Broadcasting Telecasting (July - Sept 1951)

One of America's First Stations! A sixteen county market of 241,000 families with $971,136,000 to spend The wealthy Greensboro — High Point Metropolitan market led all other markets in the Carolinas in 1950 General Merchandise Sales. WBIG of the (^aroiinai Gilbert M. Hutchison, President ion CBS Affiliate 5000 watts EST. 1926 represented by Hollingbery Judgment Day EDITOR: . . . Radio is here to stay. Radio can move goods. You know it. I know it. But can we prove it? Sure — if radio had the guts — if every radio station in the United States voluntarily and simultaneously closed up shop for a period of 24 hours. The jammed telephone exchanges— the headlined newspaper stories might even penetrate into the advertiser's ivory tower and prove to him once and for all: Radio sells. Radio lives! People listen! . . . Ken Goldblatt MBS, New York Back to the Farm EDITOR: . . . My work is as an independent writer/producer, not a packager, but occasionally when a program on which I have worked becomes available, I endeavor to sell it on the basis that I either write or produce the show, if sold. Recently a known, established property on which I've worked for two years became available. . . . In due course [I] approached a certain agency which shall be nameless . . . one of the "top 20" and has separate radio and TV directors. My approach was to the radio director, of course. First I got his secretary on the phone and she told me "they couldn't sell any radio shows, so they weren't interested in looking at any." . . . I then wrote to Mr. Radio Director himself. Following is a wordfor-word quotation from his written answer: "Sorry to say that we don't have any clients who are looking for radio shows. As you know, all the swing today is toward TV. As a result our radio operation is down to a minimum. Under these circumstances, I'm sure you recognize it would be useless for you to expose your show to me." . . . Let's all give up the ghost and go back to the farm, because surer'n hell we're not going to get anywhere when the very people who should be beating their brains out trying to sell radio are taking the attitude that it is a lost cause. Richard Marvin New York * * # Local Interest EDITOR: Radio had sunk enough money in surveys to build a "survey building." It's about time we of radio sell in the same manner as our competition does. Newspapers sell circulation — why not radio? . . . The problem of eliminating the question of how many people li to your station can be solved, have accomplished it by a simple rules. . . . Our news ?| was increased to supply us i more local news. The special ev staff (which includes almost e^ member of the staff) covers e\\ of local interest. . . . When get your listeners to a point wlj they are afraid to turn off i\ radio because they might ij something of local interest, a i vey won't be necessary. . . . Pat O'Halloran Sales Manager KPQ Wenatchee, Wash. Idea Swap Shop EDITOR: . . . Within the past mo -J [WJVA South Bend, Ind., 250 daytime] has sold three progn to distributors without any de; participation . . . now has on air four distributors who have p chased time outright. Tentat plans are now being worked for the fifth distributor to go the air in October. WJVA has worked out a sell formula that is clicking with < tributors and is willing to pass this formula to any station t is interested. It is hoped that s ing ideas may be exchanged the benefit of all concerned . . think there should be more sa success ventures made known . There is no reason why statii themselves cannot help one anoth Come on, pavement beaters, 1 forget about rate reductions at lets help one another sell radio Charlie Sharpless Commercial Manager WJVA South Bend, Ind. New Low EDITOR: May I add a resounding "am to the letter written by Anna lin, published in the June 18 is: ["Cheap Labor," Open Mike] Anna doesn't know how low new low is. Not too many wei ago a certain "executive" asked I knew of a good man whom i could hire for $50 per week inquired as to the qualificatic and duties of the position op. This was his reply, verbatim: need a man who can do news a sports, do a good d.j. show a do some selling on the side. H> need a car, of course, and I'd pre: that he be a family man, becai family men are more dependabl Not bad, for $50 a week (Continued on page 79) Page 22 • July 9, 1951 BROADCASTING • Telecastii