Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1953)

Record Details:

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Have item in home All people Radio 94.5 % Refrigerator 93.1 Bathtub 85.3 Telephone 78.5 Washing machine 76.0 Television 72.4 Automobile 70.9 Sewing machine 60.0 Home freezer 8.8 Air conditioner 3.2 Electric dishwasher 2.9 ;I1;;I;;I30.9% SIS 4.7 :6.2 14.0 ;n.6 I 22.8 •19.3 110.3 |5.8 14.0 J 84.8 81.6 171.4 173.3 27.1 Consider item a "necessity" 150.9 Consider item a "luxury" 561.7 i 08.7 73.5 RADIO IS A NECESSITY Radio outranks all other important household appliances in ratio of ownership— 1% ahead of refrigerators, 9% ahead of bathtubs, 16% ahead of the telephone. The cost differential, of course, is a factor. Hence the survey asked people's opinions of such items as a "necessity" or a "luxury." Figures at the left of the bars in chart indicated percentage of homes owning various appliances. Those at right of the bars show percentages of people who regarded the items as "necessity" or "luxury." the false reassurance of inadequate figures. Advertising needs more contributions of the order of this new landmark document. There is nothing easy about fundamental research. It is costly. It involves subtle quantitative checks for accuracy by formulae that Alfred Politz has attained a justified reputation for developing to a level of extreme accuracy. While the methods are for the technician, the aim of such research should concern all who have to do with advertising. The aim of fundamental research is pointed, always, at people and, after reaching people, to dig below the surface, easy explanations and get to the real heart of the matter. An earmark of the sound fundamental researcher is that he is ready to lay aside even his own mass of data. Research of the high sensitivity and accuracy implied in this work of the Alfred Politz organization has seldom been more fully justified than in the findings of this real voyage of discovery. The findings on who listens, when & where & why, build the picture of a medium with penetration and tremendous impact because of its special ability to serve people's wants and needs. The well-known basic "quantities" of radio (how many, how long, etc.) are important. But they do not describe wholly the Turn on radio Turn on TV Turn on radio or TV Call up newspaper Call police, information, etc. Call neighbors, etc. Wait to read it in the newspapers All people 54.8% 10.9 7.7 3.4 2.7 RADIO IS RELIABLE People were asked: "Suppose you were at home and heard a sudden rumor that war had broken out. What would you do to find out if the rumor was true?" Here's how they responded. importance of the medium. These quantities are not radio. They are the end product of radio's special qualities to serve people. These "qualities" of radio are real and basic to an understanding of what radio is and what it can do. Research cannot ever describe perfectly the services radio performs— the reasons radio is indispensable But this, nevertheless, is what is really important and it is something advertisers and agencies include in their thinking about each medium, whether consciously, by intuition, or on objective evidence. In the field of specific conclusions — briefly THE LATEST WCKY Page 98 December 14, 1953 summarized — these points stand out: 1. Radio, as a constant companion of th busy, busy American people, is the only me dium capable of serving in multiple attentioi situations. 2. The fact that television — a powerfu medium, but one without this characterise — has failed to displace radio from this fun damental role is, thereby, easier to under stand. 3. A new challenge to the creative use o radio has been set up, now that its basi personality difference as a medium with a, exclusive characteristic has at last been sug gested. 4. More of such fundamental basic re search on the further significance of this ide should immediately be undertaken; it is very big advertising idea, worth big invesi merit. The original objectives of the researc this study has pioneered have thus been in: portantly served. Through comprehensiv evidence of the "who" and "where," "how and "why" of radio listening, as well as th sheer number of radio listeners, we now hav a clearer picture and better understanding c how radio works and what it does for peoph Radio owes it to its listeners to give ac vertisers and their agencies this informatior to show them how and why radio continue to deserve their confidence. And the radi industry itself needs this clearer picture c the medium so that it can act more surely t meet — on behalf of radio — the respons: bilities that so many millions of American have given to this medium. Broadcasting • Telecasting