Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

spot placement during the crowded fall-winter season. Mr. George, in his talk, emphasized the preselling feature of tv, the medium that he said performs the most efficient job. Other speakers at the meeting were Oliver Treyz, Television Advertising Bureau president; Larry Davis, advertising manager of E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co.'s finishes and polishes division; George Polk, BBDO; David Crane, Benton & Bowles; Les Harris, vice president and general manager of CBS Television Film Sales, and John Cooper, CBS Newsfilm. KLPM Court Coverage Commended by Judge COVERAGE of a first-degree murder proceeding in North Dakota district court by KLPM Minot was credited by the presiding judge with an important role in stopping character assassination of an innocent man. KLPM, with less than an hour's notice, obtained permission from Judge A. J. Gronna to cover the hearing after a sudden shift in time because of intense public feeling in connection with the case. The station picked up the twohour proceeding on tape and broadcast it twice. Photographers were allowed to take photos prior to the start of proceedings. After the trial Judge Gronna told Ken Knutson, KLPM news director who arranged the pickup, that he didn't even notice the four microphones. Public reaction to the broadcast was heavily favorable, Mr. Knutson said. Jim Borman, WCCO Minneapolis, chairman of the Northwest Radio-Tv News Assn. freedom of information committee, wrote Judge Gronna that he had proved how "proper use of these instruments of reporting is not calculated to detract from the essential dignity of the court. The results will also serve to demonstrate that these modern day methods of reporting do not distort the facts or misinform the public." In writing Mr. Borman, Judge Gronna said: "As you know, between the time of the homicide and the arraignment, a substantial segment of the Minot community suspected an innocent person. Intellectually honest persons as well as biased, partial and prejudiced minds had to be reached by complete news reporting in order to stop the character assassination of the innocent man. Then, too, the case was obviously a cause celebre. The unusual circumstances were sufficient to justify an exception to the general rule as to coverage of a court proceeding by camera and microphone. "The radio broadcast of the tape recording was a most important complement of the newspaper and radio news reporting, however complete and detailed. Few, if any, deficiencies in the news reporting and news broadcasting remained after the radio play-back." BouSware Leaves WLWT (TV), Will Join Bryan Houston ROBERT H. BOULWARE, manager, WLWT (TV) Cincinnati, has resigned effective March 1 to join Bryan Houston Inc., Robert E. Dunville, Crosley Broadcasting Co. president, announced last week. Mr. Boulware will be associate media director at Bryan Houston, according to Harold M. Dobberteen, vice president and media director of the agency. Mr. Dunville also announced that WLWT sales executive James J. Crane has been promoted to sales manager. He has been with the station four years and was formerly special events director and later production manager of WZIP Covington, Ky. SATURATION CALCULATOR: NEW MEANS TO FASTER, EASIER RADIO SPOT BUYING Station representative John Blair & Co. develops simple guide to figure advertising campaign coverage, eliminating maze of individual rate cards and complex statistical work. A NEW, quick way of determining cost and coverage data for saturation radio spot campaigns has been developed for radio buyers by John Blair & Co., radio station representatives. President John Blair, who unveiled the device last week, said the "Saturation Calculator" will eliminate the laborious job of wading through individual rate cards and coverage statistics in planning radio saturation campaigns. Knowing any one of three factors — weekly budget, percentage of U. S. homes to be covered, or the number of top markets to be covered — the buyer using the "Saturation Calculator" can quickly determine the two other factors. Newman MacAvoy. vice president and media director of Cunningham & Walsh, who was shown the "Saturation Calculator" by Mr. Blair and associates, had this to say about it: "The increased use of saturation radio brings about the real need for a quick measuring device on rates. Two of the interesting things about the Blair calculator are: "First, it is broad enough in scope to make it helpful in a wide variety of situations; second, it is the sort of ready reference tool that buyers will want to keep under their desk pads." The Blair company plans to start distribution of desk-size versions in the near future. In its present form it consists of two graphs, but the basic information may also be presented in other forms. One graph covers the rjse of 12 one-minute announcements weekly and the other, 24 announcements weekly. Low cost frequency plans are available on most radio stations today, Mr. Blair pointed out, and 12 and 24 were chosen because they represent popular volume frequencies of, respectively, two or four spot announcements a day for six days per week. To illustrate how the calculator works, Blair officials offered this example: Assume that an advertiser wants to have his spot radio campaign cover two-thirds of all U. S. radio families. By locating 66.6% coverage on the 12 announcements-per-week graph, the buyer immediately sees that the weekly cost is approximately $10,900 and that his investment buys coverage of the nation's top 50 markets. Another example: If the advertiser wants to know how much saturation spot radio he can buy for. say, $15,000, he finds from the Calculator that this budget will permit either (1) 12 announcements weekly with coverage of 80% of U. S. radio homes (top 80 markets), or (2) 24 announcements a week with 57% cov erage of radio homes (top 31 markets). Computations employed in preparing the Cal Mr. Blair (I) and Mr. MacAvoy discuss the Saturation Calculator. Boost to Radio Buying culator assume the use of one station in each of the top 100 markets, in descending order of market rank after eliminating overlap. For instance, the top 12 markets represent approximately 40% of all U. S. radio homes; adding the next 45 markets (in order of rank) raises the 40% to 70%. Use of all 100 markets (one station in each), the graph shows, would cover approximately 86% of all radio homes. In selecting the one station to represent each market, Blair authorities included the Blairrepresented outlet in all markets where there is one. In the others, several factors including coverage and rates influenced the selection. The full list is not being made known because, officials explained, the purpose of the calculator is to make it easier to estimate and buy saturation radio and thereby to sell the saturation spot concept rather than sell specific stations. Blair authorities maintain that the "Saturation Calculator" is the first of its type that emphasizes the saturation principle of buying. It was, they say, a growing trend toward this saturation or multiple weekly frequency pattern of buying that led to the need for, and development of, such a device. Blair's efforts, they emphasize, put the stress not on occasional short-term campaigns, but on the value of continuing saturation, preferably on a year-around basis. Storer Broadcasting Reports Increased 1955 Earnings STORER Broadcasting Co., Miami Beach, Fla. reported last week increased earnings in a statement covering the year ended Dec. 31, 1955, and the fourth quarter of that year. Net 1955 earnings after taxes, available foi common and Class B stock were $4,277,928 oi $1,729 per share, against 1954 figures of $3.575,779 and $1,445. Fourth quarter earning; amounted to $1,466,159 or 59.3 cents per share Page 86 • February 27, 1956 Broadcasting Telecasting