Sponsor (July-Dec 1949)

The public in some localities has had a growing tendency to regard the medium as a facility instead of a different and superior form of transmitting a broadcast signal. Thus transitradio and storecasting (see separate reports in this issue) have already come to mean something to thousands whose only notion of FM was ^longhaired" music. Other thousands, interested either because they wanted staticless, interference-free reception or FM exclusives, such as sports ( by no means the only type of exclusive available), became disillusioned by purchasing poorquality sets that performed little better than AM sets in the same price-range and which "drifted" regularly. This situation is rapidly being corrected. But many advertisers as well as listeners have unfortunately judged the medium by poor receivers. Another negative that is being corrected is the bottle-neck caused by retailers whose salespeople have been woefully ignorant of the FM facts of life. It hasn't been too long since some into the v»y et^ tnetn ber^P vittKVX EARS TO HEAR A nucleus of the Union's quarter million members, hound by a unique loyalty to their own station .. .with the prospect of steadily growing "workshop listening." Plus consistent growth among all FM listeners through expert programming. WILL TO RELIEVE To this favorably disposed audience, a station of inherent social responsibility must carry conviction. 50% of WFDR's time in each cycle must be non-commercial, in the public service. Selected commercial sponsors will benefit by the resultant audience receptivity. MONEY TO SPEND \^$ The Union's quarter million members who earn $17,500,000 weekly rank high in proportion of a spendable income. They are alert, progressive, interested in the commodities and services of modern America. WFDR FM104.3 BROADCASTING CORPORATION Sponsored as a public service by the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union 1710 Broadway, New York City, Columbus 5-7000 salesmen were actually discouraging customer inquiries with remarks such as FM isn't really different from standard broadcasting, that FM is dead and will soon disappear, etc. These may be extreme examples of the ignorance and misinformation at one time widely prevalent among radio retail sales people, but they illustrate why manufacturers and stations had to undertake a campaign to educate retailers to the facts about FM. Numerous FM construction permits, it is true, have been turned back to the FCC. as holders realized the system was not going to be the bonanza once predicted. This trend will not continue if advertisers can be shown that in many areas today FM is the only way many listeners — their customers, or potential customers — can hear network programs at night is through the web station's FM affiliate. The medium is growing steadily. It still has to be sold. * -* * Storecasting Point-of-sale FM developing rapidly Virtually all storecasting operations are now serviced by FM stations. There are still a few marketing spots where stations and point-of-sale merchandisers haven't come to terms with broadcasters. The Acme Markets of Philadelphia, and 81 independent stores serviced by Musicall in New York, are still linked by telephone lines. This is also true of the Baltimore Markets in Philadelphia. They are operating their own storecasting service. The original Stanley Joseloff Storecast Corporation of America operation in New England has switched from land line to being served by WMMW. Meriden, Conn. Three chains in Pittsburgh ( Thorofare. Giant Eagle, and Sparkie) are served by WKJF-FM. In Chicago there are three storecasting operations. WMOR serves the Jewel Food Stores through Consumers Aid. WEAW serves IGA super markets for WEAM-FM and WEHF programs for Storecast's National Tea operation. In Des Moines, Storadio Advertising services 21 Thrift Way super markets through KSO-FM. In the South. Winston-Salem's WMIT is servicing a group of Colonial Stores. Before the vear is out. giant mar 70 SPONSOR