Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1960)

MEDIA COMPARISON Nielson study matches tv, magazine audience A.C. Nielsen Co. said last week it would do what many people have historically claimed cannot be done: compare apples and oranges. The research firm officially announced its new Nielsen Media Service, which executives said will measure television and magazine audiences in the same national panel and report on the audience reached by the advertiser using both media. NMS is designed to help advertisers and agencies select either a single advertising vehicle (program or magazine) or a combination of vehicles or of media, according to their specific needs. Twelve major magazines and all network tv programs will be covered in the continuing studies. Subscribers (Maxon, J. Walter Thompson Co., Westinghouse Electric, Chrysler and Life magazine thus far) will receive a yearly report on total audiences of the 12 magazines, complete Nielsen Television Index data, and special reports on audiences reached by tv and magazine combinations. Inherent Differences ■ One of the factors making broadcast and print media so difficult to compare, from a ARBITRON'S DAILY CHOICES Listed below are the highest-ranking television shows for each day of the week Sept. 15-21 as rated by the multi-city Arbitron Instant ratings of American Research Bureau. Date Thur., Sept. 15 Fri., Sept. 16 Sat., Sept. 17 Sun., Sept. 18 IVIon., Sept. 19 Tue., Sept. 20 Wed., Sept. 21 Program and Time Untouchables (9:30 p.m.) 77 Sunset Strip (9 p.m.) Gunsmoke (10 p.m.) Alfred Hitchcock (9:30 p.m.) Father Knows Best (8-30 p.m.) Thriller (9 p.m.) U. S. Steel Hour do p.m.) Network ABC-TV ABC-TV CBS-TV CBS-TV CBS-TV MBC-TV CBS-TV Rating 18.1 27.6 29.3 25.0 22.1 16.9 28.4 During the introductory period of the 1960-61 television season, ARB is conducting fast national ratings. These use Arbitron meter devices in some areas, supplemented by tele phone calls, to provide what ARB calls a truly national rating. The "instant nationals" started Sept. 18. Here are the top-rated programs for each day following: Sun., Mon., Tue., Wed. Dale Sept. 18 , Sept. 19 Sept. 20 , Sept. 21 Program and Time Loretta Young do p.m.) Barbara Stanwyck (10 p.m. Laramie (7:30 p.m.) Price Is Right (8:30 p.m.) Network NBC-TV NBC-TV NBC-TV NBC-TV Rating 25.4 27.3 25.5 28.1 Copyright 1960 American Research Bureau research standpoint, is that they have so few similarities in terms of how they are used by audiences and in the degree to which they are measured. From an advertiser's point of view, for example, is opening a magazine as good as listening to his program? Getting ratings on all programs is standard procedure in broadcasting, but getting comparable detail on each article or page in a magazine can become complicated and expensive. "You can't com n Steubenville, Ohio YOUR PRODUCT'S BEST FRIEND IS The FRIENDLY Group's TV-TV The lowest cost Television bridge lo the Upper Ohio Valley's 5 Billion Dollar retail market. The best of CBS and ABC. Plus Shopper Topper Merchandising. For Rates and Avails • IN STEUBENVILLE: John J.Laux, AT2-6265 • IN NEW YORK: Lee Gaynor, OX 7-0306 Represented Nationally by Avery-Knodel, Inc. wsTv-ry The Best of CBS and AfiC O STEUSENViLLE-WHEEUNS Representeil fay Aveiy-Knodei, Ine. WRGP-TV The Best of NBC 3 CHATTAN008A, TENNESSEE Representeii by H-R WRDW-1[y| The Best of CBS and ABC 1^ AU8USTA, 6£0RGfA RepreseBted 1^ Avery-Kiradel, inc. The Best of NBC and CBS ^3 CLARKSBURQ, WEST VIRBmtA Refiresented by Avsry-Xiwdel, inc. KODE-TV The B^t Of CBS and ABC JOPUN, MrSSOURI ile|tr«t«ated by Avery-tCnsdel, lae. pare apples and oranges" has become a stock argument against such efforts. Henry Rahmel, Nielsen executive vice president and broadcast division manager, who was credited with originating the NMS idea, recognized "the so-called apples-and-oranges aspects" but pointed out that, even so, agencies and advertisers do compare media. Watching and -Reading ■ The NMS panel will consist of 2,500 homes. Tv tune-in will be measured by a combination of Audilog diaries and Recordimeter devices. Magazine audiences — in terms of "the number of homes and adults reporting having read the average issue of the magazine"— will be determined by the personal-interviewinterest technique developed by the publishing industry and incorporated in Advertising Research Foundation's proposed magazine research study some years ago. Magazines to be measured by NMS, officials said, represented 52% of all magazine revenues last year. They are: American Weekly, Better Homes & Gardens. Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, Life, Look, McCalls, Parade, Reader's Digest, Saturday Evening Post, This Week and True Story. Franken forms firm The new organization of the Jerry Franken Co. for advertising and public relations is to be announced today (Sept. 26), with headquarters at 5420 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, Calif., and a New York office in the new Time & Life bldg., 1271 Ave. of the Americas. Mr. Franken resigned recently as head of advertising, promotion and publicity for National Theatres & Television Inc. and National Telefilms Assoc. Clients acquired to date by Jerry Franken include programs for Television Inc.; RPF Enterprises Inc.; Stars International Inc.; Richard H. UUman Inc.; Del Wood Assoc. and Omar Music Co. 44 (BROADCAST ADVERTISING) BROADCASTING, September 26, 1960