Broadcasting (Apr - June 1950)

'Spot7 Breakdown EDITOE, Broadcasting: I am very much interested in your article "Spot's All-Time High" . . . April 17 issue of Broadcasting with particular regard to spot radio expenditures. Our management is very much interested in the activity in this medium, not only as to total expenditures for product groups, but by total expenditures for individual products or companies. D. E. Velso Advertising Dept. Lever Bros. Co. New York [EDITOR'S NOTE: Next spot survey will be geared to include this data.] Cites Duty to Farmers EDITOR, Broadcasting: . . . Radio can greatly benefit the farmers and ranchers in the fight against soil erosion across the nation. And, personally, I believe soil and agriculture work is one place where about 75% of the nation's stations are falling down on the job. If we don't support and help our nation's farmers and ranchers the backbone of our national economy will have a tendency to collapse. Then what happens to US? . . . Jim Hairgrove General Manager KFRD Rosenberg, Tex. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Story on KFRD winning a small stations' ScrippsHoward award for soil conservation efforts is in this issue.] Sears7 Promotion EDITOR, Broadcasting: I give credit to Broadcasting for helping to make a very excellent sale for WGEZ (Beloit, Wis.) due to the last article you carried on Sears — you can't do too much of this type of thing and I am glad that you are moving to more of it. . . . . . . Sears' saturation campaigns are helping to make more and more Beloit area merchants promotion minded. . . . It is this type of success story that is of immeasurable help to the small station manager — I know from the sad, digging on barren ground, experience in several medium markets. Gordon Allen General Manager " WGEZ Beloit, Wis. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Mr. Allen refers to BROADCASTING, March 27, which featured the sales success story of Sears, Roebuck & Co. in Burlington, Vt.] * * * Keep Idea File EDITOR, Broadcasting: . . . On the day of the opening of major league baseball we had four lovely ladies parade up and down the business section of town, listening to portable radios tuned to KSJO. The comment was terrific. We got the idea from Broadcasting . . . Some other station in the East did it, and although I can't remember the call letters, I would like to thank them for the idea . . . Speaking for the station, your magazine is a wonderful help. We keep all the programming and publicity ideas . . . Jerry DeHaan Manager Merchandising & Promotion Dept. KSJO-AM-FM San Jose, Calif. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Not one but countless stations use this sure-fire gimmick for big sports events — one of the many good ideas that BROADCASTING relays through its Promotion column.] * * # Cites WCCO Campaign EDITOR, Broadcasting: Wow — page 11 issue April 17, 1950— Wow-Wow — page 52 — WCCO story. What some smart newspaper space salesman will do with that. WCCO, whose great signal covers the Northwest and 17 other counties, spends $25,000 in a NEWSPAPER campaign— to tell radio listeners to "take along your portable." Where's Mitchell? Bert Wick Director KDLR Devils Lake, N. D. CHILDREN'S SHOWS Coy Gets Bay Area Analysis CRITICAL analysis of radio programs for children in the San Francisco area was sent to FCC Chairman Wayne Coy last week by Mrs. Frances L. Mitchell, chairman of the children's committee of Radio Listeners of Northern California [Broadcasting, May 1]. Mr. Coy released the report "because of the general interest I am sure there will be in the manner in which you are attempting to raise the standards of children's programs in your community." The report, which explored the questions of whether radio meets the needs of and has a moral obligation toward children, concluded radio bears the "heaviest responsibility" of all media of communication since "children spend more hours at the radio than in the classroom." It found San Francisco's eight stations "devote less than 3% of their time to children." Of 43 programs in the area studied, the report judged 15 as excellent, 10 good, 5 fair and 13 poor. WBT delivers a bigger share Hooperated 50,000-watt JEFFERSON STANDARD BROADCASTING COMPANY • 50,000 WATTS