Sponsor (Nov 1946-Oct 1947)

Record Details:

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not surprising therefore that the Goebel baseball broadcasts are high in the dialing habits of both East Lansing and Michigan State College. These sportscasts of the Detroit Tiger games won first place with the collegians and second place with East Lansing residents. The townspeople rated their first three program, in this sequence: 1. Lux Radio Theater 2. Goebel baseball broadcasts* 3. Newscasts The college crew on their part want baseball first: 1 . Goebel baseball broadcasts* 2. Henry Morgan 3. Hit Parade Townsfolk voted for practically every dramatic program on the air, although there is no doubt but that Lux Theater leads the air parade for them. The questionnaires revealed that the warborn habit of dialing news has not died with home folk. The ex-G. I.'s, now students, on the other hand, never developed the war-news habit. For them the good humor of Henry Morgan and music for Saturday night dancing, Lucky Strike's Hit Parade, have more appeal than news. When it came to voting for their favorite announcers the regular residents of East Lansing and the Michigan Staters reversed themselves. The townsfolk gave the Goebel sports announcer first rating while the students rated him second. Of the total voting, the residents of the town gave their favorite announcers the follow ing percentages of their votes: 1. Harry Heilemann (Goebel) 28.2% 2. Ross Mulholland (WJR) 14.1% 3. Don Wilson 10.3% Milton Cross 10.3% The students on the other hand voted for their favorites in the following order: 1. Don Wilson 46.7% 2. Harry Heilemann (Goebel) 14.5% 3. Kenny Delmar 113% The amazing lead that the students give Don Wilson as well as the importance given him by the regular residents of East Lansing add up to something that many advertisers haven't realized too well, that a straight commercial announcer who is made part of the program as Jack Benny has made Wilson means nearly as much as the program star. Advertisers also must realize that announcers no longer achieve importance because they announce any program, they become important only on commercial broadcasts. Placement of commercials on programs is still roulette for sponsors but both East Lansing and Michigan State have definite ideas about the matter — and they're not iconoclastic. The reason why the greatest number of cap-and-gowners want their commercials at the end of the program is simple. They say this permits them to select their next program without losing any of the entertainment — a very good reason for a sponsor not to put his major selling at the program's end — he loses too many listeners in that process. A chart showing just where both town residents and students want their commercials is printed with this report. The very last question in the sponsor survey conducted by William G. Butt has perhaps the greatest meaning. Butt asked "Is the present system of commercial radio broadcasting satisfactory?" The answers charted with this article were three to one for radio as the U. S. knows it, on the part of the townsfolk, but almost even money with the students. The latter voted heavily (44 per cent of them) for "a system that would ban commercially-sponsored broadcasts from the air." East Lansingites are prosustaining broadcasting only to the extent of 22.9 per cent and even this 22.9 is disturbed on how such a system would be maintained. About 50 per cent of the students who voted for a noncommercial system of broadcasting suggested an outright governmental subsidy. Other students suggested taxes on receiving sets, tobacco, liquor, and luxury items. There were even a couple of students who suggested that radio set manufacturers pay the bills. The townspeople who voted for a noncommercial air at the same time feared government control. A solid section of the 22.9 per cent stated simply that they liked the idea but didn't know how it could be done. Students are anti-commercial broadcasting for a number of reasons. First, (Please turn to page 44) "The Goebel baseball broadcasts cover the games of the Detroit Tigers on a special network of stations as well as on WWJ-TV. East Lansing is a rich subuib where Lansingites and college profs live. Home below is typical of housing in area Single students sleep in Quonset huts while married contingent live "n giant trailer camp (in back of huts above). It's all very G. I. OCTOBER 1947