Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1958)

FILM CONTINUED xted National* ^ J 6J>. ; ...styled for today 's 00 C ALL-AGE audience o to Radio Wise Portland Advertisers Prefer... K X CBS for Portland, Oregon cuss how much the firm spent in advertising last year but informed the inquiring stockholders that he would be happy to discuss budgets "in private." It was learned that Universal (through Cunningham & Walsh) spent more in 1957 than in the previous year to combat a "severe drop" in box office receipts. Spot Announcements Top Programs in Cost — TPA Advertising using television spot announcements spend as much as 85% more for an equal amount of commercial time than they do if they buy half-hour film programs on a combined time and talent cost basis, Michael M. Sillerman, executive vice president of Television Programs of America, said last week on the basis of a study made by TPA. A half-hour program gives the sponsor at least three minutes (180 seconds) of commercial time. The cost of the half hour in the TPA study was figured in all instances on the cost for 10:30 p.m., regarded by some stations as A time, by others as B time and still others as AA or C time. Program cost was TPA's rate card for New Adventures of Charlie Chan. The spot announcement cost was computed for nine 20-second spots per week, the same total time (180 seconds) as the three one-minute commercials that an advertiser would get if he bought a half-hour program. TPA officials acknowledged that on many stations the unit price of 20-second and one-minute commercials is the same, that nine 20-second spots would cost the same as three one-minute spots. But they asserted that it was virtually impossible to buy minute spots in desirable time. The individual market figures follow: MARKET Atlanta Baltimore Boston Buffalo Chicago Great Falls Quincy, III. New York Philadelphia Providence Greenville, S. C. Beaumont, Tex. Green Bay, Wis. Jackson, Miss. Richmond, Va. Portland, Ore. San Diego Denver Yuma, Ariz. Lincoln, Neb. PROGRAM $ 805.00 1,170.00 2,195.00 1,150.00 2,473.50 131.00 221.50 7,636.80 2,188.00 1,044.00 417.75 230.25 312.00 214.75 645.50 642.00 443.00 556.50 106.30 208.50 SPOT "EXCESS" $1,017.00 1,575.00 3,060.00 1,575.00 2,835.00 202.50 303.75 8,100.00 4,050.00 1,620.00 708.75 351.00 378.00 263.25 918.00 756.00 607.50 688.50 163.80 371.25 26.3% 34.6% 39.4% 37.0% 16.3% 54.6% 37.1% 6.0% 85.1% 55.0% 69.5% 52.4% 21.1% 22.6% 42.2% 17.8% 37.1% 23.7% 54.0% 78.1% Figures are based on gross cost of time and talent for half -hour program at 10:30-11 p.m. (Program column) and gross cost of nine 20seccnd spots providing equal commercial time in 10:30-11 p.m. period (Spot column). "Excess" column is percentage by which spot cost exceeds program cost in these instances cited by TPA. Fleischer, Seeger Form Film Firm Out of the Inkwell Inc., a new firm to produce animated cartoon series and novel films for television, was announced last week by movie cartoon pioneer Max Fleischer and tv producer Hal Seeger. Mr. Fleischer is originator of Koko the Clown. Mr. Seeger is head of Hal Seeger Productions, tv commercial firm. Out of the Inkwell is at 200 West 54th St., New York. Phone is Circle 6-4939. delightful to know and her buying habits are sensational. Meet her in Portland, Oregon, and 30 surrounding counties through her station, KOIN-TV on 6. The gentlemen from CBS-TV Spot Sales will be happy to acquaint you with KOIN-TV s lovely ratings and delightful coverage. Broadcasting March 17, 1958 • Page 81