Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1957)

V Ob z £ g O * UJ fi VA 0* * QQ PROGRAMS S PROMOTIONS SO YOU'RE A NEWCOMER IN THE COMMUNITY. . . YOU have acquired a new radio property. Your first question: "What'll I do to exploit this new property? How will I alert the market I serve that a new, aggressive ownership and management has taken over?" A glance at the FCC approvals in this week's B*T will tell you now have joined the hundreds of operators who face this problem every year. Experience gained by the management of the new Imperial Broadcasting System's key station, KPRO Riverside, Calif., may well prove the basis for a "do-it-yourself" dedication program, which, with minor modifications, lends itself to practically any radio community. Its main ingredients: several months of planning; 30 days the safety stickers. And a spot campaign stimulated interest in the Treasure Hunt during a 10-day build-up period. The rules of the hunt, especially the "entry at one's own risk," were published in the local newspapers. As an indication of the enthusiasm developed in high civic circles, the mayor, city manager, fire chief, chief of police, each of 14 dignitaries actually recorded the clues broadcast every hour on the hour for 14 days, each WHEN you take over the reins of a station the call letters and dial position of which are already familiar to listeners, how do you communicate to the community that a "new look" in public service and programming is planned? Frank Danzig, president and general manager of Imperial Broadcasting System which recently acquired KPRO Riverside, Calif., tells the procedures IBS followed in the Feb. 1March 1, 1957, period prior to KPRO's rededication. of actual execution; a relatively modest cash outlay (for a market of over 650,000) and elbow grease. That's what went into the rededication of KPRO as "Radio Riverside." First consideration, in the planning stage: how about changing the call letters? Here was a station with a pretty stormy background, including operation in trusteeship during the five years prior to our purchase. Yet management decided that in an am-fmtv area so thoroughly saturated by stations as Southern California, it would be foolhardy to toss out public recognition of call letters developed over 16 years. The subtitle "Radio Riverside" was added. It was alliterative. It implied that this was the city's own station (helpful at a time when a rival new daytimer was in the process of construction) . Next came a "Treasure Hunt." It's lure, a cash award (in our case, $500). To corral police and civic support, it was linked to a safe-driving campaign. Treasure Hunt entrants were required to sport a safety campaign day-glo bumper strip on their vehicles which read: "In or out of town, slow down," followed by KPRO's call letters and frequency. Bumper tags were stuck on more than 3,500 vehicles. Now two months later, we believe 40% are still riding around town, happily advertising the station in the name of safety. The local newspaper, the Riverside PressEnterprise, carried the story in a big way, and the city's safety council, police chief, and other authorities heartily approved the campaign. New and used car dealers, all station clients, were distribution points for clue written in a four-line jingle. No actual cash was buried. A certificate was planted in the frond of a palm tree. The tree selected was in a location which could cause a slight, but not serious traffic tieup in the final hours of the hunt, and was checked out in the dead of night. During the closing hours of the hunt a photographer was hidden near the all-important spot. The result: a picture of the winner which hit the paper prior to the dedication luncheon. The hunt, of course, was used to direct attention to the big event, the actual rededication exercise. This was a luncheon in the historic Mission Inn. The guest list included 400 of the top civic, educational, and business leaders as well as past, present and prospective sponsors. The station's sales department was happily responsible for 80% of the guests. The Mayor declared the date "KPRO Day" in a proclamation that read well in the newspapers. A full-page ad, too, invited public attention to the broadcast scheduled from the luncheon. Considerable care was taken in the seating arrangements, and a minimum of KPRO and IBS executives sat on the dais. Because of Riverside's proximity to Hollywood, management was able to obtain Art Baker as guest of honor. Page Cavanaugh and his trio entertained, as did Roberta Linn, NBC songstress. Talks by management were held to a bare three-minute maximum, and guests were fed, entertained, and we believe convinced, and on their way by 1:30 p.m., another record for breaking up a business luncheon. My talk, as well as that of Bart Ross, vice president and general sales manager, for the network, stressed dedication to community service, pledged new features, and top programming for the finest entertainment. KPRO Manager George Corneal in Page 144 • May 13, 1957 Broadcasting • Telecasting