Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

NIGHTTIME WSAZ -TV DELIVERS 1000 HOMES BETWEEN 7:30 and 10:30 P. M. FOR $1.30 The second station's cost per thousand homes is $2.39 84% Higher The third station's cost per thousand homes is $5.42 317% Higher AND ANYTIME WSAZ-TV delivers ONE THIRD more total homes than both other Huntington-Charleston Stations COMBINED Source: June 1 957 ARB All figures based on 260-time frequency HUNTINGTON-CHARLESTON, W. VA. Affiliated with Radio Stations WSAZ. Huntington & WKAZ. Charleston LAWRENCE H. ROGERS, PRESIDENT Represented by The Kalz Agency CALL YOUR KATZ MAN OUR RESPECTS to Robert Allen Klein BACK in 1951 when radio's road was a bit rocky, Robert Klein took over the managerial reins at WD AS Philadelphia with two saving graces: the disregard of a 25-year-old for trouble and a profound respect for the sales staff. Six intervening years haven't altered Mr. Klein's outlook, except that now, more than ever, he regards time salemen as very special people. The decision by Philadelphia's oldest independent to entrust itself to the hands of one of the youngest general managers of a metropolitan radio outlet may have caused some raised eyebrows. But the dollars and cents success of Mr. Klein in transforming WDAS into a powerful voice for Negro programming quickly dispelled any reservations as to his ability. Robert Allen Klein, born April 16, 1926, in Chester, Pa., had only a parttime listener's interest in radio until 1950 — that part of his time that could be spared from his books and a consuming interest in athletics. With time out for a World War II tour of duty overseas as a medical corpsman with the Navy's amphibious force, he managed to graduate from Temple U. in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in education. Radio still had no great part in his plans as he decided to continue his schooling towards a master's degree in history. To make ends meet, however, Bob Klein sandwiched in stints as a substitute teacher in the Philadelphia school system and did copywriting at WDAS. The "sell" in his copy in turn sold the station management on the idea that he could be utilized better as a time salesman, and it was just a matter of time until he was appointed assistant station manager. Six months later at Temple's June 1951 graduation exercises, the school conferred an MA degree in history on WDAS General Manager Klein. Searching for a community role which WDAS could fulfill with maximum efficiency, Mr. Klein studied the Philadelphia market as if it were a research problem in history. He was impressed by the fact that he was right in the middle of one of the largest Negro population centers in the country. At the time, WDAS was devoting two hours at the end of its broadcast day (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.) to Negro programming. And, when a 1951 Pulse survey indicated that almost half of the Negroes listening to radio during this two-hour span were tuned to WDAS, Mr. Klein made a decision. He was convinced that WDAS and the Philadelphia Negro market were, from that time on, going to be bound together inseparably. "It was apparent to me then, just as it is now," Mr. Klein says, "that the American Negro community is a huge social and economic force only just coming into its own." More and more time was devoted to programs beamed expressly to Negroes by Negroes. The results were not slow in coming. "We suddenly found that quite a few advertisers, such as Lucky Strikes, Tetley tea and Quaker oats, had begun to realize that the recognition that they afforded the Negro, as an individual and a consumer, through a station utilizing Negro personalities, paid off in sales," Mr. Klein recalls. TODAY, the WDAS broadcasting chores are handled by eight Negro personalities. Bernice Thompson is one of the very few Negro home economists in radio, according to Mr. Klein who also proudly points to the successes of such as Randy Dixon, George Woods, Kae Williams, Mitch Thomas, Art Peters and Julian Graham. A WDAS feature is a completely staffed news service and Negro news director dealing exclusively in news of the Negro world. A radio man all the way, Mr. Klein is "gratified to watch television settle down while radio has come back stronger than ever." Radio time and property values are now at an all-time high, he further points out. Fm is very much in Mr. Klein's plans. An application for fm pends at the FCC and, once granted, WDAS expects to offer a "good music" service. Associates of the WDAS general manager say the six-foot-three, 215-pounder puts the drive of a fullback into all his undertakings. That was one of the attributes that prompted his election last spring as president of the Philadelphia Assn. of Radio & Television Broadcasters, an organization of old line radio and television broadcasters that is not too steeped in tradition to give youth its due. Mrs. Klein is a graduate of Curtis Institute. The Kleins have a two-year-old daughter, Wynne. The 31 -year-old broadcaster likes to relax with his book and record collections. He has several first editions, his own library and a select collection of prints and records. Among his prizes is part of the original score of Mozart's "Stabat Mater." Page 28 • October 21, 1957 Broadcasting