Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1953)

PROGRAM SERVICES 2,845 PERSONS ATTENDED 48 BMI CLINICS More than a thousand stations were represented at this year's BMIBAB clinics, BMI Vice President Glenn Dolberg reports. 'The free and brisk exchange of ideas and attitudes was wonderful to watch,' he says. Mr. Dolberg A TOTAL of 2,845 persons from more than 1,000 stations in the U.S. and Canada attended the 48 regional BMI program clinics held during May, June and July, Glenn Dolberg, BMI vice president in charge of station relations, said last week in reviewing the third annual round of interstation discussions held under BMI auspices. Unlike the past few years, when the clinic atmosphere was somewhat subdued as radio station executives pondered their best defense against the threat of TV, this year's clinics reflected the vigor of AM radio in the positive approach by broadcasters to their programming problems. "The free and brisk exchange of ideas and attitudes was wonderful to watch," Mr. Dolberg said. "More than ever before broadcasters seemed to realize the benefits and advantages derived from the pooling of ideas and information, at the same time lending stature and character to the industry at large." The sessions showed broadcasters" keen awareness of the developing markets for playby-play sports, local personality and news programs and concert music, Mr. Dolberg said. In sports, he reported stations highlighting local or "little league" games and events, in addition to sports events of national interest. The strong local appeal of local sports makes this type of broadcasting good programming and it also has the advantage of low pick-up costs, he said. The same local emphasis was noted in news broadcasts, Mr. Dolberg said, with the feeling that "news hits hardest when it's close to home" highlighted in clinic discussions, which revealed that even some of the smallest stations are employing one or more full-time local newsmen, plus part-time reporters in outlying districts. Many stations are broadcasting short news programs as often as every half-hour, with constant rewriting and updating to keep the news fresh and exciting. Concert Music Stress broadcasting — and selling — more 1,002 stations. Station administrators made up the largest segment of clinic attendees, Mr. Dolberg reported, with a total of 867 station owners, presidents, vice presidents and managers present. Next largest group was made up of 601 program directors, with sales department members, largely sales managers, totalling 345 and ranking third. Other clinic attendees included musical directors, librarians, disc jockeys, announcers, news and sports directors and other station personnel. BMI-Ricondi Pact Allows Complete Operas on Air COMPLETE performances of recorded operas may be broadcast by American radio stations for the first time under a contract between BMI and G. Ricondi of Milan, Carl Haverlin, BMI president, announced Tuesday. Pact permits BMI-licensed stations to air full recorded performances of operas copyrighted by the Italian publisher. Heretofore, stations could not broadcast portions of more than 30 minutes of operatic or dramatic musical works without special permission from the copyright owner. BMI's first acquisition of rights to perform entire operas on the air was based on a growing appetite of American listeners for grand opera, Mr. Haverlin said. The more than 1,300 radio stations which a BMI survey found to be broadcasting an average of nearly six hours a week of concert music "are obviously broadcasting a lot of operatic material," he said. World Reports on 'You Win' SALES totaling more than $3 million have been reported by World Broadcasting System radio affiliates selling World's telephone quiz show, You Win, Robert W. Friedheim, World vice president, has announced. The program, which was released to World stations without charge on May 15, is designed to feature a local personality as quiz master. According to Mr. Friedheim, many stations are selling the program to individual sponsors, while others are offering it on a participating basis, either for 30 minutes or an hour a day on a 52-week schedule. than ever before, Mr. Doi 'Hour of Stars' in 70 Moricets Radio is concert music berg reported. The potentialities and problems of broadcasting programs of non-dramatic literary material were outlined to clinic audiences by BMI representatives. They reported on BMI's plans for including a substantial catalog of both prose and poetry in its current licensing agreements with stations. Lists of both public domain and copyrighted non-dramatic material suitable for radio presentation and a script service will be sent to BMI subscribers as part of its "project literature," station executives were informed. Stimulated by the back-to-back arrangement of BMI and BAB clinics, each one-day meeting forming part of a two-day program at the same place, the BMI sessions chalked up an overall attendance of 2,845 individuals from NEW Ziv radio show, The Hour of Stars, has been sold in more than 70 markets in the first few days it went on sale, according to Alvin W. Unger, radio vice president of Frederic W. Ziv Co. He revealed that several station executives have written the company praising the program as the "stimulant radio has been seeking." Oren W. Evans Dies FUNERAL services were held last Tuesday at Glendale, Calif., for Oren W. Evans, 53, West Coast director of the Broadcasting & Film Commission of National Council of Churches of Christ. He died July 25 after a heart attack. Survivors include his wife, Rita, and a daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Lytle. TRADE ASSNS. BAB CLINICS SHOW RADIO HALE-RYAN All radio stations are in their strongest competitive position in three years, says BAB President Bill Ryan after clinic series. He lists seven main topics discussed. RADIO stations throughout the country, big and small, are in a stronger competitive position today than they have been at any time in the past three years. This conclusion was reported last week by William B. Ryan, BAB president, after examination of the opinions of hundreds of radio sales executives who participated in the 43 BAB area clinics from May 26-July IL The clinics which were held in conjunction with BMI (see story this page), were attended by more than 2,900 broadcasters representing 1,070 stations, BAB said. "In every section of the country," Mr. Ryan declared, "radio station owners and managers reported gains in revenue of anywhere from 10% to 50% during the first six months of this year as opposed to 1952. "Revenue increases have not been confined to any particular type of station or markets, but instead seem to reflect the fact that a large number of stations have started during the past year to sell more intelligently and aggressively." Selling Teams Mr. Ryan noted that two teams, each consisting of two BAB executives, traveled a total of 46,000 miles to meetings which were held simultaneously every other day in both the eastern and western sections of the nation. The entire morning session of each clinic was devoted to a presentation by BAB executives of a seven-point plan designed to assist broadcasters in selling large retailers. The afternoon portion, he continued, featured a panel of area broadcasters discussing various phases of commercial radio. As summarized by Mr. Ryan, broadcaster reaction to the most provocative topics were as follows: MERCHANDISING: There still is a divided opinion as to the value of merchandising but enough station interest was displayed to prompt BAB into announcing plans for the first detailed analysis of the concept and function of merchandising as its relates to radio advertising. JOINT COOPERATION OF STATIONS: The trend toward formation of more state and city groups of broadcasters for the purpose of jointly selling radio as an advertising medium was underscored by the establishment of a special sales committee by the Oklahoma Assn. of Broadcasters to make presentations to all public utilities in the state. The action was taken during the Oklahoma City meeting. The formation of joint promotional groups in Phoenix and Tucson were announced during the Phoenix clinic, followed by similar action by Portland stations at the BAB session in that city. COOPERATIVE ADVERTISING: Stations agreed their retail billings can be reduced substantially through encouraging local advertisers to utilize co-operative advertising funds when ' purchasing radio time, but felt it was up to the stations, in many instances, to assist the retailer in ascertaining the amount of manufacturer money at his disposal. RADIO COPY: There was wholehearted agree Page 44 • August 3, 1953 Broadcasting • Telecasting