboro Record. Active in public and political life, Maj. Ridge served one fouryear term as U. S. marshal for the middle North Carolina district and was confirmed by the 80th Congress for a second term. In 1938 he ran for Congress on a "100% New Deal" platform, but was defeated. During the recent national elections he was one of the few people who early in the campaigns picked President Truman to win and stuck by his prediction until it came true. In 1916 Maj. Ridge married Lorraine Procter of Durham, N. C, who survives him. Funeral services were held Friday afternoon. Burial was in Greensboro. He predicted that the television manufactux'ing industry itself will do much to create new demand and give employment to "hundreds of thousands." "Even more important may be television's contribution to the economy of the nation by stimulating the movement of billions of dollars worth of merchandise and services," he a_sserted. "Only by mass distribution do we get mass production. The economic base of television is its already proven ability to increase and speed up distribution." Not only are the nation's largest HOOVER Approves State Streamlining THE HOOVER Commission last week gave its approval to "task force" suggestions which would streamline the State Dept. but simultaneously turned thumbs down on the proposal to divest it of "Voice of America" operations. The task force previously had recommended that the State Dept. confine itself solely to policy matters and relinquish actual "Voice" operations, as well as other overseas information activities [Broadcasting, Dec. 6, 1948]. A spokesman for the commission, headed by Herbert Hoover,* disclosed last Wednesday that it was the feeling of the commission that the State Dept. should retain control of "Voice" broadcasts shortwaved to Europe, especially the U.S.S.R., as a matter of policy rather than operation. The commission was also said to have frowned on the idea of a corporation, which would absorb "Voice" operations, as out of line with its overall purpose to curtail Government expense through more efficiency and economy. The commission reportedly agreed on the following proposals which, if enacted, would herald wide administrative changes in the State Dept. : (1) Two deputy Undersecretaries, one each for administrative and policy, would aid the Secretary of State and Undersecretary. (2) The Department's domestic and foreign service personnel should be unified at the top levels, thus providing safeguards for career personnel that should, according to commission feeling, be divorced from Civil Service. (3) The Department should confine itself primarily with policy or advisory matters, relinquishing actual foreign aid program operations wherever feasible. advertisers "naturally turning to., television as a new arm of distribution, but the not-so-big advertisers are finding that network TV is paying off for them," he added. The New York portion of the East-to-West show featured Tex and Jinx McCrary in sidewalk interviews outside Radio City with ice skaters on nearby Plaza rink forming the background. An aii-line pilot, a professional skater and a well known illustrator were among those intei-viewed. In Washington announcer Morgan Beatty interviewed Illinois' new Senator Paul Douglas, and other Congressional leaders in the shadow of the Capitol dome amidst construction work on President Truman's Inaugural rostrum. Climax of the half -hour show was the first Chicago demonstration of the split-screen technique in television, with Mr. Beatty in Washington shown conversing with announcer Ben Grauer in New York. In addition to Mr. Smith, out-of .town guests at the luncheon were Charles R. Denny, NBC executive vice president, and Walter Damm, general manager of the Milwaukee Journal stations. Heads of Chicago TV stations, leading advertisingagencies and station representative firms, as well as officials of the Illinois Bell Telephone Co. also were introduced. HallicrafterTVCut ANOTHER drastic cut in television set prices was reported Wednesday when William J. Halligan, president of Hallicrafters Co., Chicago, announced that the company's seven-inch receiver would be cut S50 to S139.50. Commenting on a slowdown in demand for such sets, Mr. Halligan predicted all prices would be down from the 1948 level. ALLIED RADIO Corp., Chicago, has announced release of low-priced wire recorder-phonograph combination. CHET LONG is more than a WBNS news commentator. He is a public spirited citizen of a thriving community who is always an indefatigable worker for all civic improvements, charities and worthwhile organizations. Recently he was awarded the first and only male membership in the Columbus Chapter, National Secretary's Association, because of outstanding service to the profession. "ONE OF THE NATION'S TOP TWENTY," that's what Central Ohio listeners have been hearing over WBNS for the past two months. Hooper Listening Index for August-September 1948 place WBNS 10th in the morning, 7th in the afternoon and 5th in the evening. A top twenty rating based on the city zone share of audience for all stations, network and non-network cities. IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE (ON WBNS) has been itably proven by the Furniture ^ ^ _ House, one of Columbus' better furniture stores. They bet their entire advertising budget on WBNS and to their great satisfaction business instantly showed a phenomenal increase and has steadily gained for month after month. Yes, if you want results use WBNS. prof COVERS rr POWER 5000 0*1000 'N CBS ASK JOHN BLAIR ! BROADCASTING • Telecasting January 17, 1949 • Page 57