Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1947)

bcUci than hindsight. Against the day when business will once more be highly competitive, Laurinburg took to the AVDSC airwaves with a program tailormade for the rural listeners for whom VVDSC is largely programmed. Its choice of listener entertainment: Sons of the Pioneers. With the transcribed series as the backbone of its broadcast advertising campaign, Laurinburg selected the 15-minute period from 12:30-12:45 because W^DSC surveys revealed the fact that its largest rural listening audience tuned-in between 12:00 (noon) and 2:00 p.m. Signed on a 52-week basis, the schedule calls for five broadcasts a week. AVithin three months, the show had built up a tremendous following, as indicated by letters and the effect on products manufactured by Laurinburg and distributed through local outlets. In addition to opening and closing credit lines, two one-minute commercials are used on each broadcast. Commercials are primarily promotional and institutional, with a limited time given to complimenting and identification of various local outlets. Products advertised on the series are divided into three categories, seeds, feeds and flour, with the possibility that fertilizer may also be included. The product featured in the commercial is selected for seasonal appeal, i.e., as the planting season approached, concentration was upon its brand of seed sold under the trade name of McNair's Yield Tested Seed. AIRFAX: A relatively new transcribed production, the ' series has been successful for a wide variety of broadcast advertisers. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 12:3012:45 p.m. Preceded By: Dental Snuff Varieties. Followed By: On the Farm Front. Sponsor: Laurinburg Milling Co. Station: WDSC, Dillon, So. Car. Power: 1,000 watts. Producer: Teleways, Inc. COMMENT: Because it's a guarantee of high calibre production, with uniformity j of performance and the elimination of many production headaches to recommend it, the good transcribed series has come into its own with both advertiser and station. The important thing is to get a good show. MARCH, 1947 Sporting Uuods Stures LET'S LOOK AT SPORTS For I he spoiling goods store, whose logical market is the sports panic ijjant or ihe spcjrts fan in general, it's only logical \o assume that a broadcast series having to do with such events would l)e an effective advertising medium. It was on this theory that Moman & Company, Fresno, Calif., took on sponsorship of the KFRE series, and twice weekly the sponsor invites listeners to Let's Look At Sports. What was good in theory has been ecjually good in fact. AV^hile the advertising has been institutional in nature, due to shortages in merchandising, Roman & Company reports a definite sales increase since it signed its 52-week contract almost a year ago. And the broadcasts have further promoted HoMAN Sc Company's reputation as a quality sporting goods store. What makes the series a listening must for sports enthusiasts in the area is the fact that it deals only with area sports, covering high school, collegiate, professional, semi-pro and conmiunity league sports. In addition, it touches upon hunting, fishing and sports conditions within a 100-mile radius of Fresno. Local names are used in the news. Local sports personalities are promoted. And interviews with oiustanding athletes in the locale add human interest to the sportscasts. Two one-minute commercials are used on each broadcast. In each case they are either written or ad-libbed by sports commentator Bob Blackburn, and the same commercial is never used twice. AIRFAX: Series is a part of a definite KFRE campaigm to promote a greater interest in local sports. Both play-by-play broadcasts and sports commentaries are a part of the over-all strategy planned and executed by the station. First Broadcast: April 2, 1946. Broadcast Schedule: T-Th, 7:30-7:45 p.m. sponsor: Homan 8C Co. Station: KFRE, Fresno, Calif. Power: 250 watts. COMMENT: The size of the listening audience is relatively unimportant. The important thing is that the advertiser reaches the group that represents the logical purchasing market. To shoot beyond that is a waste of advertising ammunition. • 101 •