Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

Overnight Rating Test Is Success, Says ARB EXPERIMENT in providing overnight, national ratings to sponsors and networks, conducted by the American Research Bureau on NBC-TV's Babes in Toyland show Dec. 24, was called a complete success last week by ARB officials. ARB's research department began the study by selecting by the probability method 100 sampling areas about the country, representative of U. S. urban, rural and village homes. Evaluation of the findings the next day showed that 91% of U. S. homes were within range of at least one station carrying the show and that of these, 35.5% were tuned to Babes in Toyland, giving the show a national area rating of 35.5% with 11 million sets tuned in. Commenting on the study, ARB Director James Seiler noted, "This is the first time that a sponsor or network can get overnight a national reaction to their show. Up to this point studies of this type were available only in a selected group of cities. We are now planning to offer ARB's Overnight Nationals on special order to sponsors and stations across the nation." Nielsen Coverage Service Details Survey in Brochure DETAILED specifications for Nielsen Coverage Service survey No. 2, with field work to be launched this spring and report delivery and servicing scheduled for early fall [B©T, Oct. 17, 1955], have been mailed by the A. C. Nielsen Co. to some 5,000 executives of radio and tv stations, agencies, advertisers, networks, and station representatives. The brochure reports that NCS No. 2 offers "a comprehensive measurement of the daily, weekly and monthly audience coverage of radio and tv stations and networks. . . . Replaces all earlier studies. . . . Gives radio station management an accurate up-to-date yardstick for gauging coverage. . . . Gives tv station management its first nation-wide coverage measurement since the lifting of the 'freeze' in 1952." "In addition to providing a measurement of coverage," the brochure continues, "it furnishes information on home set ownership, automobile radio ownership, out-of-home radio listening, out-of-home tv viewing, and other vital dimensions of these media." Rates for tv stations range from $500 to $18,000 (before discounts) for complete service. For radio stations they range from $250 to $12,500. For agencies they may be as low as $250 for service on a single medium covering one or two states, while the maximum package of all data on both radio and tv ranges from $9,000 to $15,000 depending on discounts earned. Network prices require "specialized handling of re-combined station data" but quotations will be supplied on request, the brochure reports. Sweepstakes Winner THE latest contender to win the 1955 Madison Ave. jargon sweepstakes, with the prize being "one big ball of wax," was Benton & Bowles Inc.'s "It's an annual tradition we started this year." Tradition refers to the Christmas Party televised Dec. 23 via CBS-TV from Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey circus winter quarters in Sarasota, Fla., for B&B's client, General Foods Corp., White Plains, N. Y. LATEST RATINGS ARB Top 10 Network Tv Programs Dec. 1-7 Rating 1. $64,000 Question (CBS) 61 .4 2. Ed Sullivan (CBS) 50.7 3. 1 Love Lucy (CBS) 46.6 4. You Bet Your Life (NBC) 42.1 5. Disneyland (ABC) 41.8 6. Jack Benny (CBS) 41.3 7. George Gobel (NBC) 37.0 8. I've Got a Secret (CBS) 36.0 9. Perry Como (NBC) 34.2 10. Godfrey's Talent Scouts (CBS) 34.1 Viewers 1. Ed Sullivan (CBS) 49,200,000 2. $64,000 Question (CBS) 43,750,000 3. Jack Benny (CBS) 39,370,000 4. Disneyland (ABC) 38,000,000 5. 