Radio Broadcast (May 1928-Apr 1929)

Record Details:

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DIRECT SELLING BY RADIO Is It a Menace to the Retail Business Structure? By Francis St, Austell President, Iowa Radio Listeners' League 58 Is Your Set a 60 Percenter ? TOO many sets are delivering only 60% of the tones broadcast by the studio. Most of the audio systems choke off or distort the very tones which give that fullness and roundness which makes the difference between ordinary and Natural Reproduction. Link up your Tuner to Natural Reproduction with the companion units, The AmerTran Push-Pull Power Amplifier and the AmerTran ABC Hi-Power Box. You must hear it to appreciate it. Even your imagination will not exaggerate the difference. Write for full information or ask us to arrange a demonstration at yout dealer's store, no obligation of course. AMERICAN TRANSFORMER CO. 120 Emmet St., Newark, N. J. Transformer Manufacturers for 28 years COMPLETE PARTS FOR REMLER 45 Kc. AC SUPERHET. GET prompt, efficient service and lowest prices from Western. Our catalog lists a complete line of kits, parts, sets and accessories. Dealers — Write for Catalog WESTERN RADIO MFG. CO. 134 W. Lake St. Dept 45, Chicago RADIO BROADCAST ADVERTISER OUT in Iowa, the haunt of direct selling by radio, all arguments for and against "Direct Advertising" and "Indirect Advertising" have been abandoned in favor of a heated controversy on the subject of direct selling by radio. Advertising, direct and indirect, has in the case of some radio stations, given place to urgent, persistent, forceful and vociferous clamoring for orders for all kinds of commodities. The three terms, indirect advertising, direct advertising and direct selling have been defined as follows: Indirect advertising is the type of publicity sent out by a great number of stations including those on the networks. It consists of the name of the advertiser who sponsors the entertainment, with a mention of products in a manner calculated to create good will and also help all who are concerned in the merchandising of those products. Direct advertising consists of the broadcasting of requests for orders, with or without price quotations sent out by a station which has sold time to an advertiser for the purpose of selling goods by radio. Direct selling consists of the solicitation of orders by a station which sells goods direct to the consumer for its own account and for its own profit. The center of the controversy is quite naturally Iowa, because the principal direct selling stations are located in that state. The writer is not familiar with the situation in other states, but is certainly very familiar with the Iowa station which is probably unique or ought to be. A half-hour period usually called the "Letter Basket" has just been brought to a close by the owner and operator of kfnf Shenandoah. This station was the first to adopt the plan of selling directly to consumers and is still the chief exponent of the art. During the period referred to, the public was begged to send orders for tires, dishes, peaches, 'coffee, Chinese baskets, pencils, fountain pens (guaranteed for life) suits, overcoats, paint, canned corn and nursery stock, not forgetting prunes. Before the advent of radio, the owner and operator of kfnf was in the seed and nursery business. The other lines have apparently been added since the issue of a license to broadcast. kfnf, Shenandoah, is now self-announced as the "merchandise center of the middle west" — "the pioneer trading station" and somewhat vaguely as "the world's largest." In a few short years a business primarily devoted to seeds and nursery stock, with an annual turnover of probably about three hundred or four hundred thousand dollars, has grown with the aid of radio into a business with a volume of more than three million dollars. The entertainment furnished by kfnf is not of a high class nature. 1 1 is what is called common music for common people or simply old-fashioned music for plain folk. While the response from the public to the efforts at entertainment is meager, the response to the talks broadcast from that station is enormous. These talks are really clever and deal with agriculture, horticulture, household hints and many other subjects. kfnf has a following which numbers many hundreds of thousands and every one of them will fight if his favorite station is criticized. There is probably no station in the country that has such a loyal following and some extra bitter opponents of direct selling say that no other station wants such a following. The opponents of direct selling are divided into two classes. One class wants direct selling stations to be put off the air entirely. The other would be content if direct selling were abolished and would demand nothing more. Henry Field of kfnf, just plain "Henry" to his friends, has a magnetic personality which reaches out and grips his audience. His description of a cup of his famous coffee is tantalizing and his vivid picturization of a cooked slice of his wonderful ham just makes one's mouth water. His coats are the best ever heard of, his overalls are works of art, hie tires make motoring a joy forever, his canned peaches bring to our table the sunshine of California. It is a bad day when his sales talks do not bring a few thousands of dollars to the merchandise center. THE FINE ART OF RADIO SELLING JlENRY FIELD has developed salesmanship ' ' by radio into a very fine art — so fine an art in fact that many claim that if his example were followed by others fortunate enough to own a radio station, the whole retail business structure of the country might be endangered. The selling of merchandise by radio is so profitable that it is surprising to find so few radio stations engaged in the pastime. Those who oppose direct selling as unfair competition ask: " If one broadcaster is allowed to use the greater part of his time on the air for the purpose of soliciting orders, vvhy should not every broadcaster do it? Why shouid not every man be given the right to erect and operate a radio station, provided he expresses the willingness or desire to sell prunes, peaches, tires, overalls and other commodities?" At present, the local dealer who has no broadcasting station is in an unfortunate position. He is open to attack, direct, indirect, by accusation and by innuendo. Not having a radio station from which to shout, he is naturally at a loss for a reply. He gets sore and thinks of all kinds of smart "come backs," but he has to remain silent. It is not unusual to hear over the air remarks to the effect that "your local merchant would charge you at least twelve dollars — but by buying from this station, you get it for seven dollars." The purchaser by radio also has the extra and exquisite pleasure of hearing his name "read out." The price comparison, according to reports from dealers, is not always fair or absolutely correct, but who can contradict it? kfnf sometimes issues statements to the effect that the station does not undersell competitors and claims "quality" as the keynote of its business policy. At another time, the station claims to have forced down prices on many commodities and to have saved the farmer vast sums of money. Whether or not they save money or get better quality the loyal followers of Henry send their cash to his station and demand that he be allowed to do as he likes with his radio station. It has been stated that the direct selling stations of Iowa can produce five hundred thousand signatures to support their claims to popularity. This is no doubt a very low estimate. But it may be asked whether the popularity of a station is sufficient excuse for what many regard as the evils of direct selling. On this subject a correspondent remarks "popularity has nothing to do with AERO Corona Coil Used in New Cooley "Rayfoto" Of course the new Cooley "Rayfoto" uses an AERO Inductance Coil. This special coil is designed to meet the exact specifications of A. G. Cooley, whose "Rayfoto" receiver so many experimenters will build. For every inductance requirement AERO Coils are proved best — by experts and amateurs as well. Always specify AERO Coils if you want the finest in radio performance. AERO PRODUCTS, Inc. 1722 Wilson Avenue Chicago, 111.