Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1949)

CARLIN PHILLIPS CARLIN has resigned as MBS vice president in charge of programs, a position he has held since November 1944, the network announced last v^^eek. No successor was announced, and it was reported the vice presidency would remain vacant, at least for the time being. Jack Paige, national director of programs, will assume supervision of the program department, it was said. The announcement of Mr. Carlin's departure was made by Edgar Kobak, MBS president who was OXARART LEAVES Will Join Hunt Foods Co. FRANK OXARART, western division manager of CBS network sales, will join Hunt Foods Co., Los Angeles, as advertising and merchandising mana g e r , effective March 15, according to Frederick Weisman, firm's president. Mr. Oxarart has been with CBS since March 1947. Previously he had operated his own advertising agency in Los Angeles for two years under name of Frank Oxarart Co. To supervise the advertising budget of Hunt Foods which is currently estimated at $3 million, Mr. Oxarart brings a prior familiarity with the account, having supervised it for Garfield & Guild and later for the Biow Co. from 1943 to 1945. Earlier he spent four years with CBS in San Francisco and Los Angeles in several sales capacities. Resigns Post With MBS Mr. Oxarart MASON ADVANCED Now GN&G Vice President WILLIAM R. MASON, account executive of Geyer, Newell & Ganger, New York, since the fall of 1947, has been appointed a vice president of the firm, B. B. Geyer, president, announced last week. Mr. Mason, who manages four of the agency's accounts, came to GN&G from Springfield, Mass., where he was group director for 15 William B. Remington Inc. accounts. Prior to that, he was advertising manager of the air conditioning, commercial refrigerator and fan vacuum cleaner sections of Westinghouse Electric Corp., and, earlier in his career, account executive with Fuller & Smith & Ross, Cleveland. He is a former president of the Advertising Club of Springfield, Mass. reelected to his post by the board of directors, meeting in Chicago last week. An announcement issued after the board meeting was confined to the simple statement that Mr. Kobak had been reelected. The announcement did not specify the tenure of his new term nor did it explain why the action was taken at this time. "Mr. Carlin and I have been associated for many years in the broadcasting field," Mr. Kobak said, "and it is with deep regret that I am acceding to Mr. Carlin's wishes in accepting his resignation to take effect late this month." Messrs. Kobak and Carlin have been close associates since the formation of the Blue Network. At the separation of the Blue Network from its parent, NBC, Mr. Kobak became executive vice Mr. Carlin president, and Mr. Carlin vice president in charge of programs. Mr. Carlin joined Mr. Kobak at MBS when the latter took over the presidency of that network. Mr. Carlin celebrated his 25th year in broadcasting last November. He first entered radio as an announcer at WEAF New York (now WNBC). At the organization of NBC he became assistant eastern program director. He later served as manager pf sustaining programs and assistant to the vice president in charge of programs at NBC. Date Not Set The exact date of Mr. Carlin's departure from Mutual was not set, except that it will be some time this month. He has announced no future plans. Attending the Mutual board meeting in Chicago were Lewis Allen Weiss, Don Lee Broadcasting System; Theodore C. Streibert and J. R. Poppele, Bamberger Broadcasting Corp.; H. K. Carpenter, WHK Cleveland; E. M. Antrim, WGN Chicago; J. E. Campeau, CKLW Detroit; Linus Travers, Yankee Network, and Benedict Gimbel Jr., WIP Philadelphia. Frank Schreiber, WGN Chicago, substituted for Chesser Campbell, Tribune advertising manager, who is a member of the board. GAIL SMITH Assumes New P&G Post GAIL SMITH has become director of radio in charge of daytime programs for Procter & Gamble Productions. The appointment became effective March 1. Mr. Smith joined the Procter & Gamble advertising department in September 1943 as an assistant in the radio section. After serving several years with the company's daytime radio activities, his responsibilities shifted to the field of nighttime radio. Mr. Smith CBS GROWTH Stanton Sums Up Gains FRANK STANTON, CBS president, last week dispatched a letter to advertisers and agencies, advising them in detail of the network's recent growth. Mr. Stanton's letter was distributed coincidentally with a meeting of NBC's affiliates in Chicago where that network's programming and commercial plans were announced. The text of Mr. Stanton's letter: "CBS network programs: "Today, nine of Hooper's 'Top 15' most popular evening programs are on CBS; the other six, divided equally between two other networks. "In the daytime, the first six most popular network shows^ — and eight of the 'Top 10'— are on CBS. "The current CBS average evening Hooperating (12.2) is an increase of nearly two rating points over a year ago, the only such increase for any network. 23 Sponsored Packages "Today 23 CBS 'package programs' are sponsored — a record unequalled by any other network. "Four of the 'Top 15' evening shows are CBS-conveived, CBS-produced package programs; two more of them are the CBS properties: Amos 'n' Andy and Jack Benny. "And this spring and fall, the CBS schedule will be still further strengthened by Ozzie and Harriet, Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Bing Crosby and Red Skelton. "CBS is also continuing its longrecognized leadership in public interest and information programs. CBS news programs have larger audiences than those of any other network, now 27% above the average for all other networks. "And the latest CBS documentary program — Mind in the Shadow— a study of mental health, drew the greatest critical and audience response in the history of these programs. It was received with such acclaim on February 2, and with such insistence to hear it again, that Mind in the Shadow had to be repeated on CBS within three weeks of the original broadcast. "Thus, CBS package shows, CBS program properties and other programs attracted by CBS scheduleopportunities, combine to create for CBS the strongest programming schedule in network history. "CBS network facilities: "CBS today is authorized nighttime power of 1,555,000 watts, leading all other networks in total power. "CBS today has more high power stations, and fewer low power stations, than any other network. "CBS has the highest average station power. "Programs and facilities equal circulation. "As a result of this combination of steadily increasing program strength, CBS is delivering to its advertisers the lowest cost perthousand families for the third consecutive year. "CBS now has more minutes of sponsored time than any other network, day and night. "In 1948 the average number of CBS stations used by advertisers has shown a substantial increase; the average nighttime network has increased by 22%; the average daytime network by 27%. "And CBS network billings for the first quarter of 1949 are running 8% ahead of a year ago. "In television: "Here again CBS is showing swift developments on all three fronts: Programs, facilities and advertisers acceptance. "CBS-TV programs: "CBS has three of the 'Top 5' network television programs, in both the January Hooper and Pulse reports. 'Biggest TV Audience' "Also, CBS wins the biggest average television audience, straight through the week — noon to midnight, seven days a week — with an average rating of 12.6. "Examining program popularity another way — 'who has the largest number of the most popular programs?'— CBS wins again. "Out of a total of 140 nighttime quarter-hours, CBS-TV has 60 of the most popular periods — twice the number of the second most popular network. "Finally, as a measure of advertising effectiveness, CBS programs today have the two highest sponsor identification ratings in all television— 97% and 96%. "In one year, from January 1948 to January 1949, CBS television ( Continued on page 5U) Page 24 • March 7, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting