Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1962)

Hand of Providence While radio and television stations added extra news coverage on the air during New York's newspaper strike, a radio outlet in Providence, R.I., provided New York agency media men with out-of-town newspapers. WEAN, owned by the morning Providence Journal-Bulletin, sent copies of each day's paper to 30 agencies. Six copies were given to each media man to read and distribute around his office. Since the papers were delivered by messenger from Providence (they were loaded in station wagons at 4:30 a.m. for the four-hour drive), the agency men had their papers by 9 a.m., about the same time they would pick up New York papers if they were available. The WEAN service was expected to continue for the duration of the New York newspaper strike. would be apt to turn to radio than to tv, because they know more about how to use radio. He expressed concern lest major stores unfamiliar with tv try this medium and become soured on it because they don't know how to use it to good advantage. He thought it much more desirable that such stores become broadcast-minded through the use of radio first, later expanding into television. He thought that experienced tv retailers in all probability would increase their tv budgets as the strike progressed. In the last New York newspaper strike four years ago, he recalled, New York retail sales slumped worse after the strike was over than while it was in progress (Broadcasting, Dec. 22, 1958). Entertainment Business ■ Radio and tv aided New York's legitimate theatre and movie houses during the strike by expanding entertainment news coverage and employing a bevy of strike-idled newspaper critics and columnists. The theatres and movie exhibitors, already suffering from traditionally slow pre-Christmas business, in turn added extra dollars to their broadcast budgets. The League of New York Theatres, representing producers and theatre owners, purchased a five-minute segment of an expanded news show on WNBC-TV New York, with Ben Grauer presenting a rundown of the Broadway shows. The league also went on seven radio stations with about 183 spots during the week to announce a telephone service providing latest information on show times and tickets. Only one legitimate show, "In A Counting House," opened on Broadway last week. CBS and ABC taped interviews with the cast and newspaper critics read their reviews on radio and tv. Transistor Radio Sales ■ Radio and tv retailers in New York said that since transistor radio purchases were always higher in the weeks before Christmas, it was difficult to determine whether the strike had any effect on sales. Retailers noted, however, that sales were up and that they anticipated continued increases during the holiday season. Station Coverage ■ WABC-TV reported its regular schedule of news programming— seven hours and twenty minutes a week — grew to a rate of 20 hours and 20 minutes a week within five days after the strike started. WABC-TV's sales department reported budget increases from several regular advertisers including White Owl Cigars, New York Telephone Co., Fanny Farmer Candies, Canada Dry Corp., American Motors and Shulton Inc. WNEW-TV added "a minimum" of 35 special news programs to its daily schedule for the duration of the strike. The station was televising a special news show every half-hour. The outlet reported an increase in spending by regular station advertisers, and the addition of movie and stage play advertising. WABC extended its regular, onehour Newscope an additional 20 minutes each day, devoting the extra time to local news and features usually carried by newspapers. Additional local news headlines were to be broadcast yesterday (Dec. 16) during station breaks previously used for public service items. WABC's sales staff reported about 50% of orders received during the week were from advertisers new to radio. WABC-FM, which normally duplicates WABC until 6 p.m. (when it turns to a music format of its own), began an all-news schedule for the entire broadcast day last Friday (Dec. 14) — FM Newscope, heard from 7 a.m.-midnight. WNBC-AM-FM-TV reported greatly expanded news schedules. Radio added about three hours during the week and another three hours over the weekend. WNBC-TV added two and one-half hours to the weekday schedule and three hours on weekends. WCBS-AM-FM-TV launched additional newscasts and news specials, but the cost of mounting them was not covered by advertising support as of last Thursday, according to the stations. WCBS pointed out it was already carrying 245 news programs a week before the strike; most of its regular newscasts were lengthened instead of new programs being added. Station's peak morning and evening time was sold out before the strike, and the volume of new orders has not been "tremendous," spokesmen said. WCBS-TV also expanded several news programs, added specials and included new areas of coverage including amusements and finance. WNEW added five-minute newscasts on the hour around the clock and onehour newscasts at noon, 6 p.m. and 1 1 p.m. Two-minute inserts were added in a morning music show and headline summaries were presented on the 15and 45-minute marks. Other stations adding news coverage and bulletins were WNCN (FM) and WEVD New York and WJRZ Newark. The two New York stations received additional business from movie and theatrical interests. WOR-TV added news inserts in its daily coverage. The station also started an Editorial Conference of the Air on Dec. 15 featuring commentary by New York newspapermen. WOR Radio, which normally pro RAB prepares to contest Radio Advertising Bureau is taking two steps to make certain that the current newspaper strikes in New York and Cleveland do not become "grist for the newspaper industry's post-strike selling efforts." RAB President-elect Edmund C. Bunker noted that in the past the newspapers try to "make a case for their medium on what the newspapers claim happens to business during a strike." RAB's two steps: (1) radio stations will be asked to report their billing from major retailers to J. K. newspaper claims Lasser & Co., accountants and auditors, to make certain there is documentation that retailers will be investing in radio only a fraction of the budgets they ordinarily invest in newspapers and (2) RAB will make a careful analysis of sales trends in areas affected by newspapers. The bureau's contention is that newspapers, after a strike, claim radio wasn't as effective as newspapers in producing sales and claim that business declined, when, in actuality no change took place in the trend of sales. 44 (THE MEDIA) BROADCASTING, December 17, 1962