Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1953)

NETWORKS CBS Radio's first-quarter gross billings totaled $15,339,508 as compared to NBC radio's $12,414,383, while NBC-TV led CBS-TV by $22,317,728 to $21,668,928. The question of NBC sales and Gen. Sarnoff's participation was raised at the annual meeting of the stockholders of RCA (separate story page 73), which by coincidence was held at the same time CBS-TV was claiming acquisition of TV sales dominance. Questioned by a stockholder about network sales, Gen. Sarnoff expressed the belief that NBC was first in TV network business although CBS had forged ahead on the radio front. "It's a -fluctuating affair," he said. Wylma Soss, president of the Federation of Women Shareholders in American Business, who had raised the question about network sales, then suggested that a reorganization of the NBC sales department on a more aggressive basis might be a good idea. "This looks like just the place for your fine Italian hand, General," she commented. Gen. Sarnoff smiled noncommittally. CBS-TV's announcement that it had "taken the business leadership among all [TV] networks" was made Tuesday at a trade news luncheon where network officials unveiled a presentation refuting nine of the "top 10 cliches" about television. Only one of the 10 "cliches" which has been proved true, according to Network Sales Vice President William H. Hylan and Network Sales Development Manager Edward P. Shurick, is the one that says the advertisers "can't afford to stay out of television." Mr. Hylan said CBS-TV signed up $4,750,000 in gross annual billings during the week of April 22-28, which he called one of the largest sales weeks in the network's history, and also cited an additional $4 million in new business signed earlier in April. April 22-28 signings, he said, included: Prudential Insurance Co. of America for alternate-week sponsorship, starting early in September, of You Are There, now seen Sun., 6:30-7 p.m. EDT and co-sponsored by Electric Companies Adv. program through Calkins & Holden, Carlock, McClinton & Smith, New York [B-T, May 41; Chrysler Motors for halfhour dramatic show, Saturdays at 10-10:30 p.m., starting mid-July, through BBDO, New York [B-T, April 20]; Purex Corp. for a quarter-hour of the Wednesday Garry Moore Show starting June 3, through Foote, Cone & Belding, San Francisco, and General Electric's Small Appliances and Electronics Divisions for the half-hour Meet Mr. McNutley show, starring Ray Milland, starting Sept. 17 (Thurs., 8-8:30 p.m. EDT), through Young & Rubicam and Maxon Inc., both New York [B»T, April 201. Earlier April sales previously announced, were listed as including P. Lorillard's decision to move the Herb Shriner show, Two for the Money, to CBS-TV in August ; Simmons Co. and International Silver Co.'s purchase of My Favorite Husband for alternating sponsorship starting in October, and Singer Sewing Machine's decision to sponsor Four Star Playhouse on a weekly rather than alternate week basis. Mr. Hyland predicted that "the time is coming when manufacturers will set up a sales Mr. Hylan quota for advertising media, and expect them to meet it." "More and more," he continued, "a medium will be judged not only on its ability to deliver advertising but on its performance in moving merchandise. This trend will be an increasing challenge to every medium because retail sales forces today are thinning out. More than 80 million shoppers go to self-service stores every week." Television's "exclusive" combination of sound, sight and motion, he declared, make it "the medium best adapted to present needs" and the one "that best fills the reduced ranks of retail salesmen." CBS-TV's announcement claimed that its "programming popularity has kept pace with its sales leadership," asserting that during the past October-April season it "had more programs in the top ten Trendex than any other network, maintaining an average of six for the entire season." "All the rating services," the announcement continued, show CBS-TV's / Love Lucy in first place, followed by Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, with Godfrey's Friends in third place in two services and fourth in the other. CBS-TV's formal presentation, detailed to the luncheon group by Mr. Shurick and slated for extensive showings to agencies and advertisers, claimed for CBS-TV the biggest network growth, the highest average rating, the greatest single audience, the most sponsored time, the largest network billings, the most sponsored daytime hours, the highest rated package shows, and the lowest cost-per-thousand viewers. 