Sponsor (Jan-June 1951)

ris*^ Programmed for Negroes by Negroes, WMRY is effectively directing the buying habits of this vast, faithful audience. "THE SEPIA STATION NEW ORLEANS, LA. 600 KC John E. Pearson, Nat'l Rep. THE ONE DIRECT APPROACH TO NEW ORLEANS' LARGEST MAJOR MARKET $ $ $ $ Make me your $ $ Valentine and 111 $ $ Give you the Business $ $ $ 7<^ Ant THrtfa Station 250 Watts Night & Day ANACONDA BUTTE MONTANA NOT ONE, BUT SEVEN MAJOR INDUSTRIES ance from local businessmen — the people who sell nationally advertised products. Hence, the importance of strengthening the local picture first. But, where "Mitch's Pitch," based upon his tremendous experience in radio and merchandising, was offered through the BAB as pure planning and guidance, his continuing pitch for better selling has now been elevated to hard, cold practice, as applied to the merchandising and selling of programs produced from the APS Library. In fact, it is applicable to selling of radio in general, ET or "live." Such successful sales thinking while admittedly of principal benefit to APS subscribers, is sufficiently broad enough, and surely contagious enough, to act as a leaven to spark the entire industry. And this, I might add, "is only the beginning." If anything, Mitch's pitch is a sharper, more penetrating instrument than previously, chiefly because it can get down to specifics. Appropriately enough, his new, monthly bulletin is titled "THE NEEDLE!" Les Biebl Program Director Associated Program Service New York Congratulations on your editorial, "Radio: guesswork medium." I certainly agree 100% with its theme and sentiments. It has been my hope,, as you know, that when we get the BAB properly set up on a new and expanded basis, it will be able to tell a thoroughly coherent and completely substantiated industry story for the first time that story has ever been told. This is certainly no time, from any point of view, to lose confidence in or to undervalue the effectiveness of radio. Robert D. Swezey General Manager WDSU-AM-TV-FM New Orleans Both pieces you sent me are very valuable to us and I hasten to thank you. Nobody really knows that radio can sell today better than ever, at least it is the most value for the advertising dollar. We operate TV, and very successfu ly, according to the records. Our it vestment is less than other stations an 1 our programs (both national and lccal) have a high professional standing. Our gross and net compare very favorably with anyone else's. Yet we continue to look on radio as underpriced. We failed to raise rates during the years other media were costing more, so now we are unalterably opposed to any rate reductions. Probably our daytime radio rates should be increased at WSYR, as I have done at another station with equally intense TV competition. Our gross and net are better than ever before. I agree with you that the advertiser and agency have not been sold properly on radio as the best advertising buy today. Much has to be done in "Mighty proud to have Gold Medal Flour," says Rev. Dwight "Gatemouth" Moore, minister, disc jockey, showman and 'character' featuerd 2 hours daily and 3 hours on Sundays on WDIA. In starting a '/4-hour strip on the station admittedly controlling 42 'r of Memphis (the other 5 stations cover the white field), GOLD MEDAL joins a marvelous collection of America's finest advertisers like these: *FAB *Red Cross Spaghetti *Folger's Coffee *Arrid *Kools *Super Suds *Sealtest *Dentyne HOOPER SURVEYS PROVE WDIA HAS UP TO 75.6% OF MEMPHIS NEGRO AUDIENCE. YOU CANNOT DO THE JOB IN MEMPHIS WITHOUT WDIA. "WDIA. Memphis. Tennessee. Mgr.. Harold Walker, Com'l. Pearson Co.. Rep." Bert Ferguson, Mgr., John E. JOE ADAMS REACHES ALL NEGROES IN LOS ANGELES ■X r\ I Af I 50C0 WATTS IX \J W L CLEAR CHANNEL LOS ANGELES ■ SANTA MONICA, CALIF. 100 SPONSOR