Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

annouiKcmcnls. I hcsc usually cxlciul (ongiatiilalions, best wishes, or birllulay messages. Requests for recognition on Today is Yours are received and filed for future reference. A large file is being compiled from the reqtiests already received and following each broadcast additional information is received which is sorted and filed. The announcer asks that these requests be signed for reference, should the occasion arise when this information is needed. Responses have been received from various sections of central and northern New England. Birthdays from one year, as well as wedding anniversaries iq) to 60 years, have been honored on this program. To facilitate the handling of requests, cards are available at the sponsor's store, which need merely the filling in of the name, address, message, and signature, with a place for circling the month and day of the desired anniversary or birthday to be mentioned on the show. Cards of congratulation are sent by the sponsor to each person honored on the show. Sponsor is the George B. French Company, Portsmouth pioneer radio advertiser among the department stores of this area. Up to five years ago, Frank J. Massey, owner of the store, devoted his advertising budget entirely to newspaper advertising. WHEB managing director, Bert Georges, finally presented an argument so convincingly as to why the company shoidd try radio advertising that Mr. Massey signed up for a 26-week experimental contract. Since then he has been a constant advertiser and has used musical programs of various types, fashion commentaries, women participation programs, and chain breaks. In addition to Today is Yours, siq^plementary spot announcements call attention, from time to time, to special attractions at the department store. Throughout the past five years, the George B. French Company has led the way in department store advertising over WHEB. Two half-minute commercials carry the sponsor's advertising in Today is Yours. These commercials come before and after the program. AIRFAX: First Broadcast: Janudry l^, 1946. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Saturday, 8:4*) 9:00 A.M. Preceded By: Community News. Followed By: World Wide News. Sponsored By: George B. French Company. Station: WHEB, Portsmouth-Dover, N. H. Power: 1,000 watts. Population: 25,000. COMMENT: Here's a simple program format that is practically self-peipetuating. Strongly in its favor is the fact that it builds an excellent mailing list and through the combination of program and merchandising is a first-class good will generator. Candies SINGIN' SAM Singiii Sam, the Neilsou Mail needed no introduction to young or old. His song stylings and homey philosophy were well known to CKEY, Toronto, Ont., listeners, but Singin' Sam hadn't been around for awdiile. CKEY set out to tell the world that Singin' Sam w^as coming back to Toronto. To achieve that end, CKEY prodded the public at its most vidnerable spot, its native curiosity. Flashes, ie, "Your attention please! Tomorroiv is SS day," got listeners set for the new show. Flashes were aired 1 5 times daily. Result: a busy switchboard from those who wondered what it was all about, and an increased tune-in for the first broadcast. Once the show was launched, Neilson's maintains peak listening with daily newspaper ads reminding the CKEY audience that the show is on the air Monday through Friday at 7:30 P.M. When Neilson's picked Singin' Sam as its radio mouthpiece, it did so on the theory that there w^as a natural tie-up between a program which appealed to all age groups and a product used by all age groups. To achieve maximiun effectiveness for the sales pitch, Singin' Safn gives the Neilson commercial. Additional CKEY promotion for the new feature: an annoinicement in the station's dealer house organ offering 10 monthly cash awards for the best dealer tie-up windows. Dealer had only to tie-up a W'indow% counter or floor display with JUNE, 1946 • 205 •