Sponsor (Jan-June 1951)

PULSE is pleased to an-j nounce thatin February! it will produce reports on radio listening out of the home in the following markets . . . New York Boston Chicago Philadelphia Cincinnati St. Louis Minneapolis Audience measurements shown in these reports may be combined with the measurements shown in the regular Pulse reports in these markets. I I For information about these and other Pulse reports . . . L' ASK THE PULSE THE PULSE Incorporated 15 West 46th Street |j New York 19, N. Y. can become a living theatre, its loudspeaker a national proscenium."' Heady language this for a refugee from the 600 metre standby watch. Irving Reis was the first of the radio nobodies to have his name bandied by the intelligentsia, which ordinarily prided itself on total disdain of radio. Years later Carl Sandburg and Carl Van Doren would shower praise on Norman Corwin and Clifton Fadiman would say of him (Corwin) that he was radio's first and only literate. But for the nonce Irving Reis got plenty of nice things to paste in his scrapbook. In the end, CBS management began to look a trifle askance at the young engineer. He went so far as to propose the Workshop be freed from weekly schedule and broadcast only when the spirit moved him, or he felt he had something to say. He argued that since the Workshop broke the stereotype of the program format, and had no format, it should in all consistency go on to break the stereotype of the weekly deadline, and have no weekly deadline. Reis was expecting a lot. But that was part of his peculiar genius. He never quite understood that he was colorful but not commercial, a pioneer but not a property, and that this made a difference. When he insisted that the Workshop be accorded full equality in all matters with commercials he was, to put it politely, away ahead of his times. The stamp of egotism now was put on him. He was quoted as having said, "In the control room — I am God." In his control room he spoke true, but the CBS brass with other fish to fry was not above annoyance. There were cracks that he was a young Erich Von Stroheim with a stopwatch. In the end he took one of his film offers, joined up with Paramount, then wistfully looked on as other men carried on with the Workshop, in all some five and a half years. Of these Norman Corwin was to be the most celebrated. Meanwhile out in Hollywood Reis had his memories and his scrapbooks and plenty of evidence that he had initiated a series of programs of unprecedented impact. He had focussed attention upon the whole subject of program-making much in the way, and at the same time, the famous J. Stirling Getchell had beamed the spotlight of restless curiosity upon the art of "ad-making." Reis like Getchell was clearly entitled to an honor able plaque on the walls of sponsorship. * * * A second article on the Columbia Workshop will detail its further history and render an audit of net results, having in mind the potential usefulness of th? Workshop story to television auspices. HEARING AIDS {Continued from page 27) many other industries. For hearing aid producers sell to what is essentially a hidden market. Most of those who need the instruments will not come to sales offices. The only way that prospects can be uncovered, usually, is through leads. The advertising technique for obtaining leads is to offer a booklet on request. Once the lead is received, salesmen or "consultants," as they are called in the trade, often have to make a series of calls to overcome initial resistance. "Just talk a little louder, I'll be alright," the hard of hearing prefer to tell their families and go on without buying an instrument. Consultants must be well trained to fit the instruments to the particular needs of the purchaser, and they must make It's "Tele ways' for SUCCESSFUL Transcribed Shows Transcribed and ready to broadcast: RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE 156 15 -minute top western musical program! <4 DANGER, DOCTOR DANFIELD 26 half-hour exciting; mysteries JOHN CHARLES THOMAS 156 15-minute shows with the King's Men singing hymns of all faiths MOON DREAMS 158 15-minute romantic musical programs BARNYARD JAMBOREE 52 half hours of good hill-billy music STRANGE ADVENTURE 260 5-minute stories of interesting adventure Custom-Built Transcribed Shows TELEWAYS™~ 8949 SUNSET BOULEVARD HOLLYWOOD 46, CALIF. Phones : . . CRestview 67238 • BRadshaw 21447 In Canada: Distributed by S. W. CALDWELL, LTD. Victory Bldg., 80 Richmond St. West, Toronto 66 SPONSOR