Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan - Mar 1951)

CANADA RADIO BOOM U S. Advertisers Buy ATTENDING the CAB Convention in Quebec (I to r): Mickey Sillerman, World Broadcasting, New York; Doug Grant-, CHNS Halifax, and Joe Weed, Weed & Co., New York. By FLORENCE SMALL HEAVY American advertisers in significant numbers are plunging into Canadian radio to promote their products among the 14 million population of Canada. Radio schedules are being placed in markets extending from the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick line to British Columbia, seeking to widen the sale of breakfast food, soap, aspirin and magazines. Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich., one of radio's largest breakfast food advertisers, starts today (Monday) for its corn flakes and Rice Krispies a five-time weekly spot announcement schedule in four and six Canadian markets respectively. On April 16 another campaign will be launched for Bran Flakes in six markets, seven times weekly, and on April 2, Raisin Bran starts in a few markets, seven times weekly. The spot activity of Kellogg will be in addition to the firm's sponsorship of Clyde Beatty and Mark Trail, both heard on 14 stations in Canada since Feb. 5 [Broadcasting • Telecasting, Jan. 22], and another ha If -hour program, Magic Diamond, which started Feb. 10 in three cities in French Canadian CAB DEFENSE PLANS By JAMES MONTAGNES IN KEEPING with the times, Canadian broadcasters last week bore heavily on radio's role in Canada's developing civil defense program and took a detailed look at its good neighbor medium, American radio. Heaviest turnout in the history of the Canadian Assn. of Broadcasters found nearly 400 executives of the Canadian and American broadcasting industry attending the Monday-Thursday annual meeting held at the Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City [Broadcasting • Telecasting, Feb. 26]. At a closed session Tuesday afternoon, CAB members were given a broad look at radio's function in civilian defense and disaster preparations in various sections of Canada. Broadcasters discussed how best the industry could help in all emergencies. Panel was chairmanned by Vic George, CFCF Montreal. Civil Defense Plans Consensus was radio would (1) inform the public and (2) serve as close liaison with local civil and military authorities. CAB resolved that the industry prepare detailed plans and join or initiate local civil defense units. • That afternoon, at a business closed session, General Manager Jim Allard submitted his report to the convention delegates. Later, CAB Board Chairman Bill Guild, CJOC Lethbridge, reported on the Massey Royal Commission report on broadcasting and television, now expected to be released April 15. Delegates endorsed CAB's Royal Commission Committee urging it to continue its work. Also, decided was that stations identify all copyright music in the shortest time since current copyright agreements end this year. Welcomed were United States agency, station representatives and advertising firms, at which time Ben Laird. WDUZ Green Bay, Wis., was introduced as a representative of the entire U. S. radio industry. William Fay, WHAM Rochester, was official NAB delegate. Special BROADCASTING • Telecasting mention was made of the late John J. Gillin, Jr., WOW Omaha, who had regularly attended the meet as NAB representative. Opening panel was on "Earnings and Services"; Chairman F. H. Elphicke, CKWX Vancouver. Charlie Edwards, Press News, Toronto, spoke on news value to a station operation, pointing up its top priority with listeners as shown in surveys in four main Canadian cities. Other news features were explained by Phil Curran, British United Press, Montreal. Transcription library panel participants included Alex Sherwood, Standard Radio; John Langlois, LangWorth Feature Programs; Al Sambrook, RCA Thesaurus; Bert Lown, Associated Program Service, and Mickey Sillerman, World Broadcasting System. Open-end transcription advantages were discussed by Stuart MacKay, All-Canada Radio Facilities, Toronto, and Spence Caldwell, of S. W. Caldwell Ltd., Toronto. Floor comment brought up the need for more Canadian shows, use of transcribed shows to meet personnel shortages and the need for building continuity for Canadian stations. Col. William Abel, vice president, MacLaren Adv. Co., Toronto, replaced Maurice Mitchell, Associated Program Service, New York, as luncheon speaker. He urged Outlined At Meet Canadian outlets to sell themselves to the public. A panel, called "Information Please," was chairmanned by Mr. George. Among the panel members were Ruth Jones, Benton & Bowles, New York; John Weed, Weed & Co., New York, with other participants from Hamilton, Montreal and Toronto. More market data for the advertiser and agency from smaller market stations was emphasized in addition to the need for station men to meet agencies and clients personally; stations to make local presentations to local sales representatives of national accounts; desire of U. S. timebuyers to obtain faster data on availabilities and more concise market data on Canadian stations. Research Covered Research problems were discussed Tuesday morning in an "Earnings and Audience" panel with Ralph Snelgrove, CKBB Barrie, the chairman. CAB Quarter Century Club awards were presented at a dinner with Chairman Malcom Neill, CFNB Fredericton, making 22 awards. First presentation of the John J. Gillin Jr. Memorial Award was made to J. 0. Blick, CJOB Winnipeg, for that stations "outstanding community service in the interest of charity." Joseph Sedgwick, territory. The latter program is written entirely in French, including the commercials. All Kellogg's Canadian business is through Kenyon & Eckhardt, New York. Procter & Gamble, radio's largest advertiser, through Pedlar & Ryan, New York, also is hitting the Canadian trail, lining up availabilities for its Camay soap. P&G's Dreft, through DancerFitzgerald Sample, New York, shoves off a Canadian spot announcement campaign in 13 markets effective March 13, five times weekly. P&G's Drene (shampoo) starts March 19 in 11 Canadian markets. Compton Adv., New York, is the agency. In addition, P&G had started in mid-January a spot schedule for Ivory Snow on 12 Canadian stations in eight markets through Benton & Bowles. Among the other P&G products running regularly on the Trans-Canada Network are Ivory Soap, Ivory Flakes, Duz, Crisco and Fluffo (shortening), all through Compton. Sterling Drug, through DancerFitzgerald-Sample, New York, on Feb. 20 started a spot promotion campaign for its aspirin in three markets in Canada. Quite another type of advertiser, Ladies Home Journal, through BBDO, New York, started a Canadian spot campaign Feb. 28 in seven markets. Reasons advanced for the sudden accelerated interest in Canadian radio are several, but they all reduce themselves to a somewhat spontaneous realization of the rich potential of the growing" commonwealth to our north. One station representative attributed the spontaneous awakening in part to the publicity deriving from the recent widespread discovery of oil in western Canada, while another ascribed it to the increased distributive capacity of the American advertisers. CAB counsel, made the presentation for William Cranston, CKOC Hamilton, Awards Committee chairman, who was ill. Mr. Sedgwick recalled the place the late Mr. Gillin held in the (Continued on page 87) AMERICAN end Canadian delegates at CAB convention (I to r): Joseph H. McGillvra and Miss Helen Gill, Joseph H. McGillvra Inc., New York; Charles Godwin, MBS New York; Spence Caldwell, S. W. Caldwell Ltd., Toronto; Corl Haverlin, BMI, New York; Ches. Slaybaugh, Morse International, New York; Helen Thomas, Street & Finney, New York; Gerry Gaetz, CJCA Edmonton; Bernard Musnick, WLW Cincinnati; Vic George, CFCF Montreal; Ben Laird, WDUZ Green Bay, Wis.; Harold Moon, BMI, Toronto; Robert Burton, BMI, New York; Bill Hinman, Kenyon & Eckhardt, New York; Pete McGurk, Weed & Co., New York; Keith Chase, CFPL London. March 5, 1951 • Page 29