NBC transmitter (Oct-Dec 1944)

2 NBC Transmitter HEDGES GIVES BAKERS POINTERS ON BUYING ADVANTAGEOUS RADIO TIME VOL. 10 NOVEMBER, 1944 No. 2 NBC Transmitter Published, Monthly by the fS National Broadcasting Company RCA Building, Radio City, N. Y . POSTWAR TELEVISION America needs and expects television as a postwar service and industry, Niles Trammell, NBC president, told the FCC October 26, at its reallocation hearing. “If television is to be encour aged to expand and develop as an industry without delay after the war, no fear complex should he planted in the public mind with regard to the use of television service,” Mr. Trammell said, in part. “Both the industry and the people should be freed from the groundless expectation that television equipment will be made suddenly obsolete by a complete change to new frequencies and standards. “Such a fear, if aroused, would seriously hamper the establishment of a nationwide television service and a television industry. There is nothing more unrealistic than the idea that broadcasters will expand their services and facilities by the investment of many millions to create a television service, while at the same time people are warned that the receiving equipment they purchase may he made obsolete by the stroke of a pen. “We do not fear the obsolescence which progress may bring. We foresee no technical revolution by which the industry could be placed in sudden chaos overnight. We know that the American people, with respect to any useful product or service, are willing to pay for the best they can get now and change for the better when something better comes along. “With a practical television system at hand, with network svn | dication of program service in prospect, with business support and public interest already demonstrated, the National Broadcasting Company believes that, with the approval of the Commission of the recommendations of the RTPB and your authorization of the necessary frequencies, television can be launched as an immediate postwar nationwide service.” NEW YORK.— Steps that a prospective sponsor should take in selecting program and station that would reach urban audiences most effectively were outlined by William S. Hedges, NBC vice-president in charge of stations, in an address before the Quality Bakers of America in conference at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel during September. After analyzing the listening habits of radio set owners and explaining the choice of program formats preferred by different age and sex groups. Hedges summarized the data for the bakery representatives assembled from all sections of the United States. “When it comes to getting more out of your radio dollar,” Hedges said, “pick the station that covers your market — in other words, your area of distribution. You may get perfect satisfaction from a 250watt station. On the other hand, if you have many branches and a wide area of distribution, you may need the best regional or the best clear channel station serving your community. “As for time, find out what is available on the various stations. Pick a time, if possible, near a popular network or local program carried by that station. The average number of sets in use varies only slightly from 8 o’clock in the morning until 1 o’clock in the afternoon so the actual time itself is not so important to you as the program you are opposite on another station or next to on the station of your choice. You are perhaps more interested in reaching women and children than you are men. Daytime therefore is the logical spot for you. Not only is it logical because of the predominance of women in your audience— and actually you have practically as many women during the daytime as you have at night— but also your time costs about half. “If your budgets can possibly stand it. get on a daily schedule at a fixed time. Remember 43.5 per cent of housewives interviewed believed that a program every day would be more useful to them, and practically the same number expressed their preference for time between 9 a.m. and 12 noon. If that is not available, the next best choice was before 9 a.m. The advice to have a program daily is not only backed up by the preferences of housewives but by successful retail users. It is even more satisfactory to supplement your one program daily with announcements scattered throughout the station schedule. “Although your proportionate cost for a program of 5, 10 or 15 minutes is much greater than a half-hour or one hour costs you have ample opportunity in shorter program periods to give your commercial message. “About commercials— make them pleasant to listen te. Make them natural and they will be that much more convincing. “Don’t expect overnight miracles in buying radio time. It is the long pull that counts and it pays off well. We already know that listeners buy more than nonlisteners, in some cases almost 4 to 1. and the more they listen the more they buy. “My advice to you is that even in the case where a powerful station outside of your community may be listened to more on the average than your own local station, that unless your marketing area extends beyond the influence of your local station, you should buy locally because the influence of your own local station, you will find, particularly in the early morning hours, is far greater than the influence of any outside station.” NBC-ites Aid Blood Bank NEW YORK— Employees of NBC in Newr York have donated nearly N/o pints of blood for each of the 407 NBC men in the armed services, Ernest de la Ossa, director of personnel, announced. This total, de la Ossa said, is being increased each week by the contributions of 10 additional donors. As of September 19, a total of 587 pints of blood had been credited to NewT York network personnel. William S. Hedges.