Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1947)

PROOF 0' THE PUDDING Results based on sales, mails, surveys, long runs and the growth of the business itself. Farm Co-operatives ALC SHOW Three years ago Alberta's hog industry was jeopardized by what producers claimed to be an unsound bacon export policy. Because of the relationship of the local price to the need for bacon in Britain, producers were stepping out of the industry by droves. To meet the situation, the Alberta Livestock Co-operative, Ltd., turned to radio. At first an occasional spot announcement appealed to producers to tide the storm. The appeals grew in intensity. Producers were told about shipping conditions; the British bacon contract; ALC's fight for better prices. The farmers listened, acted accordingly. Out of it grew the ALC Show over CJCA, Edmonton, Alberta. That w^as three years ago. The opening series of programs ran in the early morning. In short order, the broadcasts switched to 12:15 p.m. Soon CFAC was added to the coverage picture, then CJOC and finally CFGP. Today, the entire province of Alberta is blanketed by the ALC Shoxv, Monday to Friday, 12:15-12:30 p.m. Market quotations, news and views on the co-op movement, announcements of agricidtural did) activities and public service arc all a part of the format. Not only docs the ALC Shoio basically spread the theory of co-operation. It is a co-operative venture in practice. Nine cooperative organizations in Alberta sponsor the programs alternately within their own areas of operation, and six others have enjoyed {)artial sponsorship. AIRFAX: Spearheading the entire set-up is Louise H. O'Neill, ALC publicity director, who writes the show • 314 • and keeps her fingers on all items pertaining to thi province-wide broadcast. Dalt Elton and Fred Gowii handle the program for CJCA, with a five-minute 0«. Man's Viewpoint segtnent handled by Stan Ross. Bol Charman does the series for CFAC; Jack Wolsey an< Harold Gibson at CJOC and Jack Soars at CFGP. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 12:15 12:30 p.m. Sponsor: Alberta Livestock Co-operative, Ltd. COMMENT: Here's another illustration ol the power of radio as a molder of publi( opinion in the public interest. It illus trates the fact that radio can as success fully sell ideas as it does products and services. Farm Co-operatives CO-OP BAND WAGON It didn't take WOMT, Manitowoc, Wis. listeners long to get on the Co-op Band Wagon, move right up to the doors of the Kewauneei County Co-op Store, whose sponsorship of the series is shared with five other! Co-op stores in Manitowoc and Brown counties. What the sponsor had to report at the end of its first six months on the air was an increase in commodity sales to farm customers of 65 per cent. That there was a strong correlation between listener interest in the program and sales was indicated by the results of I a coincidental survey among farm homes in Manitowoc County. To determine what happens to agricultural and farm bulletins as well as to determine who listens to them, the County Agricidtural Agent and the County Home Agent called in 4-H club leaders to conduct a coincidental telephone survey among the farm homes in the community. Over onethird of the farm homes were polled at times when locally produced programs were on the air. Interest was centered on programs in which agricultural bulletins were used. Of the 1 1 programs on WOMT checked on the sinvey. Co-op Baud Wagon came oiu with top honors. Out of 128 completed calls, there were 113 listening homes, with 91 per cent the Co-op Band Wagon's share of the audience. AIRFAX: Broadcast Schedule: Sunday, 1:00-1:15 p.m. Sponsor: County Co-op Stores. Station: WOMT, Manitowoc, Wis. Power: 250 watts. Population: 24,404. RADIO SHOWMANSH IP