Sponsor (Nov 1947-Oct 1948)

Hr ^^^fl Mr. Sponsor Asks '••If* a r<'<iioiiaI n<'l\*<n-k a<l> (Tliscr clesires lo rxpaiid iiiark<*l-hv-iiiark<'t, why isn't S^ it possihic to a<l<l one stM'tioiial network aftt'r aiiotlirr lo iiis chain, and cventnallv a<'hi<'M' national radio cox rra^e?" Shepard Saltzman ' ?':;'^*"U*. » r '^ \ Piedmont Shirt Co.. A l*ii*kiMl 1*21114^1 ail>»\V4'l*»>» 31 r. Salixiiisiii ^^^^^^H3|^H possible for a re^^^^^^^^^^B gional advertiser P JB to expand market ' ^* ^^~ by-market? The answer to that is easy. It's not only possible, but it is being done regularly by many advertisers in varied fields — old established advertisers bringing out new products as well as beginning advertisers with new products and new distribution and merchandising problems. It is possible on the Mutual network to start with a single station and gradually expand, market by market, until every area worth cultivating is reached with that network's full transcontinental facilities, which currently total 509 stations. New advertisers in competitive fields buy network facilities step by step as they establish retail outlets for their product, thus eliminating needless expense and waste circulation. An advertiser may select a single city as a test for program, commercial approach, or market reaction. Then, as distribution is established in, say, Southem Califomia, stations that serve only that area may readily be added. Weeks or months later, distribution may have expanded to include Northem Califomia, at which time stations in that area are added, and so on until full facilities of the Don Lee Network are employed. The advertiser may now continue to expand eastward, or jump to any particularly important section of the country. That is one of the important advantages of network radio its flexibility and its ability to blanket the country in one widespread campaign, or to concentrate advertising effort in any one section or sections as particular marketing requirements demand. A perfect recent example of this flexibility is demonstrated by the George A. Hormel Co., which started sponsorship of the Hormel Girls Corps on KHJ, Los Angeles, about three months ago. After about 30 days on this single station, ten additional stations were added, and shortly thereafter, ten more. Recently, seven midwest Mutual stations were included on the program's list of outlets, and the program will expand state by state and section b\' section in the future. Sydney Gaynor General Sales Manager Don Lee Broadcasting System, L. A. It is impossible for a regional network advertiser to ochieve national idverage by addng one sectional i.hain after another. As far as I know, no combination of regionals can deliver the first dozen basic markets, which are absolutely necessary to achieve national radio coverage. In my opinion, it is also impossible for the big four national networks to achieve true national radio coverage individually. In spite of the wonderful improvements made by individual stations, regional and national networks, this is a big country. To achieve complete national radio coveiage, I feel that it requires a combination of all three the coast-to-coast network. the regional, and the individual station. We have developed Intermountain into one of the most successful regionals in the country, but we have no illusions that a combination of all of the regionals presently in operation can eventually achieve true national radio coverage. Ly.nn L. Meyer Vp in Charge oj Sales Intermountain Network, Salt Lake City I doubt if it is very practical for regional or sectional advertisers to start with one small area network and add others to their chain, eventually achieving national radio coverage, because of the following difficulties: ( 1 ) Practically all stations of any considerable merit are affiliated with one of the four networks. Some of the networks by agreement with stations have onI\ certain not-too-desirable hours available that are "station guaranteed time. " The difficulty of clearing a common hour for contracted private telephone service or of hooking up the smaller area networks at a common hour makes it almost imfx)ssible. (2) An advertiser who attempts, as Dr. Pepper did with their Dixie Network in 1935-37, their Al Pierce network in 1943-44, and their Darts For Dough 160station network in 1944^7, to clear time over desirable stations, ma> overcome time clearance difficulties. So long as distribution is confined to an area of approximately 1,000 miles, it may work. Beyond that distance, the telephone line costs rapidly become prohibitive. Here in Texas, we have as an example the Texas Qualit> Network, involving 110 SPONSOR