Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1949)

CROSLEY BUDGET $2 Million Ad Outlay Set THE Crosley Division of Avco Manufacturing Corp. is spending $2 million between Oct. 15 and Dec. 15 in radio advertising, magazines and newspapers, according to William A. Blees, vice president of Avco and Crosley's general sales manager. This was revealed before a luncheon meeting of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Nov. 18 when Mr. Blees was presented an award "for his imagination, daring and merchandising skill, which are making such a laudable contribution to American prosperity." The two-month budget, Mr. Blees stated, is in addition to S12 million to be spent in advertising next year. Spearheading the current promotion drive is a $2 million giveaway contest, he said. /^tomotion AFRA Local Elects CLARENCE LEISURE, KNBC (NBC) San Francisco veteran announcer, has been elected president of the San Francisco local of the American Federation of Radio Artists. Other officers elected for 1950 include: Bert Buzzini, KCBS (CBS) newscaster, first vice president; Jim Moore, KGO (ABC) announcer, second vice president; Bill Gavin, NBC singing star, treasurer, and Actor-Writer Ken Langley, recording secretary, all of San Francisco. WHITE, grey, black and green folder, with attached metal hem gauge "for easier measuring in sewing or knitting" is latest promotion of WIBW Topeka, Kan. Leaflet stresses all around advantages WIBW has to offer listener and timebuyers in what famed economist, Roger Babson, calls the "Magic Circle'' of the Mid-West. Main legend is: "For Sales Magic in the 'Magic Circle,' Hire WIBW." Fortune Smiles SINGLE-page promotion sheet sent out by WCCO Minneapolis tells briefly story of Pillsbury Mills stockholders meeting which was aired by station recently. Tearsheet of page from Fortune magazine shows picture of meeting with WCCO microphone prominently displayed. Short commentary on tearsheet by station concludes, "Another first for . . . WCCO." Mails Reprint DIRECT mail promotion sent out by WOV New York is reprint from Broadcasting issue of Nov. 7 of WOV ad playing up station's program, Prairie Stars. Safety Campaign KVEN Ventura, Calif, is helping death take a holiday in new safety promotion campaign being waged on Los Angeles-San Francisco highway. Sta A L T O O N A FIRST WVAMiWARD JOHNSTOWN In Industrial Rich Pennsylvania With America's Favorite Programs Represented by Weed & Company tion sends mobile units out to highway on weekends and holidays with announcer who shortwaves description of traffic, human-interest incidents and reports traffic law violators to highway patrolmen. Reprimands given to erring motorists when tracked down by patrolmen are in turn broadcast over station. Dog Is Prize PEDIGREED Great Dane puppy is first prize in sentence completion contest being conducted by Evanger's Kennel Foods, which sponsors The Pet Shop on WNBQ (TV) Chicago. Winners will be chosen after Dec. 16 for endings to sentence "I like Evenger's Kennel Food because. . . ." Other prizes are boxer puppy and 12-volume set of an encyclopedia. Fans Express Interest OVERWHELMING reaction to its football broadcasts has prompted KOA Denver to mail out post cards thanking fans for writing to express interest in Colorado U. games sponsored by Standard Oil Co. Signed by Bill Day, sports director, and Starr Yelland, sports anouncer, card expresses hope "you'll show your appreciation through patronage of your neighborhood Standard service." On left-hand side appears picture of Messrs. Yelland and Day during actual broadcast. WCOP Mailings MAKING promotional use of ABC Promotional Award recently presented station, WCOP Boston mailed piece describing presentation to full list of 2,000 local and national advertisers and advertising agencies. The Cowles outlet also mailed "Old Salt" postcard bearing announcement of an additional 11:05 p.m. weather forecast to 2,300 persons who had previously -requested "Old Salt" weather chart. Other mailings: 1,000 letters to New England Opera Theatre Guild members hailing return of Met Opera broadcasts to WCOP; reminder to local Pontiac, Hudson, and Ford dealers that intensive announcement schedule had been purchased on their behalf. Big Names DIRECT mail promotion card showing pair of movers struggling with large sign entitled "Big Names" announces change of address for Keith Kerby Ltd., San Francisco, producer of "Celebrity Commercials." Rest of card tells story briefly: "We've moved to the Russ Bldg. New and larger quarters. Increase your spot billing with Celebrity Commercials." Cites Set Sales REPRINT of KSD-TV St. Louis advertisement in St. Louis Post-Dispatch is attached to new KSD-TV program schedule. Ad claims TV sales in KSDTV area are zooming, with almost 60,000 families enjoying television. 'Most Entertaining' FULL-PAGE advertisement, pointing up "the most entertaining schedule in radio history," has been circulated by KVOA Tucson, NBC outlet. Ad shows picture of Fibber McGee & Molly looking over galaxy of KVOA-NBC stars in Sept. 30 issue of Ldfe magazine and says stars, "along with several hun dred of America's most popular programs, make their home" on station and network. Bottom half of ad lists select daily network schedule in black and white columns, and urges listeners to "hear each (show) and judge for yourself." Shy Station "DID you say promotion?" is theme of direct mail folder published last week by KJBS San Francisco. Theme is repeated over entire cover of folder surrounding picture of delighted wife kissing beaming husband. Underline states: "We're bashful, yes! But you must know this KJBS story." Inside six panels tell story of KJBS promotion through magazines, newspapers, taxicab cards, sound trucks? movie trailers and air ads. Personnel DICK HARRIS, assistant promotion manager for WNAX Yankton, S. D., and former promotion manager for KELO Sioux Falls, S. D., becomes promotion manager for WNAX. He is succeeded as assistant promotion manager by GUY DeVANY, new to radio. MONTEZ TJADEN joins KRMG Tulsa as promotion manager. She formerly was promotion and publicity manager at WEEK Peoria. KRMG, 50 kw ABC outlet, expects to be on air first of year. JACK SNOW, writer in NBC's advertising and promotion department. New York, publishes his second volume of Oz books, called. The Shaggy Man of Oz, perpetuating children's series originated by L. Frank Baum. DENVER POLL Samples News Tastes LITTLE objection to commercials in the news and a decided interest in favor of local items were registered in a recent survey of audience reaction to KLZ Denver newscasts made by Donald H. McCollum, U. of Denver graduate student, as a thesis toward his M. A. degree. The station's policy in putting the first commercial at the opening of a 15-minute newscast or after the first story, and the second commercial preceding the weather forecast at the newscast's close, was favored by 53%. However, 12% dissented and suggested the first commercial always at the opening and the second at the very end. Of the total sampled, 27% asked for more local Items, while only 4% felt there was too much news of this type. About one-third of each KLZ newscast is devoted to local and regional events. Other facts uncovered by the survey: .% listeners attach highest significance to newscasts' openings or lead stories; each respondent heard an average of 2.9 newscasts a day; good percentage thought 42% of newscast time alloted to national affairs all right but a fifth found 15% time alloted to foreign news content too much ; one fourth objected to crime news as the specific news stories criticized, although a little over 6% of KLZ's total news output in the specified survey time was designated to such items. Page 50 • November 28, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting