Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1963)

Giant strides ahead for fm? CHICAGO MEETINGS TOLD STEREO FM TO HAVE BIG IMPACT Fm broadcasting is going commercial in an important way with the help of stereo's impact, its station and network principals felt last week after two days of meetings and conferences held March 30-31 in Chicago. Technical and program improvement augmented by a sharp increase in advertiser-agency interest in the medium promise to lead fm into eventual radio dominance, according to predictions made over the convention weekend. Two main meetings dealt in detail with the fm medium. First, the National Assn. of Fm Broadcasters met all day March 30 and a half-day March 31. On the afternoon of the second day, NAFMB's members joined NAB in a three-hour series of panel discussions held under NAB auspices and titled "Fm Day." NAFMB achieved its longtime objective by electing a paid president, James A. Schulke (Broadcasting, April 1). Mr. Schulke is opening a fulltime NAFMB office in New York and will direct a Radio Advertising Bureau type of sales promotion activity for the membership. Here are highspots of fm's immediate status and its prospects: ■ A study by the Harvard Graduate School of Business developed projects that would find fm passing am radio in the 1970s (see story page 93). ■ Many fm operators using stereo are convinced the entire future of fm — perhaps of radio — is hinged to stereo. ■ The FCC is expected to approve monitoring equipment types in the near future. ■ Kellogg, Chevrolet, Robert Hall, Sacramento tomato juice, CampbellEwald and other major advertisers and agencies are closely observing fm stereo progress/and are using the medium on a test basis. Harold Tanner, WLDM (FM) Detroit, said Campbell-Ewald is giving dozens of its staff stereo experience by producing its own stereo commercials and another large agency is doing the same thing. L. M. Sandwick, Electronic Industries Assn., said fm is now second in acceptance only to tv as an electronic medium, with over a million fm stereo sets to be produced this year. Small stereo sets can't be counted because of a disclosure problem and custom installations can only be estimated. Mr. Sandwick said stereo output is 70,000 sets a month; will reach 1 million in 1963; all fm, 2% million in 1963. FCC Commissioner Robert T. Bartley, who has been engaged in fm in various roles for a quarter-century, re called the difficult course the medium has traveled. In the discussions of advertising problems the point was made that a major set maker had asked for one free spot for every co-op spot purchased. Most operators agreed that fm as a whole has fallen down on the job in selling time. A feature of the NAFMB meeting was presentation of the annual FMMY award to Harold L. Kassens, chief of the FCC's aural existing facilities branch, for his role in the development of the medium. Intensive enthusiasm for stereo was shown by the 200-odd stations now broadcasting the multi-dimension service, with belief voiced that all the optimistic predictions made at the 1962 NAB-NAFMB conventions had come true and in some cases were being surpassed. Technical and economic problems have arisen but these are being solved. Live stereo programming is increasing but it is extremely limited, it was shown. Ben Strouse, WWDC-AM-FM Washington, keynoted the NAB Fm Day Mitchell Hastings Jr. (r) outgoing president of the National Assn. of Fm Broadcasters, greets his successor, James A. Schulke. program as panel moderator. He cited the move of "more and more advertisers into fm" and noted the increase in sale of fm sets. He reviewed work of the NAB Fm Committee, of which he is chairman. Mr. Strouse described as a significant victory the FCC's winter announcement that it did not contemplate any change in the existing facilities of fm stations, a change from an earlier proposal to require power and antenna cuts for 130 operating fm stations. Develop and Promote ■ In the open ing Fm Day panel, "Financing the Station Profile," Lynn Christian, KODAFM Houston, advised stations to develop a program concept, promote and then "let advertisers know what you're doing." He said his station's monthly letter to the local media fraternity costs about $50 a month and advised managers to do a similar letter themselves. John D. Kennedy, WDRK (FM) Greenville, Ohio, said his county now has 70% fm set ownership. Jack Kiefer, KMLA (FM) Los Angeles, explained how a station's stereo programming can be adapted to dealers' sales activities. James Sondheim, QXR Network, New York, told how local interest in the station can be generated and then be reflected in sales. Second Fm Day panel was based on a series of questions generated by comments made by each of the panel members at the 1962 NAB Fm Day program. James Gabbert, KPEN(FM) San Francisco, pointed to stereo's growth during the year and improvement in quality. He felt, however, that there is still need for compliance to high standards. David Polinger, WTFM (FM) New York, who had complained about the stereo performance of recordings in 1962, said he has found improvement in the last year. Mr. Tanner said he is now an ardent stereo enthusiast, with WDLM carrying 1 1 0 stereo hours a week compared to about one hour a day a year ago. He suggested the entire future of the radio business may lie in fm stereo. Everett Dillard, WASH (FM) Washington, D. C, said he prefers discs to tape for stereo because of convenience in handling and storing as well as the fewer cueing problems encountered. Mr. Sandwick predicted the FCC will take action on one of stereo's major problems — the lack of FCC type-approved monitoring equipment for stereo. This is the final step needed to insure high performance standards, he said. The panel's discussion ranged from technical to advertising and program production subjects. At its close Mr. Dillard and Mr. Tanner remained for the final panel titled "FM Forum." Other members were L. N. Bentson, WLOL-FM Minneapolis; Merrill Lindsay, WSOY-FM Decatur, 111., and Henry Slavick, WMC-FM Memphis, Tenn. Fred Rabell, KITT (FM) San Diego, Calif., was unable to attend because of illness. At the NAFMB Session ■ Commissioner Bartley recalled the bitter early days of fm and the continued struggle 92 (SPECIAL REPORT: NAB CONVENTION! BROADCASTING, April 8, 1963