Sponsor (July-Sept 1959)

SPONSOR 4 | U L Y 19 5 9 MERLE JONES, pres., CBS Tv Stations, tells sponsors and agencies CBS affiliates beat out other network and independent competition in impact, popularity with viewers CBS tv research brews up a storm ^ CBS o&o study claims that net-affiliated tv outlets have better station image, more commercial effectiveness ^ Spokesmen for tv indies dispute findings, tactics of New York-Los Angeles qualitative audience study #% piece of solemn motivational research, introduced by CBS and shown this week to agencies and advertisers all over the country, has exploded like an unwanted hydrogen bomb, and provoked loud indignant protests as fragments began to hit the other networks and — most particularly — the independent non-affiliated tv stations. Why? Because a two-market study conducted in New York and Los Angeles by the Institute for Motivational Research. Inc. I headed bv Dr. Ernest Dichter) and Market Planning Corp. la McCann-Erickson affiliate I contends thai net affiliated stations have it all over the indies in creating a station image and in establishing a productive commercial climate and that CBS o&o stations and affiliates beat ABC and NBC affiliates hands down in doing the same job in identification. The studv. commissioned 1>\ the CBS Television Stations division, has drawn cross fire from the independents. But the other networks, who reap some partial rewards from the qualitative survey, continue at this point aloof . . . and silent. \l sponsor's presstime neither \BC nor NBC had am official or unofficial comment to make about the CBS findings. The skirmish began last week when Merle Jones, president of the stations division, and his executive stafi kicked off the slide presentation in New ^ oik. Their conclusions: • f ntil now. do one knew tor sure whether each tv station had it own unique personality. I he new stu SPONSOR 1 .ILLY 1059