Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1958)

fnost HAPPY SPONSORS •elect these fine Radio Stations Fertilizer dealer, food chain, brewer and apparel shop — all are finding local Radio today's reliable, low cost selling medium. Big city or small, East, South or Midwest — sponsors are most happy with their commercials tailored from the Lang-Worth RADIO HUCKSTERS & AIRLIFTS SERVICE. KAWL, YORK, NEB.: JERRY BRYAN REPORTING— A Lang-Worth Huckster Fertilizer jingle, run as a service spot, was bought off the air by Miller Seed & Supply Co., leading to an increase of their KAWL schedule by 30 spots a week. Campaign so successful it was cited in T-F-D national farm journal. WPEN, PHILADELPHIA, PA.: MURRAY ARNOLD REPORTING— WPEN's imaginative selling and production resulted in a Huckster jingle being the base of giant Penn Fruit Supermarkets' "biggest value ever" promotion. Result : a big spot schedule for WPEN and other stations and "solid success" reported by W. B. Doner agency. WHLF, SOUTH BOSTON, VA.: PRESTON YOUNG REPORTING— Station's efforts resulted in another Huckster jingle becoming the base of a large Company's campaign. Richbrau Beer subsequently increased their schedule on WHLF 50% and expanded the campaign to other markets in the area. WJLK, ASBURY PARK, N. J.: JOE MENZZOPANE REPORTING— WJLK solved Grayson Stores local outlet's clamor for a hard-hitting jingle with the Radio Hucksters service. An innovation: a talented WJLK announcer sings, hums and mixes commercial with the jingle — for that custom-built sound! i^^fe' jjjjjjjjn, J&lk.. Jlife. t^ittk. These and many other progressive stations combine their top production and sales know-how with Radio Hucksters & Airlifts to win most happy sponsors. Let Radio Hucksters 4 Airlifts make the difference to your station. Contact LANG-WORTH FEATURE PROGRAMS, INC. 1755 Broadway, New York 19, N.Y. OPEN MIKE Seconding Silvernail i m i or: Broadcasting is to be congratulated in prevailing upon Frank Silvernail to become its consultant [ Letters from the Editors]. This will certainly make an already good magazine even better. Frank Kemp Vice President — Dir. of Medici Compton Adv. New York City editor: I am delighted to know that you have engaged Frank Silvernail as a consultant on Broadcasting. Certainly there is no one better equipped than Frank to give the agency viewpoint in any discussions concerning our industry. Congratulations to you for your foresight and best wishes to you both for a happy association. Vera Brennan Broadcast Coordinator Sullivan, Stauffer Colwell & Bayles New York City editor: Congratulations are in order to both Broadcasting and Frank Silvernail for the marriage recently completed. Believe this will be beneficial to all interested in the broadcasting field because of the long experience of both the publication and Mr. Silvernail. Frank Coulter Associate Media Director Young & Rubicam New York City editor: Your reputation for astuteness was again re-enforced when I learned that Frank Silvernail had joined Broadcasting as a consultant. I commend you for selecting one of the outstanding men of our industry to join your already excellent staff. Few, if any, men in the agency business have contributed more to ethical relations than has Frank. I know that he will make a material contribution for many years to come. P. A. Sugg Vice President NBC New York Handouts in Program Guise editor: Jerome Feniger of Cunningham & Walsh hit a couple of targets, but not all, in his excellent appraisal of radio '58 [Advertisers & Agencies, May 19]. He put his finger on over-commercialization, top 40 programming and general lack of imagination. I wish Mr. Feniger would use his forum once again to examine another factor in recent programming: the money wheels and the bountiful giveaway. This practice of buying audience, and therefore ratings, has not been given enough scrutiny by agencies. I recognize legitimate contests embodying elements of skill and overt response. But plain and simple handouts are a reflection of programming bareness and ownership wealth. Timebuyers should be on guard. Sol Panitz President WQSN Charleston, S. C. What's Watt? editor: What makes Thompson R. Watt, radio-tv editor of the Denver Post such a great expert on the complicated business of local programming [Playback, May 19]? ... If radio stations were to follow the suggestions of Mr. Watt and his ilk, the medium would be right back where it was five years ago when all the same experts predicted it was dead and buried because tv had become a reality. Of course, radio is a "mostly young" advertising medium. Of course, most of the listening to radio is done by people under 45 years of age. Is this damning? This same group happens to buy more of everything than the older people and then the children who spend all their time reading comic books and watching tv. It is irritating for us to see so much space of your fine publication wasted, crusading for what some of the older broadcasters don't understand and therefore must assume it is a horrible thing that should be stamped out. How about some constructive suggestions. The stations that too many of these ignorant critics are talking about also happen to be commanding the attention of more radio listeners in the major markets than local programs ever reached before. Would these critics . . . suggest a heavy load of symphony music, polkas, talk shows, or just what? Invariably, these same people have no real interest in radio programming that will get the attention of the masses. They only think that they will run the radio industry and further their own selfish causes by using meaningless cliches. As always, the people have the final say in what they want. Mr. Watt and others like him can stop worrying about one or two stations playing music. In Denver there are at least 10 more that he can turn to and enjoy. Arthur H. McCoy Executive Vice President John Blair & Co. N-ew York City Evening Reading Habit editor: . . . Broadcasting is one of my favorite publications and I read it religiously at home. I think everyone connected with it should feel mighty proud of your newsgathering service. There is a terrific timeliness. Broadcasting is certainly getting the news and reporting it to readers fast. Edmund L. Cashman Vice President Foote, Cone & B elding Hollywood Page 14 • June 2, 1953 Broadcasting