1 Love Lucy (CBS) 37,940,000 6. You Bet Your Life (NBC) 32,260,000 7. Perry Como (NBC) 31,840,000 8. Honeymooners— Jackie Gleason (CBS) 30,220,000 9. George Gobel (NBC) 29,660,000 10. I've Got a Secret (CBS) 27,810,000 Copyright by American Research B ureau NIELSEN Top Radio Programs Two Weeks Ending Nov. 26, 1955 Homes Rank Program (000) Evening, once-a-week (Average for all programs) (786) 1. Dragnet (NBC) 1,850 2. Our Miss Brooks (CBS) 1,711 3. Edgar Bergen (Philip Morris) (CBS) 1,665 4. Two for the Money (CBS) 1,619 5. You Bet Your Life (NBC) 1,526 Edgar Bergen (CBS) 1,526 Godfrey's Scouts (Lipton) (CBS) 1,526 Gunsmoke (CBS) 1,526 9. Godfrey's Scouts (Toni) (CBS) 1,480 Gene Autry Show (CBS) 1,480 Evening, multi-weekly (Average for all programs) (832) 1. One Man's Family (NBC) 1,619 2. News of the World (NBC) 1,572 3. Lowell Thomas (CBS) 1,480 Weekday (Average for all programs) (1,341) 1. Young Dr. Malone (CBS) 2,266 2. Guiding Light (CBS) 2,220 3. This Is Nora Drake (Toni) (CBS) 2,127 Perry Mason (Procter & Gamble) (CBS) 2,127 5. Arthur Godfrey (Kellogg) (CBS) 2,081 Ma Perkins (CBS) 2,081 7. Road of Life (CBS) 2,035 Helen Trent (Toni) (CBS) 2,035 9. Arthur Godfrey (Campana) (CBS) 1,988 Arthur Godfrey (B.-Myers) (CBS) 1,988 Day, Sunday (Average for all programs) (555) 1. Woolworth Hour (CBS) 1,480 2. Galen Drake (General Foods) (CBS) 1,017 3. Robert Trout— News (10:00) (CBS) 971 Day, Saturday (Average for all programs) (740) 1. Gunsmoke (CBS) 1,757 2. Allan Jackson— News (1:00) (CBS) 1,434 3. Army-Navy Football Game (MBS) 1,295 Copyright 1955 by A. C. Nielsen Co. VIDEODEX Top Ten Multi-Weekly Shows Nov. 1-7, 1955 %Tv Name of Program Homes 1. Mickey Mouse Club (ABC) 16.4 2. Coke Time (NBC) 15.9 3. News Caravan (NBC) 14.5 4. Dinah Shore (NBC) 14.3 5. Howdy Doody (NBC) 13.8 6. Arthur Godfrey (CBS) 13.0 7. Matinee Theatre (NBC) 12.8 CBS News (CBS) 12.8 8. Ding Dong School (NBC) 12.1 9. The Big Payoff (CBS) 12.0 10. Art Linkletter (CBS) 11.7 Pinky Lee (NBC) 11.7 Tonight (NBC) 11.7 Copyright, Videodex, Inc. Lieb to Kenyon & Eckhardt IOSEPH C. LIEB, account supervisor, BiowBeirn-Toigo Inc., New York, has joined Kenyon & Eckhardt, New York, as account supervisor on the Pepsi-Cola account. Mr. Lieb worked on the same account at BBT. Prior to that he was a foreign correspondent for Parade magazine in Europe and the Middle East. A&A PEOPLE Walfred C. Johnson, formerly vice president and account executive, Needham, Louis & Brorby Inc., Chicago, to Henri, Hurst & McDonald Inc., same city, as vice president and stockholder in agency. Charles W. Alexander, account executive, Hicks & Greist, N. Y., to Mohr Assoc., N. Y., as vice president. He will supervise electronics, savings and loan accounts. MR. ALEXANDER Raymond A. Phelps, space media director, Earle Ludgin & Co., Chicago; Clifford R. Schaible, account executive; William S. Robinson, research director; Kenneth Mason, account executive and Edward C. McAuliffe, copy supervisor, all appointed vice presidents of agency. John D. Wilson appointed vice president and director, Erwin, Wasey of Canada Ltd., Toronto, Ont. Florence Johnson, office supervisor, Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago, retires after 49 years service. She started with agency in 1906 when it was Lord & Thomas. Robert T. Meyers, merchandising manager, Pharma-Craft Corp., Batavia, 111., manufacturers of Fresh deodorant and Ting antiseptic cream, appointed director of merchandising, Harry B. Cohen Adv. Co., N. Y. Jeanne Malstrom, assistant timebuyer, Brisacher, Wheeler & Staff, as S. F., named time| buyer. Before joining Brisacher, she was with Gillham Adv. Agency, Salt Lake City. Malcolm J. Harkins, formerly market analyst, National Industrial Conference Board, N. Y., appointed head of research department, Gray & Rogers Inc., Philadelphia. MISS MALSTROM Roger L. Hickok, formerly assistant production manager, KOMA-KWTV (TV) Oklahoma City, to Brennan Adv. Agency, Houston, as account executive and copy writer. John Schell, North American Newspaper Alliance, to General Foods, N. Y., in corporate press relations office. Jack McCormack, director of advertising, Milgram Food Stores, Kansas City, to Charles W. Hoyt Co., N. Y., merchandising department, effective immediately. Eileen Moroney, copywriter, Badger, Browning & Hersey Inc., N. Y., and Ralph Morris, formerly art director with Abbott Kimball Co. and BBDO, both N. Y., to Anderson & Cairns Inc., N. Y., in similar capacities. Page 40 • January 2, 1956 Broadcasting • Telecasting