Sponsor (1964)

benefh from the maximum discount due undei the original order. It's .1 custom of the business not to penalize the advertiser o\i discount where the cancellation is made bv the station Spot sellers hit multi-pricing plans A current area of controversy anion-: key reps: the possible dangers of the multi-pricing ratecard. Cases in point: Petry's I' Rates and II R's (ii id-Rates The critics of these selective pricing plans grant that in theory the intent of the plans are economically sound. Because oi their flexibility, they create a market for the low-budget advertisers. But in practice what's actually broughl about is this: main advertisers in the upper budget levels estimate their budgets according to the lower prices in the selective "ladder." From the seller's position: volume has a tough time catching up with the lower rates in the plans. Stations are placed in the position of not knowing what the competition sells for. I he net results, according to rep critics o\' the selective pricing plans, is confusion for those stations seeking to simplify their ratecards. What the) worr) about most, say these reps: the damaging effects that the welter of pricing could have on the spot sellers' economic stability. 'Captain Kangaroo now 'mayor' Once again a tv performer has proved that a network's will can be bent if the billings at stake are big enough. Latest principals in one o\ such tugs-of-war are CBS-TV and Bob Keeshin. who docs the Captain Kangaroo series The network had decided on a Saturday version of the show for the 1964-65 and proposed to use the Captain Kangaroo title for it. But Keeshin. presumably for tax and other purposes, wanted a title that would give him exclusive rights to the Saturday segment. Hence, on that day of the week it will be known as Mr. Mayor. The price per quarter hour on Saturday $8200. During the week a 15-minute slice is $7750. All that Keeshio has to show now is that his services as \/r Mayor can hold up in audience pull, relatively, as efficiently as ( aptain Kangaroo — estimated to be worth $7.5 million in billings a year to CBS-TV. TvB for '63 nearer FCC computation It's perennial!) interesting to see bow 01 tai oil. IvB's estimates COmC when COmp to the data reported by the FO Foi 1963, ivB got closer to the I < ( mark m national regional spot that it did 00 network billings In s|>>t. I\B estimated $871,072,000 and the l<< reported $600,725,000. I he difference 31 percent I network, the Ml came up with $f and the l(( calculated $537 million I he l\B in this instance was ofl 34 percent. In both cases the I v [i got within closer range than normally Cigaret czar meets network tv Former GOV. Robert B. Meynei as administrator of the cigarel industry"s advertising code has been making the rounds of the tv networks to acquaint himself with the medium and the people in key positions One thing he has said bugs him is the trade jargon encountered ifl his rounds To make the governor and other relative newcomers a little more hep. SPONSOR SCOPI offers herewith a limited glossary Of commerce terms the) will find in frequent use: Prime time: 7 30-1 1 p m . when the medium has its maximum viewers (and the networks have it all to themselves). Fringe time: 5:30-7 p.m. and I 1 p mi 1 a m . when the stations ^\o all the programing. I'lun: Technique lor sponsorship on a multiplicity o\ programs m small segments, like scatter plan. Island position: No commercial adjacenl to yours. Chainhrcak: I he 70 seconds between nighttime network programs m which stations have the privilege ol selling tiny segments of time to spot advertisers. \ spot advertiser is one who buys stations o( hi-, own choice and does not deal through the network Preemptions: Time arrogated by a station or network from a regular program sequenc Product protection: Margin of time assurance against the too dose advertising of a competitive product or company Piggyback I\vo products sharing the same film or taps. commercial for the price of OB Iripli-spottini;: I hree products advei the heels o\ one another •CONTINUED C -'AGE Alport 10. 1964 25