Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1964)

FRIDAX' iVT 5 Five FM Stations Given Major' Awards New York — FM broadcasters now have their equivalent of tv's Emmy. Dubbed the "Majors," the awards were named in honor of Major Edwin H. Armstrong, inventor of FM radio, and were presented for the first time last week in New York. Five stations were named recipients of "Majors" at a banquet held last week under the auspices of the Armstrong Memorial Research Foundation. These were: WUHY-FM Philadelphia — for excellence in musical programing. WRVR-FM New York City — for excellence in public service programing. WFBE-FM Flint, Mich. — for excellence in news. WUHY-FM Philadelphia — for excellence in educational programing. WDHA-FM Dover, N.J. — for contribution to technical research and development. In addition to the top five winners, 17 other FM stations were singled out for honorable mention. Principal speaker at the banquet, Stuart Bailey, president of Jansky and Bailey division of the Atlantic Infoplan Names Three To High-level Posts New York — Infoplan, public relations division of the Interpublic group of companies, has made three top-level appointments. Robert I. Elliott, currently president, has been upped to chairman but will continue as chief operating officer. L. Richard Guylay, former president of the Thomas J. Deegan Co. and recently director of advertising and public relations for the Republican National Committee, was named president of Infoplan in the United States and regional director for the United States and Canada. Richard L. Wilcox, vice president of Infoplan in the United States was appointed executive vice president. Interpublic, chairmaned by Marion Harper, Jr., is a complex of advertising agencies which billed approximately $150 million in television this year. Research Corp., declared: "The advent of tv made it necessary for broadcasters to choose between investing in FM or the more glamorous visual medium. Needless to say, most of the money went into television. Now, however, with television almost universal and perhaps even reaching its saturation point, FM is coming into its own." Bailey noted that after a number of "undeserved" setbacks, FM broadcasting is finally achieving the success predicted for it in the 1930s. He cited World War II, a "drastic" change in FM frequencies by the Federal Communications Commission, and the advent of television as the principal reasons for the slowerthan-anticipated popularity of FM. Rollins Diversifies Again In $2 Million Buy Wilmington, Del. — Rollins Broai casting. Inc., owner of eight radi and three tv stations among othi properties, continues on the mer road to diversification with announci ment that the firm has signed s agreement to purchase L. P. Mart Maintenance Corp. for over $2 millio In making the announcement, < Wayne Rollins, president, said: "Tl transaction is being paid by RollL out of our present cash resources, ar no company stock or debt involved." In addition to its broadcast on lets, Rollins also owns a $62.4 mi lion exterminating company, pu chased three months ago, an outdoc advertising operation, Satin Soft Co metics and citrus groves in Florida, ARB Announces Delay in Plans For Local Market Radio Survey Beltsville, Md. — American Research Bureau (ARB), citing "a reasonable reluctance on the part of some people in the industry to enthusiastically accept the new technique," has put the brakes on its plans for local market radio audience surveys in 12 markets during January. Defending the individual multimedia diary method, the keystone of the projected surveys, George W. Dick, president of the research firm, dubbed the technique a "real breakthrough in solving the problems of adequately measuring total radio listening within a given market." Added Dick: "The crucial consideration is, 'have we validated and substantiated this technique to the satisfaction of the industry?' Although we have seen a lot of interest and enthusiasm for the method, we believe the answer is 'no.' Until we do provide complete and detailed information to members of the industry, we will hold the service." Dick noted that ARB is currently in the process of publishing a report on the individual diary method of audience measurement, which will describe tests conducted in January and February of 1964 in Detroit, where a number of different individual diaries were used. The tests were joint) sponsored by ARB and RKO Gei eral. In addition, a radio audience d port on a further refinement of tl: diary technique conducted in Wasl ington, D.C., is expected shortly. ARB, a division of C-E-I-R, n cently underwent a top-level execi tive exodus, in which James M Seller, its former president, walke out with a number of aides (se Sponsor, Nov. 23, p. 4). Schick Sets $2 Million First-Quarter Budget Milford, Conn. — With the major slice of the budget earmarked for network and spot tv, Schick Safety Razor Co. will spend more than $2 million on advertising during the first quarter of 1965. Television includes participation on ABC-TV's No Time for Serjeants, plus market-by-market spot campaigns. The company will also air its messages of news and sports shows over ABC-Radio ,NBC-Radio and Mutual Broadcasting System. ^: SPONSOR I