Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

KOIN KEY TO MORE RADIO HOMES IN THE PORTLAND OREGON MARKET 97.9% LEAD with 47 out of the 48 daily quarterhours (6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M., Mon. thru Fri.) All 10 Top Daytime Shows Source: The Pulse, Inc. Portland Metropolitan Area, SeptemberOctober, 1955 tent by the development of the rather isolated Pacific Northwest as a market for its own goods. Though its access to the nationwide market is limited by sheer distance, Portland's place in the national picture is becoming more important. Even competitive SeattleTacoma businessmen, down Puget Sound valley 200 miles, are taking notice. Portland's men of commerce are wondering when more of the eastern executives who control the spending of national advertising and industrial money will realize what is happening. Portland, like the rest of the Northwest, started to boom in World War II. The metropolitan area shot up over 40% in a decade, a growth that has settled down to a more comfortable and profitable pace. The city's industry once centered around lumber and wood products. Now it hires 180,000 employes and is widely diversified, including a spread of aluminum and other metal fabricating plants, food processing, fisheries, textiles, pHlp and paper, and chemical plants. It includes such names as Jantzen garments, and Iron Fireman heating gear. Around Portland they can't quite figure out why easterners sometimes think of the Pacific Northwest in terms of one market — Seattle-Tacoma — and assign their business accordingly. Portland presents trade data showing a higher factory wage level (second highest in the U. S.), even balance the year round, high home-owning rate and a new civic spirit that was dormant many years. Climbing close to the 800,000 population mark, which should be attained this year, the metropolitan area spreads out in every direction and is not dependent on slow ferry facilities. The immediate trading area, including a million persons, extends a full county-length into southern Washington. Portland is located on the southern side of the Columbia River border between Oregon and Washington. Portland shippers tell of freight advantages over Seattle as a distribution point. They point out that the city services nearly 21/2 million people compared to 1.7 million for Seattle. Rates to Alaska and the Orient are comparable with Seattle rates, and the city gets at least an even break on most transcontinental traffic. Fifty foreign shipping lines and 30 river firms operate out of Portland's 100 berths on a 28-mile front and large sums have been spent to provide modern cargo-handling facilities. Eight million tons of cargo are moved in a year, with emphasis on lumber, food and other dry items. This business supports Portland's claim that it is the second largest port on the West Coast and leading exporter of grain. New grain storage facilities have a 7.4 million bushel capacity. Portland grew furiously during the '40s without the aid of any special civic genius or loyalty. After the war there were too many people for some of the municipal facilities, which had stood still since World War I, and residents' ears often burned at the comments of visitors who occasionally took their eyes off Mt. Hood to look up and down the streets. Some blamed the status quo attitude on conservative inclinations handed down by the Yankee settlers. In any case, the situa tion became so acute after the Pacific Automotive Show moved out of Portland to Seattle that the Portland Journal ran a hairlifting editorial, "Big League City or Sad Sack Town." Excitement roared all over the city and a $31.8 million modernization bond issue was voted in May 1954 with a thumping plurality. Later a $10 million street lighting project was added and others are proposed. The transfusion has added new vigor to Portland. Meier & Frank and other big stores recently counted up sales records for the holiday. "Portland finally came to life," said Arden X. Pangborn, ex-San Antonio broadcaster who sparked the Sad Sack drive in his role as Journal editor. "We're becoming completely modern. Business is better. New industries are coming in every week. Old, conservative Portland is now catching up and will soon set a pace for other cities." A list of major new civic and commercial projects would fill a half-column of type, led by an astonishing $24 million Lloyd shopping center across the Willamette, Owens-Illinois glass, new $10 million Meier & Frank shopping palace, navigation aids, tooling-up projects prior to arrival of natural gas this year, new highways and bridges — "over $200 million announced in 1955," according to Richard M. Brown of KPOJ. Portland Prospects Harry H. Buckendahl, KOIN, pointed to cheap power and the 50-mile trade area served by the city as he outlined recent growth. John Schile, KLOR (TV), said 56% of Oregon and 70% of Willamette Valley population are in Portland's actual metropolitan area. Rodney F. Johnson, KWJJ, said it is one of the fastest-growing markets in the U. S. Mr. Brown added during a breath-taking drive up the Columbia Gorge over the new freeway to the east, "Portland has one of the greatest long-range futures in the country because of its power, resources and transportation." In one stretch of the gorge near Bonneville Dam there are 1 1 waterfalls in 1 1 miles. One, Multnomah, has a drop of 620 feet and is the second largest in the U. S. Retail sales neared the billion dollar mark last year in the metropolitan area as defined by the U. S. Census Bureau (Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington and Clark [Wash.] counties). This figure is a projection of the $919 million retail sales shown in the 1954 Census of Business. Wholesale business may reach two-thirds the retail total. is'earby Vancouver, across the Columbia via a free bridge, has 42,500 population and a $35 million factory payroll that contribute to Portland's economy. Vancouver is the farthest inland Columbia River seaport. It has a big Alcoa plant. J. B. (Steve) Conley, heading the Westinghouse KEX. has been transformed into an eloquent Portland advocate after spending most of his life in the east. "This is new country," he said. "Many others have exhausted their potential. With all the industry, no firm hires over 5,000 so we aren't subject to a major shutdown. This land can grow anything, and does. There are hardly any insects." Stopping for breath, Page 90 • January 9, 1956 Broadcasting • Telecasting