Sponsor (Apr-June 1961)

3 April 1961 SPONSOR-WEEr Wall St. Journal says tv $$ gains spark revamp of Satevepost, maybe Life A whopping 36-inch story in last Wednesday's "Wall St. Journal" credited tv's capture of advertising dollars as the big reason for an upcoming revamp of the "Saturday Evening Post"— and possibly "Life," too. Among statements in Michael Creedman's summary: • "Changes (in prospect for Satevepost) are dictated by an entirely new challenge: tv." • "The trouble, according to magazine men, is declining advertising, lost mostly to tv in recent years." • "The 'Post's' big competitors in the general magazine field— 'Life' and 'Look'— have not come up with the complete answer to tv competition either." (See adjacent story.) WSJ noted that 1960 was the 10th consecutive year in which "Post" had ad lineage losses. In 1950 lineage totals figured 3-plus million; a decade later, despite circulation gains lineage dropped to 1.8-plus million. N. Y. ratings bill voted into limbo The New York State bill which would have demanded full documentation about ratings used in promotion or sales was tabled indefinitely, in effect, as it was sent back to committee last week before adjournment of the Assembly. Move puts it in limbo until next year. Bill was filed by Assemblyman Bruce Manley, Republican from Fredonia, on 4 January as an amendment to the penal law "in relation to the issuance of radio or tv ratings for the purpose of influencing the sale of advertising." Essence: to require full statements as to the "manner in which percentages or numbers are obtained" including "description of the method used, number of persons contacted, dates and times when contacted, location of such persons, exact area covered by the poll." Spring plus love equals Prince spaghetti Prince Macaroni Mfg. Co. has hired a "love entrepreneur" to extoll this emotion's satisfactions to the nation's housewives. Three-minute radio features themed to "Nothing moves people like the power of love" indicate the sponsor's implicit hope that nothing moves sales of spaghetti like spot radio (supplemented with newspapers). "A little romance" is to be imparted by John Fostini, "whose dramatic, virile voice and realistic approach to the subject of love are unique." Agency: Adrian Bauer and Alan Tripp, Philadelphia. ADMEN MULL COMPLEMENTARY' ROLE OF MAGAZINES TO TV A spot check on Agency Row reaction to A. C. Nielsen's introduction of its new Nielsen Media Service is that magazines got a big boost. But admen talking with SPONSOR-WEEK aren't at all sure just what tv gets out of the new comparison. Objective of the new print-tv service, Nielsen spokesmen said Monday at a mass introduction or agencies and advertisers, is to "provide a continuing audience measurement of national magazines, of network tv and also to provide the facility for combining audiences that view or read these media." Presentation stressed that the information was not "competitive"-merely "complementary." But general findings are construed by many tv pros to be highly competitive, in THEIR sense of that word. One conclusion: magazines have "heaviest contact" m light-viewing tv homes, "minimum contact" in homes that have been covered heavily by tv." Thus the heaviest readers aren't the heaviest viewers. Another summary: Westerns, situation comedies and mystery dramas reach more of the younger homes and Westerns have more general appeal than the other program types. Weekly magazine averages tend to have the same audience pattern as the average situation comedy or mystery drama. However, "the average Western reaches more of the lower income homes, those with a family income under $5,000," contrasted with the average measured magazines which "has higher audiences in the upper income groups ($8,000-plus)." The average situation comedy and mystery dramaagain— tend to have audiences similar to the magazines-upper income homes. Nielsen stressed that "nobody buys on averages; they help to give direction." ADVERTISING HAS ITS OWN M.M The initials MM took on new meaning last week as Metropolitan Broadcasting Corp. stockholders voted to change the corporate name to MetroMedia Inc John W. Kluge, board chairman and president, pointed out the multiple-media operation of the company with its tv and radio properties and its recent acquisition of the Foster & Kleiser outdoor advertising firm which headquarters on the West coast. He noted also that the broadcast properties contribute about 50% to the company's gross. John W. Kluge Still further expansion was provided for by stockholders who voted authorization to increase the number of stock shares to 3.6 million. sponsor 3 APRIL 1961 More SPONSOR-WEEK continued on page 64