Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1960)

N.W. Ayer opens New York radio-tv facilities If the New York office of N.W. Ayer & Son had a frequency, it could go on the air. But lacking a spot on the spectrum, this office of the Philadelphia agency will stay in advertising. Ayer engineers now are working out the last circuit "bugs" from a new tv-radio system that was two years in the planning. It was installed last month as the agency moved into its new quarters occupying the entire 11th floor of Rockefeller Center's latest building still being finished at 1271 Avenue of the Americas. Some 200 on Ayer's New York staff have seen the facilities in action as a closed-circuit "show," premiering a two-camera studio, control room, multiplex projection booth, theatre and adjoining conference rooms equipped with monitors. Executive offices also are connected for closed-circuit reception. At the new address the Ayer tvradio department is reunited with account servicing and public relations, which had been in a separate office since 1952. Ayer, now 90 years old, has had a New York office since 1903. Until now the agency rented a studio weekly for casting and preproduction commercial testing. Steak audition • T. J. McDermott (1), vice president in connection with tv-radio, and George Reese, account executive, check practice shot of a Howard Johnson restaurant steak as seen on an office monitor. Other end of cable • Connie White, producer of Johnson commercials, shoots a still of the Johnson steak in pre-storyboard test. At controls is Joe Goldstein, technical engineer, one of two IATSE members on staff. New method for show measurement Is it just as important for a tv advertiser to know whether his commercial harmonizes with his program as to know his quantitative rating? Does his program really say as much about him in terms of audience reaction as do his announcements? The Institute for Advertising Research in Chicago thinks so in both cases — and last week buttressed its convictions with a revolutionary move. IAR announced the development of a new system of evaluating tv shows based on measuring audience reactions and designed to supplement present numerical ratings. It thus extended its present copy test evaluation service to programming with a new television program analysis for advertisers and networks alike, according to James Witherell, executive director. IAR will make available a qualitative report showing (1) how the show operates as a carrier for the company, product brand and form of commercial involved; (2) the appeal of program characteristics (characters, plot development, opening or close, etc., and (3) differences in appeal based on age, sex, social class, city size and location, if desired. The report is based on personal interviews within the framework of motivational research. The tv program analysis is designed not only to test the program as a commercial carrier but also to examine how advertisements fit into the time segment — viz., whether spots harmonize in mood, and either bring welcome relief in a tense drama or merely provide "abrupt, annoying interruptions." Though intended to serve as a guide for the advertiser, the service can also be used to analyze the program itself, individual commercials, spots in relation to the program and how they influence an audience, and progress of commercials and program over an extended period of time. Network turndowns don't faze Shulton Shulton Inc. thinks it has an irresistible appeal. George L. Shultz, president of the toiletries firm, still is determined to get the two-part documentary, Race for Space, on a network somehow. After being turned down by all three, Shulton went back last week and knocked on all the doors again, trying to buy two hours for the films. Once again the answer was no. Networks like to do their own public affairs-news material. The toiletries manufacturer bought rights to Race from Producer David L. Wolper, who took "best documentary feature" prize at the 1959 San Francisco International Film Festival for the first hour of the pair, "The Missile." Shulton still believes it can get the show on the air. No one last week would say how, but it is going back for a third round with the networks. So far Race has only been seen by private audiences. Wesley Assoc. is agency for most Shulton products. • Business briefly Time sales Big play • Colgate-Palmolive Co., in reportedly largest single purchase of season on NBC-TV's daytime schedule, and one of largest in network's history, signed 52-week order for five quarterhours weekly of Play Your Hunch (Mon.-Fri. 10:30-11 a.m. EST), starting April 4. The show is a GoodsonTodman production in association with 36 (BROADCAST ADVERTISING) BROADCASTING, February 29, 1960