Radio annual (1954)

"Magazine*' Sales Concept Unfolds In TV Industry C^^f)Q^^^ By GEORGE H. FREY National Broadcasting Company Vice President In Charge of Television Network Sales AN exciting sales plan that differs radically from the buying and selling design inherited from radio is unfolding in the television industry. Tm writing, of course, about the "magazine concept" — the flexible new sales pattern pioneered by NBC to help the large advertiser use TV more fully and effectively, offer the moderate budgeted manufacturer the opportunity to participate in the highest rated hits, and, above all, put network television on the media schedule of the small advertiser. Make no mistake about it, the magazine concept has arrived. Basically, the plan is designed to head the network advertiser away from singleprogram sponsorship to a broader use of the entire program schedule. Instead of putting all his TV budget into one limited audience show, the advertiser spreads it across the network's varied program fare to achieve greater audience penetration. His advertising might be positioned in a high circulation variety show, in a news program, perhaps a women's daytime show and in a special event of national interest. The total dollar value might equal what he would invest in a single show, but the effect is the same as if the advertiser branched out from the Saturday Evening Post and added the plus exposure of Good Housekeeping, Life, Better Homes & Gardens and Time. The advertiser's commercials can be rotated according to the market groups he is most interested in reaching, and in the ultimate pattern he can increase commercials when he needs that extra sales push and ease off at other times. At NBC, 'Today," the network's early morning news and special events television program, was deliberately designed and scheduled as a springboard for the magazine concept. "Today" works for advertisers of all shapes and sizes. Commercial time can ibe ordered as late as a day in advance of a "Today" show. The client may order one or more par ticipations for any day or week of his choosing. Local station cut-in announcements can be arranged at nominal cost to provide the audience with where-to-buy4t price information. Has the magazine concept as practiced on "Today" 'been successful? Look at the figures: In 1953, time billings on the program topped the $5,000,000 level. Ranging from little Appian Way Pizza Pie to giant General Motors, "Today" boasted of 90 different clients participating on the show during the year. With "Today" a solid hit with audiences, clients and agencies, NBC-TV took a further step incorporating this new theory of selling television time with the introduction on March 1, 1954, of "Home" — the mid-morning, hour-long electronic magazine for women. It is obvious that flexibility is a basic feature and attraction of the entire magazine concept operation. It is equally clear that the job of supplying the programs, or editorial content, in the magazine concept rests mostly with the network. Talent and production costs being what they are, and considering the rate at which television burns up material, it is necessary to centralize the source of programming to stay within reason. Only the network can divide up the operation into cost units that make sense and at the same time average out the hits and misses. With such a system of centralized control, the network can afford to do far more program experimentation than ^| in the past, trying out new ideas and J' testing new talent in the never ending search to enrich the service to the American audience. Certainly, few advertisers and no agencies can afford to run on-theair laboratories, yet both are quick to agree that this experimentation is vital to a healthy future for television. Under the system of program control that goes hand-in-hand with this stimulating new magazine concept, the networks will be able to assume the burden. 820