Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1954)

Summer Sales Up In WBC Campaign IN AN effort to prove a "summer hiatus" for selling does not exist in the radio-tv station industry, Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. is conducting a summer sales campaign at its seven stations to increase business over the summer of 1953. A preliminary report indicates the promotional campaign is succeeding. During June, local sales at KYW Philadelphia were up 82.8% over June 1953: KDKA Pittsburgh, up 74%; WBZ Boston, up 25.2%; WOWO Fort Wayne, up 8.2%; WBZ-TV Boston, up 29.2%; WPTZ-TV Philadelphia, equal to 1953 (station is said to be "pretty well sold out as it was last summer" ) To stimulate interest in its campaign, WBC is conducting a sales contest, with winners to be determined by local time sales recorded at the seven WBC stations during June. July, and August. There will be a prize for the top salesman at each station. Automobiles will be awarded at WPTZ (TV), WBZ, KYW and KDKA; $500 worth of clothes and $500 worth of sports goods at WOWO, and a $500 home freezer at KEX Portland, Ore. WHAS-TV Raises Rates WHAS-TV Louisville, Ky., will increase its base hourly rate from $700 to $850, effective Aug. 15, according to Neil Cline, station manager. The new rate card, No. 7, will increase the Class A one-time announcement from $140 to $170. However, this will not change participation rates in the station's Good Living homemakers program, now at $80, or the 6:30 p.m. news, now $200. WCAU-fV Philadelphia officials examine a plastic sheet containing signatures of the mayors of 10 large cities which the station claims now are within its coverage area after WCAU-TV went to maximum power of 316 kw and began operating from its new 1,000-foot tower [B*T, July 12]. L to r: Charles Vanda, tv vice president; Joseph L. Tinney, executive vice president; John G. Leitch, engineering vice president, and Donald W. Thornburgh, WCAU-AM-FM-TV president-general manager. Los Angeles Stations Ban 'Commercial' Discs AT LEAST three Los Angeles area radio stations have banned the new Allied Records "Keep Cool" by the King Sisters and Alvino Rey Orchestra, which has been distributed nationally to disc m.c.'s as a musical number. Stations complain that the record, an expansion of the "Keep Cool with Super Coola" THE BEST MUSIC IN AMERICA repertory of distinction and an outstanding Transcribed Library SESAC INC. 475 Fifth Avenue New York 17, N.Y. singing jingle theme, is "definitely" a commercial as it contains that line, repeated several times, in the lyric. Additionally KFWB Hollywood disc m.c.'s have banned a new Cadence record, "Me Gotta Have You," by Julius LaRosa and Archie Bleyer Orchestra, for references to Halo shampoo, Adler shoes and Burma-Shave. Station executives object that unlike others of the singing commercial type (i.e., many versions of NBC Dragnet theme; RCA Victor "Muriel," by Freddie Martin Orchestra, from Muriel Cigars singing jingle; and RCA Victor "Be Sharp March," by Boston Pops Orchestra, from Gillette Razor theme), use of advertising names in lyrics makes these records "direct plugs" subject to appropriate rates for commercial spot announcements. KFYR-TV Bismarck Tower Up, Antenna Work Now Underway THE NEW 503-foot transmitter tower of KFYR-TV Bismarck, N. D., has been completed, with installation of a 167-foot, 12-bay antenna to begin at once for operation by late August, F. E. Fitzsimonds, executive vice president, has announced. Mr. Fitzsimonds said the ch. 5 station, after the changeover, will operate on its maximum strength of 100 kw and the service area will be more than doubled. He said KFYR-TV will operate an interim transmitter during the move of its transmitter from the top of the State Capitol Building to its new site 1 1 miles east of Bismarck. Robinson Resigns from WSUN MAJ. GEORGE D. ROBINSON, for the last five years manager of city-owned WSUN-AMTV St. Petersburg, Fla., has resigned effective Aug. 1, according to City Manager Ross E. Windom. A 16-year WSUN veteran, Maj. Robinson announced that he will continue his regular radio-tv Major Robinson and the News broadcast. Maj. Robinson gave as reasons for his resignation "duplicity" on the part of two station employes, lack of help from the city manager and "outside interference." A successor has not yet been named. Page 66 • July 26, 1954 Broadcasting • Telecasting