Sponsor (July-Dec 1950)

A SPO\SOR continuing study Radio is getting bigger Vior«' radio homes, more individual listening, less cost per thousand, revealed in studies of radio impact over-all During the past several weeks major studies by NBC and WHO. Des Moines, have become available to advertisers probing for the answers to these questions: '*Hovv much is radio reallv worth? How well is it doing in the family of advertising media'.''"* Radio is getting bigger! That's evident in the increased number of radio homes; in multiple sets within the home; in individual set listening in kitchen, bedroom, living room, workroom, barn; in more outof-home listening; in declining cost per thousand. This doesn't mean that all stations offer advertisers more than they did one year or five years ago. Nor does it mean that the advertiser can afford to relax in his effort to make profitable use of the medium. A huskv segment of the radio broadcasting field is having Tough sledding: numerous programs show a downward trend. ^ et more advertisers than ever before are reporting standout results. They're learning how to use radio . . . and they're being helped along by the fact that radio is getting bigger. For more than a year sponsor has presented its continuing study on the health of radio. Most of these analyses are contained in a 32-page booklet titled "Radio is getting bigger" available free to subscribers on request. NBC presentation highlights radio's growth. In a simple, factual presentation, NBC has marshalled pertinent facts advertisers want to know about the dimensions of radio. Here are some of the standout statistics it includes: 1. While U. S. families increased 51 i million in the four years ending January 1950, radio families rose 6,702.000. The radio family growth far surpassed that of newspapers, or television families, or the four top national weekly magazines. RtttUo up: \ io Is t>n A telegram to SPONSOR from A. C. Nielsen arrived at press time. Excerpts follow: "Radio listening snaps back coincident with interest in Korea. . . . Radio usage for entire day now higher than last year. . . . Nighttime listening currently on par with year-ago level, whereas during earlier months this year it had been off 10 to 15%. Morning and afternoon listening . . . now up 5r'c." That's the latest word from Nielsen, reinforcing the point made in the article below. 2. From January 1946 to January 1950. 54,000,000 radio sets costing four billion dollars were sold. 3. In 1949. three radio sets were sold for every TV set. The RTMA reports pyramiding radio set sales in 1950. ehiefh table a n d portable models. 4. More money was spent last year for radio sets than for all newspapers and magazines combined. 5. Based on Nielsen estimates, which rarely includes listening to more than two sets in a sample home, an average half-hour evening network radio program will have 6.7' ' less potential circulation this fall than in 1948. But the marked increase of individual set listening in the home, not fully measured by Nielsen, reduces this percentage. 6. Fall 1950 will find 35,097,000 exclusively radio families as compared to 10,000,000 TV families (practically all TV families also own one or more radio sets). 7. Radio is truly national, saturating all markets. Television this fall will reach 63 markets with an average XttC presentation proves radio is low cost, high power medium on a net t hon COST PER THOUSAND • BOSTON • MAY 1950 *3.33 J3.43 *3.59 *1.92 Network Radio Television the results ol a 4 media test by a premium advertiser 10< 23< 39<