'Can't Stay Out of TV Of the 10 "cliches" spelled out and answered in the presentation, "you can't stay out of television" was described as the only one which remains correct. "Advertisers who have not yet used [TV] won't be able to stay out when television is as productive as it is for their competitors . . . when it gets a 324% sales increase for a cigarette ... a 33% increase for an electrical appliance ... a 400% increase in three years for a candy." The presentation also noted that, for instance. Singer Sewing Machine, sponsor of Four Star Playhouse, is set to spend, during the coming year, almost as much on CBS-TV as the approximately $1.2 million which represented its overall advertising budget in 1951. In answer to the "cliche" that TV's costper-thousand is getting lower but its overall price is "getting too high," CBS-TV asserted that "there's a right overall price for any advertiser, large or small," with television available "in all combinations of programs, time and coverage." It was noted, for instance, that CBS-TV is offering five-minute segments in its 11-11:30 daytime period, occupied by There's One in Every Family, at less than $2,500 weekly per participation. To the "cliche" that television is pricing itself out of the market, it was noted that TV's price-per-thousand homes (counting both time and talent) is steadily going down, while those of printed media are steadily rising. And on the "cliche" that television will price itself out of the market, the reply was that, based on CBS-TV's rate formula, network's time cost per thousand homes in 1955 will be what it is today ($1.59). This, the presentation noted, assumes continuation of the present rate of TV growth, which in 1955 would bring 90 per cent saturation in 100 leading markets. Other "cliches" answered by research data in the presentation included those which maintained that "television will not become a mass medium"; that "television will never cover the country"; that "people won't watch television after the novelty wears off"; that "housewives will never have time for television during the day"; that "in summer viewers will take a vacation from television," and that "when the glamor wears off, advertisers will drop out of television." Adrian Samish Joins NBC Program Dept. ADRIAN SAMISH, vice president and radioTV director of Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample for six years prior to his resignation a few weeks ago, joined the NBC program department, effective May 1, as a member of the creative production group and as a general executive in the department, Programs Vice President Charles C. Barry announced last week. Before his association with the D-F-S Agency, Mr. Samish served with ABC from 1944 to 1947 as vice president in charge of radio and television programming and production. Mr. Samish Don Lee Network Announces Sales SALES totalling more than 115 hours on Don Lee Broadcasting System were announced last week by Norman Boggs, network vice-president in charge of sales. Caswell Coffee Co., San Francisco, starts thrice weekly, five-minute Something to Think About on Don Lee Network, for 52 weeks from today (Monday). Santa Rosa Shoe Co., Santa Rosa (Calif.), starts weekly 10-minute news program on 24 stations, for 52 weeks from June 6. Hoefer, Dieterich & Brown Inc., S. F., services both accounts. Dormin Inc., New York (sleeping tablets), starts twice weekly, five-minute Names and Places in the News on the network, for 26 weeks from tomorrow (Tuesday). Agency is Dowd, Redfield & Johnstone Inc., N. Y. Renewals include Planter's Nut & Chocolate Co., San Francisco, contract for five times weekly, 10-minute segment of Lucky U on 41 Don Lee Stations, effective April 9 for 52 weeks. Agency is Raymond R. Morgan Co., Hollywood. General Foods Corp., New York, has renewed its twice weekly, quarter-hour segment of Breakfast Gang on the network for 12 weeks from September 30. Agency is Young & Rubicam Inc., New York. Page 70 May 11, 1953 NBC Co-op Sales Reach 100 Affiliate Stations SPONSORSHIP of NBC radio co-op programs by 280 advertisers on more than 100 NBCaffiliated stations was reported last week by Lud Simmel, manager of NBC co-op sales. He also announced renewals on the Howdy Doody Show (Sat., 8:30-9:30 a.m. EDT) for the complete Dominion Network by Kraft Foods Ltd., through J. Walter Thompson Ltd., Montreal, and the St. Lawrence Starch Co., through Harold F. Stanfield Ltd., Montreal, for two 15-minute periods each through lune 27, plus renewal of a half-hour of the program by Ogilvie Flour Co., through Stanfield Ltd., starting October 3. Mr. Simmel also reported that NBC-TV's Who Said That? co-op show (Monday, 10:30 Broadcasting • Telecasting