Broadcasting (Apr - June 1960)

FANFARE Norfolk tv stations in prestige promotion Rival television stations in still another market are getting together to promote their prestige programs. The plan for joint promotions of this kind was originated by Louis Hausman, director of the Television Information Office. Three stations in the Norfolk, Va., area — WAVY-TV, WTAR-TV and WVEC-TV — announced last week they would begin issuing joint bulletins each month, beginning in August. These will be circulated to opinion leaders in the Norfolk television market. Stations in Los Angeles and Chicago are already issuing regular reports of the kind to be introduced in Norfolk, and stations in Detroit, New York, Washington and Boston are reportedly working out plans for similar projects. Ivanhoe’s game Screen Gems is stirring up station interest in Ivanhoe by sending prospects a game that demonstrates merchandising possibilities of the half-hour costume series. With the game mailing, the film company kept the correspondence going by offering free 19th century prints showing knights in combat. Eighty-eight station executives, at first count, took up Screen Gems on the picture offer, and many said they and their children were playing the Ivanhoe game. The board calls for two to four players to send token knights through a course fraught with danger, illustrated with stills from the 39 Ivanhoe episodes and leading ultimately to the haven of Ivanhoe’s castle. Ivanhoe to date has been sold in 39 markets, most stations programming it in early evening periods in the fall, Screen Gems says. RAB’s tire story While the $2 billion tire replacement industry stands poised for its busiest months of the year, Radio Advertising Bureau, New York, rolled out a brochure telling tire advertisers, “You’ll get much more mileage from radio with your tire advertising dollar.” The pocket-sized presentation, one of a current series targeted at specific advertising categories, is keyed to such advantages as automobile radio, a report on radio listening habits of men and the medium’s strength with the suburban family, which RAB says has A ‘do-it-yourself’ film tells WTOP’s story How do you get your market message across when everyone thinks your city is just a tourist mecca? This was the job undertaken by WTOP Washington, owned by the Washington Post & Times Herald. First the means had to be something special. To Lloyd Dennis, vice president-general manager of WTOP; to Robert W. Schellenberg, sales manager, and to Charles B. Crawford, sales development director, the method had to be high level, something in keeping with the status of Washington as the center of government and of WTOP’s claim as the prestige station of the Capital. The answer was a 16mm, soundon-color-film of the Washington story and of WTOP’s place. Second, it had to have a sound promotional approach — tell about the changes that have taken place in Washington. This was done by comparing the market in 1949 and in 1959. Low Cost ■ The cost of the film was kept at a reasonably low figure solely because the film facilities and personnel of sister station, WTOPTV were used. The 20-minute color film cost WTOP Radio about $600; it would have cost $10,000 if all had been made outside. The film was shown at a kickoff presentation in Washington Feb. 11. It was roadshowed in 10 cities beginning Feb. 15 in Los Angeles. While on the West Coast, Mr. Dennis took the film to Hawaii and showed it to the Hawaiian Broadcasters Assn. They liked it so much they set up a committee to look into a similar effort for Hawaii. The national showings cost WTOP about $3,500 — for travel expenses and for picking up the tab at luncheons. Advertising executives reacted with such comments as these : “Effective presentation.” — Stan Jackson, Hixson & Jorgensen, Los Angeles. “Impressed [with] up-to-date current trends and tremendous market . . . Much of the information was news for us and should prove most useful.” — Ed Fitzgerald, J. Walter Thompson, Chicago. “Our interest in the market is on the upbeat. Your film was particularly interesting and timely.” — Thomas A. Wright, Jr., Leo Burnett Co., Chicago. PROMINENT BROADCASTERS Choose Stainless TOWERS M Raymond S. Green Executive Vice President and General Manager WFLN PHILADELPHIA, PENNA. Frederick Chassey Chief Engineer And for good reasons, too: * Stainless EXPERIENCE in design and fabrication * RELIABILITY of Stainless installations * LOW MAINTENANCE COSTS of Stainless towers Ask today for free literature and information. Ctainli ramless, me. NORTH WALES • PENNSYLVANIA BROADCASTING, May 23, 1960 99