Sponsor (July-Dec 1949)

SPONSOR SPEAKS^ Freedom of radio, too In the Department of Justice's antitrust action against the Lorain Journal, for refusing to carry advertising of firms which advertise in the Lorain Sunday News and on WEOL and WEOL-FM in nearby Elyria, the Federal Court in Cleveland must weigh restraint of trade against freedom of the press, and radio. Without considering the merits of the Government's case on "restraint," l and in this instance its merit seems considerable I the fact remains that freedom of the press is guaranteed under the first amendment to the Constitution. Broadcasting did not start to become a major factor in informing the people of this country until 130 years after this amendment was ratified. But along with printed media, it has the rights and responsibilities of freedom. Without endorsing the action of the Lorain Journal's publisher, SPONSOR agrees with American Newspaper Fubishers Association, which has pointed out : "If the plaintiff prevails in ils motion, then for the first time in our history the press of this country will be subject to an order requiring it to ^i\c free access to its columns to anyone who demands the same." Leading broadcasters have taken a similar stand. In a recent staff memorandum. William Quarton of W Ml . Cedar Rapids. Iowa Ian NAB director and member of CBS Affiliates' Advi-i r\ Hoard i. emphasized: "If the courts rule that a newspaper must print any advertising that comes within the law. then the press becomes a common carrier, subject to regulation like an\ utilitv or railroad." And if that should happen, bureaucrats would determine what we may read, and hear, and think. The Sears story Why aren't top officials at Sears, Roebuck stronger for radio? Why should an advertising medium that has proved itself eminently successful in selling rural, small town, and urban audiences be relegated to an inferior role by an organization that specializes in these very customers, and which spends $35,000,000 in other media annually to attract them? Are Sears executives at Chicago headquarters aware of the rich part Sears has played in radio's history? The writer of this editorial has been baffled by/ the company's recent antipathy to radio. He has reluctantly come to the conclusion that new people in the Sears hierarchy, schooled in the black-and-white advertising tradition, have not been sold on the exceptional abilities of radio. BAB is taking steps to rectify this — and their case is impressive. Scores within the broadcast industry can amplify it with personal knowledge of the Sears radio record. For example, do the men who guide Sears' advertising destinies know that Sears originally owned WLS, Chicago, and that the call letters themselves stand for, "World's Largest Store?" Do they know that WLS. a part-time station, has for nearly 20 years annuallv received more than 1,000,000 letters from listeners? Do they know that Gene Autry climbed to fame via Sears' sponsorship? For years his 15-minute program was heard by midwest audiences six mornings a week. Do they know that some of the greatest town and farm program specialists in the nation started their radio careers with Sears? Do they know the results that radio has achieved for numerous Sears outlets, or how welcome a more enthusiastic headquarters interest would be to manv district and local managers? We recommend to Sears' officials that they investigate what radio has done for them and for others, and what it can do. To sellers of broadcast advertising we urge that they sell their merits, for if Sears executives are not sold on radio it's because they have not been adequately conditioned to appreciate radio. The initiative must always rest with the seller. Radio is a natural for Sears. It's up to broadcast sellers to explain why. Applause Radio While You Ride Somewhat restrained praise is due the Washington Daily A ews, a ScrippsHoward newspaper, for refusing to join the chorus of other newspapers in damning transit radio in buses and trolley-cars. Recently the Public Utilities Commission in Washington has been holding hearings to learn what the public thinks about the matter. Capital Transit Company and WWDC-FM had already found, in a personal-interview stud) bj Fdward G. 70 Doodv & Company, that "eight out of ten riders find their rides 'more enjoyable' with radio." The Daily News didn't come right out and say that transit radio was the very thing Washingtonians needed. But it did say, editorialh : "Thousands of bus and street-car passengers buy our paper to read i while they ride). Radio broadcasts and plugs interfere and compete with readers of printed news and ads. . . Therefore, insofar as it affects us. we're against it. "But the general public is larger than the total A ews readership, and w hat the general public wants should prevail. "If the general public's taste has sunk so low that it really wants to torture itself with stupid, canned jive and vulgar commercials, why it's a free country. . . ." sponsor wonders whether the qual itv of entertainment and information obtained by riders over W WDC-FM is lower than that provided by the News, but we're glad to know that the public still may choose. SPONSOR .