Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1942)

JOHNNY ON THE SPOT If you use spot announcements, you'll be interested in the news, reviews, and tips in this column. LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER! Many of you businessmen who were sponsoring weather reports (now taboo) can take a tip from Rosenbaum's Department Store, Pittsburgh. Soon after the government requested radio stations to drop temperature reports and weather forecasts, Rosenbaum's decided to devote the major portion of its commercial time for Red Cross appeals, messages urging the listeners to buy Defense Stamps, requests for blood donors and for other suggestions designed to help the nation. Opening line of copy reads "Rosenbaum's suggests today. ..." This is followed by the public service appeal. The spots are 50 words in length, and reach Pittsburgh housewives five times daily over WCAE. From time to time special items were broadcast to check the selling power of these new type announcements. Results are good. MORE MAN POWER RossMAN Clothiers, over WTCN, Minneapolis, vary the Rosenbaum theme. They devote part of their spot announcement time to a man-power bulletin, appealing for more enlistments in U. S. armed services or defense industries. SPOTS FOR VICTORY! Miss Nina Ford, Librarian of the Missoula (Montana) Public Library, writes in to tell how spot announcements on Missoula station, KGVO, helped put a MARCH, 1942 Victory Book campaign over the top in just four days. Through the power of the radio announcements, out-of-town listeners in even the most isolated Montana communities responded with packages of books. As a result of the campaign, thousands of service men will be reading a collection of literary gems, ranging from dog-eared copies of the classics to brand new Literary Guild and Bookof-the-Month Club selections. INTRODUCING New business fields to which Radio is now extending its services Calaros . . . Calavo Growers of California, Los Angeles, ei^ht participation spots on the Home Forum, Station KGO, San Francisco. Fish . . . General Seafoods Corp., Boston, six announcements per week for 44 weeks. Station WIND, Chicago. Health Resort . . . Thermopolis Chamber of Commerce for its Hot Springs and Mineral baths, one-minute announcements for 12 weeks. Station KOA, Denver. Magazines . . . MacFadden Publications, Inc. For True Detective Magazine, Station Breaks, Station WHN, New York City. Motion Pictures . . . Paramount Pictures, Inc., spot announcements to advertise Bing Crosby in the Birth of the Blues, Station WHN, New York City. Pencils . . . Dixon Pencils, series of one-minute transcriptions, Monday thru Friday at 7:14 A.M., Station WOR, Newark, N. J. Rodeo . . . International Amphitheater Rodeo, 130 announcements. Station WJJD, Chicago. Shopping News . . . Downtown Shopping News Co., nine 50-word announcements, Station KECA, Los Angeles. Stock Show . . . Northwestern Stock Show, 20 oneminute announcements, Station KOA, Denver. Tax Information . . . State of Colorado, Department of Revenue, one-minute announcements, six times per week, for 13 weeks, Station KOA, Denver. Transportation . . . Railway Express Agency, 15 oneminute transcriptions. Station KFI, Los Angeles. Waste Paper ... Waste Paper Consuming Industries, St. Louis, eight time signal announcements weekly for 13 weeks (renewal of previous schedule), Station WBBM, Chicago. To Marie Ford Managing Editor Radio Showmanship Magazine This office is very grateful to you for your letter of January 19, advising us that it is the plan of your magazine not to review any radio programs which would come into conflict with Government censorship regulations. This is a very helpful attitude and we appreciate your cooperation great ly. The radio industry is practically solidly behind the suggestions of the Office of Censorship and we have little doubt but that its operation is going to be most successful. (SIGNED) J. Harold Ryan Assistant Director of Censorship 105