Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1947)

fact that a shift of retail stores to the north resuUed in enlargement of that area at the expense of the southern outposts of Fourth Street. It was essential that the Association take steps to prevent the spread of river trade , establishments, and at the same time it was necessary to undertake a campaign which would entice a larger portion of » the retail trade to the Fourth Street Area. Advertising the key Advertising was the only solution, but early attempts at a planned campaign lloundered. Members of the Association, most of whom had been in competition tor years, were not united in their efforts. Joseph A. Barg, executive vice president of the group, hit upon the idea of radio advertising. AVhat was in order was a prestige show which would appeal to the quality clientele of the business section. And it was necessary that such a series be of sufficient merit and frequency to establish an air-dominance for the Association. Ihe Fourth Street Area Merchants Association wanted to sell quality merchandise, and it felt that a program of symphonic music with prestige copy, the type of program that would appeal to its clientele, would achieve this objective. AM radio was investigated. But the cost of achieving the air dominance that was needed made AM broadcasting steep even for a group with an annual volume of business of $45,000,000, especially in \ iew of the fact that the majority of AM listeners preferred other types of entertainment. FM radio seemed to be the solution. It was reasonable to assume that FM set owners represented those most able to patronize quality stores. The cost was but a fraction of the cost of AM broadcasting; .^1,200 for the 52-week program, compared to an estimated cost of S32,000 had AM time been available. FM unlocks the door The result was the signing of the longest-term FM contract yet signed in Cincinnati, a 30-month contract with WLWA for a 90-minute Sunday evening program of recorded symphonic music, 8:00-9:30 p.m. Theme of the copy, which is repeated each week, is "Quality music from a quality merchandise center." Ihk nature of the organization made initial promotion almost wholly dependent upon the activities of individual establishments within the Association. But the individual retailers cooperated to the fullest. Newspaper advertisements by member stores called attention to the \VLWA Evening Symphony. Retailers with time on AM stations in Cincinnati plugged the FM show. Printed program notes are now included with statements issued to charge customers of the Fourth Street stores. Participation in civic projects is also an occasion for publicizing the WLWA series. For example, when a TWA Constellation was christened Fourth Streeter, a recording of the event was used on the Sunday evening program. 1 N addition to the lower cost and type of audience attracted, the Association discovered other advantages in FM. Through FM it could design a program for listeners, all potential shoppers, without regard to audience ratings. High quality reception carried out the "quality" theme. Also, since its potential customers came from within a 30-mile radius of Cincinnati, it got the coverage it needed, without waste circulation. Future is bright While there were only 3,000 FM sets in Cincinnati homes at the time the contract was signed, more than 10,000 sets are expected to be in use in the area by the end of the year. With a long-term contract, the Association will benefit. Today, the Association finds itself on the ground floor of FM broadcasting, since only two other AV^LWA shows are commercial (Bandwagon, sponsored by Beau Brummell and Music of Theater sponsored by the George Wiedeman Brewing Company). Members of the organization are solidly behind the campaign, and the Association feels that FM has provided the answer to most of its problems. OCTOBER, 1947 • 339 • WySS!T7rT7!'^r7^.