Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

town, his state, and the region in which he lives. From the standpoint of the broadcaster, assuming that a station is doing its job of pubHc service and educational programs, the more class or fine programs it carries the better it balances its program schedule. Certainlv, having the aid of an advertiser who is interested in the long range educational program of a public service nature can be a definite aid to that end. Advertisers and stations both have had the feeling that doing something of this nature cuts their available audience to a minimum. Certainly, I am not prepared to say that the program idea itself will compete successfully for audience with any of the more popular types of entertainment programs, but it is my personal opinion that this type of program offers the only ready-made and receptive audience available. No one operates a station for today only. Plans are long range, with the audience one that we want to continue constant over the long period of years. We should not be averse to having the children of today associate station call letters with one of the most pleasant parts of their early education. Frankly, we think that any station or combination of stations can definitely interest an outstanding, civic-minded advertiser to take the interest in this type of broadcasting which Rich's has evidenced not by merely starting the idea, but by slicking with it. MERCHANDISING WITH RESTRAINT Is it successful? Wm probably know my answer to that question, and I'd like to give you some of the reasons we consider prime factors in its success. The whole plan does not consist of a radio program alone; the third partner, the advertiser, comes strongly into play. After the schedules ha\e l)een made, and the subjects properly chosen, the writers of the scripts furnisli to Rich's the background material from which the scripts came. Out of this comes pre-broadcast panij^hlets which are mailed to each icaclur using I he series. In this inaiuui the teacher has pre-information as to broadcast content; a complete bibliography for outside reading, and teaching aids which prepare the students for the program to which he is to listen. Programs of unusual interest are highlighted by special material. For instance, the scripts on Art and Artists, in the beginning of the series featin^ed the work of Athos Menaboni, a famous Georgia artist who specializes in bird life. In order to make the broadcast a thing that lived for the listeners. Rich's sent to each of the classrooms individual copies for each child of a Menaboni bird print. In connection with the Georgia at Work series, Rich's sent a blank map of the State of Georgia on which the teachers and students might locate the section of the State to which the broadcast referred, li W 1 o the skeptic, we wotdd like to point otit that this is not the Ethopian-in-thewood-pile so far as the commercial angle of the program is concerned, because the material sent out by Rich's shows the same connnercial restraint which characterizes the program content of the actual broadcast. NEW HORIZONS Yes, we think the program is successful. First, it has the enthusiastic acceptance of the schools in the cities in which it is broadcast, and additional requests are already in for next year's broadcast ing in cities not now covered. Secondly, evidence in the hands of the advertiser indicates that the children themselves, as well as the teachers, like the program. The program itself does its job of being successful by perhaps the greatest medilun of advertising in the world, word of mouth. There are few school childrenj of listenable age in the cities in which it is broadcast, who do not know who puts on the program and over which station it is carried. Therefore, the program succeeds both from the station's stand point, as well as Rich's. We think the programs are successful and that they point up a challenge to the constructive thinking of the triple-pari nership to which we have referred earlier: educator, station and advertiser. If ! \ • 154 • RADIO SHOWM A NSH IF I