Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

Spot Gets Results THE EUFAULA (Okla.) Sportsman's Club bought a one-minute spot announcement at 10:20 p.m. over WKY-TV Oklahoma City to spread the news of available cabins and cabin sites near the multimillion dollar Eufaula Dam, slated for construction. Six days after the announcement the club had sold 100 cabins with total gross of $60,000. It received 200 phone calls and 60 post cards, and has 100 prospective customers not yet contacted as a result of the spot. Total cost: $120. 'Georgia Big 5' Group Signs Nine Advertisers AT LEAST nine advertisers have signed for time on the "Georgia Big 5" group of stations, according to Avery-Knodel Inc., which was named to represent the group effective Jan. 1 [B»T, Jan. 2]. Spokesmen said this figure represented latest available information but did not include complete reports from all A-K offices. The "Georgia Big 5" group, being sold in combination under the plan, consists of WGST Atlanta, WGAC Augusta, WRBL Columbus, WMAZ Macon and WTOC Savannah. A-K officials pointed out that the five stations, described in B«T's earlier story as having standard metropolitan area coverage of eight out of Georgia's 159 counties, actually are situated in metropolitan areas which alone encompass eight counties and that the combined unduplicated coverage of the five amounts to 83% of all Georgia's radio homes. The advertisers which already have bought time on the group in combination include Alemite CB-2 (lubricant), Bayer aspirin, Colgate toothpaste, Fletcher's Castoria; Dr. Caldwell's laxative, Jeris hair tonic, Pinex cough syrup, Reader's Digest and Tube Rose snuff. The purchases include spot schedules, saturation packages, and one quarter-hour program series. Most of them, Avery-Knodel reported, are for 52 weeks. WRIT Charges 'Suppression' WRIT Milwaukee, Wis., has filed a complaint with the common council of that city charging Milwaukee Fire Chief Edward E. Wischer with violating "freedom of the press" and endeavoring "to suppress the news functions and public service responsibilities" of the station. WRIT's General Manager Bill Weaver asked the council's assistance in restoring from the fire department a news report service which he said the fire chief had canceled. The council also was asked to declare its policy on dissemination of news matter from public offices. WSAZ-TV Plans Local Color WSAZ-TV Huntington, W. Va., expects to begin locally produced live color telecasts about Feb. 1, according to Lawrence H. Rogers, vice president-general manager. The NBC ch. 3 affiliate has ordered a $60,000 RCA color camera with delivery expected within the next two weeks. WSAZ-TV plans a daily schedule of color programs. Broadcasting • Telecasting Plaut, Bassett Promoted To WSAI Executive Posts PROMOTION of two WSAI Cincinnati executives was announced last week by Sherwood R. Gordon, president of the Gordon Broadcasting Co. Lu Bassett, account executive, becomes national sales manager and Arthur Plaut, director of promotion, was named administrative assistant to the president. Mr. Bassett succeeds Thomas W. Thuman, who was named vice president-director of sales for Gordon's WILD Birmingham. He joined the WSAI staff in 1953 and in addition to serv MR. BASSETT MR. PLAUT icing national accounts will continue to handle a selected list of local accounts. Mr. Plaut, who came to WSAI in 1954, will handle special administrative assignments and supervise an expanded advertising and promotion department. Dinner to Honor Cy Young CHARLES S. (CY) YOUNG, assistant to the general managers of WBZ-AM-TV Boston and WBZA Springfield, Mass., will be feted Jan. 20 at a testimonial dinner at the Hotel Bradford in Boston. More than 200 friends and associates are expected to attend the dinner, which will mark Mr. Young's retirement (on Jan. 31) after more than 38 years service with Westinghouse Broadcasting Co., owner and operator of the Boston and Springfield stations. Mr. Young was named general manager of WBZ in 1942 and transferred in 1946 as general manager of KEX Portland, Ore., returning to WBZ in 1950. KNX Issues New Rate Card A NEW RATE CARD described as being "realistic and flexible" has been issued to advertisers by KNX Los Angeles, according to Bert S. West, the station's general manager. A KNX advertiser using spot announcements no longer has to advertise six days a week on the station to earn maximum discounts, said Mr. West, adding that "the days-per-week discount is eliminated with the discounts now depending on the number of spots in a week." WMBR-TV To Build Tower CONSTRUCTION of a new 995 ft. tower for WMBR-TV Jacksonville, Fla., is scheduled to begin March 1, with completion anticipated on April 1, the station has reported. The overall structure is designed to support both tv and fm antennas. The tv antenna now on order will allow WMBR-TV to operate at 100 kw visual and 70 kw aural, the maximum permissible under FCC regulations. We're Not Being KITTENISH But — It's Purr-ty Nice To Be WELCOME in 90,000 HOMES This Winter! ! ! NBC Affiliate WJHP-TV ABC Jacksonville, Fla. January 9, 1956 • Page