Broadcasting (Apr - June 1950)

THIS group of National Assn. of Radio Farm Directors gathered at the organization's south-central region spring meeting at Stillwater, Okla., where Oklahoma A & M College was host. L to r are: Standing, Edd Lemons, Oklahoma extension editor; Gene Robbins, Texas A & M.Johnny Watkins, KWTX Waco, Tex.; Phil Evans, KMBC-KFRM Kansas City; Burnis Arnold, Oklahoma ex tension radio director; Jim Wells, KSPI Stillwater, Okla.; Bill Tipton, "Paymaster Network," Abilene; seated, Andy Adam, Texas extension radio editor; George Roesner, KTRH Houston; Murray Cox, WFAA Dallas; Gladys Foris and Marguerette Engel, Oklahoma extension radio editors, and Sam Schneider, KVOO Tulsa. Mr. Arnold was elected chairman of the group. ORR NAMED To Handle National Guard 1950-51 Ad Account ROBERT W. ORR & Assoc., New York, last Tuesday was named to handle the National Guard's 1950-51 advertising account as Congress took up consideration of the Defense Dept's overall expenditures for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The National Guard has asked Congress for $298,000 for the coming year covering recruiting advertising needs — the same amount as requested last year. While Congress had not concluded debate on military appropriations, authorities felt the $298,000 figure would remain intact as proposed in the President's budget. Radio and television again are expected to draw roughly $50,000 of this allocation if the Senate and House approve requested funds, Maj. E. L. Smith, NG information officer, indicated last week. The Orr agency was chosen by a board of officers to succeed Gardner Advertising Co., St. Louis, which has held the account since August 1947. Field had been narrowed down to three agencies, one of which — Owen & Chappell Inc. — withdrew last week. Eleven agencies competed for the contract. Others considered last week were Albert Frank-Guenther Law Inc. and Buchanan & Co. Plans in Abeyance Maj. Smith told Broadcasting that no advertising plans would be formulated until after Congress passes the single-package appropriations for 1950-51. A national $100,000 radio spot campaign embracing 1,400 stations in 1,124 cities already had been disclosed officially by the U. S. Army and Air Force recruitment office, with the drive tentatively set to get underway today (Monday) [Broadcasting, May 8]. Last week it was incorrectly stated that NG's budget called for an allotment of $49,500 for Air and Page 32 • May 15, 1950 $350,000 for Army. The total sum, without any breakdown for Air or Army, is $298,000. Above figures refer to personnel, not funds. It also was stated that the ArmyAir Force account is placed by Gardner Advertising Co. Grant Advertising Inc., Chicago, handles the account. O'DANIEL PLANS Mulls Time on Texas Network INFORMATION on the cost of a "commercial broadcast" that would be aired over a network of 30 Texas stations has been sought by W. Lee O'Daniel, ex-Senator from the Lone Star State and one-time Texas governor, it was reported to BROADCASTING last week. Mr. O'Daniel was reported to have told radio executives that the broadcast was to be "commercial, not political." No arrangements have been made as yet concerning the broadcast. Mr. O'Daniel, whose possible entry into the Texas gubernatorial race has caused wide discussion, made extensive use of radio in his past successful campaigns for governor and U. S. Senate. ' ABC Stock Sales OWEN D. YOUNG, honorary chairman of the board of General Electric and member of the ABC board of directors, has sold 5,000 shares of his ABC stock, it was learned last week. Mr. Young retains 5,000 ABC shares. Pope Lauds Radio RADIO was given a highly favorable comment from the Vatican May 6. Pope Pius XII said radio's good outweighs evil and that the Catholic Church is interested in the medium because of it's "eminently precious means for accomplishment of her (the Church) own mission." Speaking to delegates to the international administrative conference on high frequency broadcasting, Pope Pius said, in reference to Eastern Europe that radio is especially important for peoples without churches or priests. AFA CONVENTION 46th Meet May 37 -June 2 DISCUSSION of how to "bridge the gap between advertising education and advertising practice" will highlight the 46th annual convention of the Advertising Federation of America, May 31-June 2 at the Hotel Statler, Detroit, the organization announced last week. This event is scheduled for the final session, June 2, with Donald Davis, professor of advertising, Pennsylvania State College, as moderator. Representing the advertising field in the discussion will be Frederic Schneller, general merchandising director, Lever Brothers Co.; T. Lee Brantley, vice president, Crowell-Collier Publishing Co., and Frederic R. Gamble, president, American Assn. of Advertising Agencies. Speakers from education will be Rev. Bernard W. Dempsey, St. Louis U.; Mrs. Rosamond Risser Jones, Butler U., Indianapolis, and Professor D. M. Phelps, U. of Michigan. Elliott Shumaker, general advertising manager, Detroit Free Press, is general convention chairman. AUDIENCE PROOF Expected From Radio — Harms RADIO "more than ever before," will have to prove that it delivers an audience and what that audience is comprised of, Marvin Harms, vice president of H. W. Kastor & Sons, charged Wednesday at the Chicago Radio Management Club. Radio "may suffer most among media" as a result of television's inroads, he said, but will find its place because of (1) multiple sets in homes, (2) listening away from home, in cars and via portable receivers, (3) some preference for hearing rather than viewing because of the concentration required for the latter, (4) radio coverage in areas not reached by television, and (5) specialized radio programming, which will beam specific shows to selective audiences, emphasizing news, sports and classical or popular music. TV, which is causing the same "headaches" that radio brought in the '20s, calls for a "ripping apart of tried and true advertising measures." In spite of the current sellers' market (which is "fast becoming" a buyers' market), wherein advertising budgets are everincreasing, "those budgets are not big enough to take in TV without cutting somewhere. TV has to be added," Mr. Harms concluded. "It's fortunate for us all that the FCC freeze on TV is in effect — it's a blessing to all advertising, because we have time to study TV's effectiveness in the current TV markets. This gives us a chance to get our house in order before the medium grows any more," the speaker said. Asserting that video gives the "greatest impact of any advertising medium today," Mr. Harms estimated that nine million sets will be installed in homes by the end of the year. In addition, he predicted that TV "will move strongly into daytime hours just as radio did after developing evening programming." WTAG LUNCHEON Film Shown to N. Y. Admen GEORGE BOOTH, president, WTAG-AM-FM Worcester, Mass., and publisher, Worcester Telegram & Evening Gazette, headed a delegation from the station and newspaper who played host last Tuesday to several hundred agency executives at a luncheon gathering in New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Following the luncheon, the group was shown a sound color film on Worcester, highlighting the city's advantages as a place to live, work and sell and the coverage and popularity of the station and newspaper [Broadcasting, May 8]. Similar showings of the promotional film will be given in Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Herbert L. Krueger, commercial manager of WTAG, and Harold V. Manzer, business manager of the Telegram Gazette, will conduct these meetings. BROADCASTING • Telecasting