Sponsor (July-Dec 1951)

SPONSOR SPEAKS_ BAB, Inc.'s first 3 months The super BAB, fortified by $1,000,000 and doing a big job of educating advertisers on the merits of radio advertising, hasn't yet materialized. Its progress since its inception early this year has been held back by the very problems that have held back radio. But, quietly and painstakingly in the face of odds, President William B. Ryan has been orienting himself and his skeleton organization, and molding a plan of action that should be taking shape by early fall. Because the need for a central radio-promoting association is great, because the foundation for the super BAB is not being built on sand, because the radio industry is swinging toward solid selling and promotion, sponsor predicts that Bill Ryan's BAB will, one year from now, be some pumpkins in the media world. We asked Bill Ryan for a rundown on what the BAB has done and how it's doing since it came into existence on 1 April 1951. Even during this planning period the score is respectable. Right now the membership stands at about 900, with a heavy membership drive in the offing this fall. Financially, BAB will be in better shape when an agreement has been reached with the networks and station representatives on an adequate scale of dues. Eleven promotions were completed during BAB's first three months. These ranged from sales kits for station salesmen to a contest on retail radio advertising. Over $1,000 in sales aids were ordered by advertisers, agencies, and stations from BAB in two months. Right now Bill Ryan is seeking to strengthen his staff along promotional and contact lines. He's burning midnight oil on a radio presentation which will be unfolded in preliminary form at the NARTB District Meetings late this summer. He's working on basic research, on a complete radio library, on documented success stories. We get the idea that BAB is growing along well-defined lines. It's an encouraging report. Not all "censorship" is bad If there was ever any doubt in your mind that American radio and television are subject to the severest kind of scrutiny, you can dispel it right now. (See "Viewer gripes," page 30.) To be sure, it isn't the kind of arbitrary censorship that functions with such deadly consequences behind the iron curtain. No heads roll because somebody slipped, though it's quite likely that a resignation or two may be announced. For this "censor's" tastes, whims and fancies are respected like no dictator's ever were. It's his watchful eye and sensitive ear that cause many a tremble in advertising and broadcasting row. Oddly enough, he's no stifler of freedom. Quite the contrary, his presence on the job is our best assurance of a continuing free radio and television. The "censor' we're talking about is the mighty John Q. Public. Advertisers want results The time is fast approaching when the advertiser's first concern about radio is going to be results rather than ratings. For it has been apparent for a long time now that radio ratings do not always reflect the true values of air advertising. Echoing the views of a growing number of broadcasters, Carl George, vice president and general manager of WGAR, Cleveland, says in a letter to SPONSOR: "I think radio is going to have to sell on the basis of success stories." What better reason does the advertiser need to use a station or network than that it can show him case histories of dollars-and-cents results? No broadcaster can come up with more effective sales ammunition. No advertiser can afford to ignore that brand of statistics. Applause Building Radio/TV Audience in Houston In San Antonio, independent radio station KITE believes that television is quite a medium for — you'll never guess — radio station listener promotion. To prove its conviction the 1,000watt local daytime outlet, masterminded by owner Charles Balthrope, bought a regular weekly schedule of 20-second and one-minute announcements on local TV stations WOAI-TV and KEYL. Showing its displeasure with the overabundance of testimonials used in promoting the sale of products over both radio and television, KITE's copy burlesques the current crop of claims. Typical are the TV close-ups of doctors and tobacco planters denying they have ever recommended KITE for anything. "Yes, it's true," confess the station's spots, "less doctors recommended KITE than any other radio station. But most of their patients in San Antonio find that KITE's good music all day long is very soothing to their nerves. Tune to KITE tomorrow morning." Both TV stations accepted the copy with the understanding that it plug daytime operation only, when television is not competing for the broadcast audience. WOAI-TV in turn, had its own ideas on how to stimulate nighttime television. "What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander," reasoned WOAI-TV President Hugh Halff, as he bought the KITE signoff spot (at sunset) to plug evening TV shows. The results each medium obtains from the other should prove highly illuminating. Their cooperation, and recognition that the public is entitled to both, is refreshingly significant. 30 SPONSOR