Sponsor (Nov 1948-June 1949)

The transcribed soap opera ran for a 52-week period (using a five-timesweekl) schedule) in five Eastern markets during 1916. In the remaining markets Hudson continued to use newscasts, announcements, and some newspaper space. While Aunt Mary was on the air for Hudson, it never achieved a high rating, one thing that made Hudson a little leery of the show. Uso, it was difficult to promote to grocers in the East who stocked the Hudson line. Although the copy was aimed entirely at selling the paper napkins as a spearhead of the line I the other products are pictured on the box, with the box itself acting as a sort of salesman), the grocers couldn't get excited over a show that wasn't too well known, that didn't have a high rating, and which was on the air at an hour when few of them could hear it I around noon). \\ Inn the time came for Hudson to renew the contracts, the paper firm was busily considering the construction of a new paper mill in Elorida, and wondering how to raise the money. A stock issue and an issue of $3,000,000 worth of dehentures raised quick capital, but Hudson was in a position (Please turn to page 44) SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA'S /'lOMeet, RADIO STATION old-limer with young ideas We're not resting on our service record of twenty-five years. We ably complement our CBS schedule with shows built to the needs of our region; that includes one of the top news departments in Virginia. We're strong on promotion, too. So, for your share of the near billion our listeners spend each year — contact Free & Peters! «£* / sing total HMIi coverage and Sales Management's market figures, WDBJ's area represents 35.73% of Virginia's (and 7 .90c/( of West Virginia's) total buying power COVERAGE MAPS (Continued front page 25) than satisfactory. Future BMB figures will present data for 1-2 times a week listening, 3-5 times a week dialing, and 6-7 times a week audience. The reason why this information has been added to the once-a-week listening figure is in order to show the relative impact of a station on a day-by-da) instead of weekly basis. A Grand Ole Opry (WSM) or a National Barn Dance (WLS) can extend the listening of a station far beyond its regular da\-by-da\ audience. This listening extends the regular station's coverage when the base is once-a-week dialing. A sponsor using a BMB map for any station that has an outstanding program which is not duplicated in its entirety by any other station will expect regular coverage for that station far beyond its hour-by-hour audience. This of course can also be true of an outstanding daily program, like the Richfield Reporter on the West Coast which is a tradition in many families and which is tuned regardless of how far away the station is over which it's broadcast. A BMB daytime map is also heir to the disease which records as daytime listening the dialing before 8 a.m. and during the twilight hours when a skywax e pushes a station's signal way bevond its normal daytime effective listening area. This has caused BMB plenty of trouble, since some daytime stations were reported as having nighttime coverage which Uiey did have — in the summertime. Under normal circumstances the habit of listening is steady. This gives some stability to a BMB report. However, a major shift of programs such as recently occurred from NBC to CBS will change a listening habit over night. \\ hen a major change like this takes place any coverage survey, made on a listening base and made before the change, is outmoded overnight. This underlines the major timebuying fact made earlier in this report. A coverage map is only a signpost on the I imi'liin im;j road. Once the signpost is read, the need for rating figures for the hour and da\ becomes paramount. 6. Merchandisable area coverage maps well plotted are the clearest sign posts along the timebuying road. This i> because they can and should -how the area a station covers that is worthwhile merchandising. All marI Please hu n to page I ~> i 38 SPONSOR