Sponsor (Jan-June 1953)

"Cut my throat again, Cuthburt" In the wake of efforts by sponsors like Whitehall Pharmacal, General Mills and others to get preferential late deals, the manager of a leading Southern AM and TV operation told SPONSOR recently : "1. For many \ears station operators did extremel) well and are now confronted with a foreboding outlook of going to work. Now that competition has become tough, some are resorting to rate-cutting practices and general lowering of standards instead of developing sound methods of operation to lower <o>t. "2. As manager of key operations. I am concerned about the effect that these others ma) have on m\ stations. \\ hen the stream from which all of us get our drinking water is polluted, we are all in danger of getting l\ phoid no matter how we live. "3. More agencies and advertisers should participate more activel) in broadcast matters. They should learn that we all prosper as our industr) prospers, that we"re all dignified as the industr) is dignified, and they should accept their responsibilities on equal levels with broadcasters." Remembering how desperately some Moments of the radio industry tried to cut their own throats through indiscriminate rate-cutting with the advent of TV. si>o\soi< adds a heart\ assenl to the above statement. Down-to-earth meeting Pious pomposity characterizes loo many media meetings. One recent exception: The National Association of Radio Farm Directors" first Radio-TV Farm Sales Clinic. Kansas City, held to determine "What makes radio and TV work in the farm sales field." Notable event of the clinic was the appearance of these three farm product advertisers: Leo B. Olson of Dekalb Agricultural Association, who spoke on "Radio Does the Job for Us"; B. S. Graham of Central Oklahoma Milk Producers Association, who told how the group came to bu\ a radio program, and Maurice Johnson of the Slale\ Milling Co.. who said that radio, more than am other form of advertising, had been responsible for the success of his organization. Media meetings benefit most when clients are there as active participants. Spare us, Spyros! Sp) ros P. Skouras. president of 20th Century-Fox Film Corp., reports that with the advent of CinemaScope in October 1953 the studio may release its 900-some older motion pictures for use on television. The advertiser side of our nature will welcome this move, when it corner, for TV is an insatiable devourer of programs and talent. Cheaper film programs will mean more sponsors will be able to afford TV. But the consumer side of our nature lifts a plaintive plea: "Can't the Ford Foundation or someone pay Spyros the $10 million or so he'll want and then kindh burn all the stuff'.-''" Arthur C. Page: RFD in the whole of the broadcasting and journalistic world no one measures up to the radio farm director in the loyalty, appreciation, and even love with which he is regarded by his audience. This is an important fact for advertisers; one that is being accepted more widely with each passing day. Dean of the RFDs was Art Page, who served simultaneously as farm program director of WLS and associate editor of the agricultural publication that owned it, Prairie Farmer. After 22 years of the fullest service to rural radio, the man who is well known to every farmer wherever the strong WLS signal reaches has passed away. His Dinnerbell program is a midwest institution: he knew how to make everyday people appreciate their own importance. He showed many RFD s how to be of fullest use and advertisers how bread cast upon the waters in the form of service was repaid tenfold. He belongs in radios ball of fame. Applause Better radio measurement Foi several years a group of radio's top research men have worked hard toward an industr) goal: getting A. C. Nielsen radio ratings to reflect listening to all the set in a home. Now. after dozens of meetings, the researchers see an end in sight. B\ late spring the Nielsen Radio Index will probabl) start sample changes which will bring multiple-sel listening into locus. I be firsl Nielsen client to sign for the expanded service was CBS Radio whose research director, Harper Carraine. had been among the leaders in striving to work out a revision of the NRI sample. B\ the time you read this. Harper Carraine s counterparts at the other radio networks — Hugh Beville of NBC. Ollie Treyz of ABC. and Dick Puff of MBS— nun have signed similar contracts. Ml four of these network researchers, as well as their stalls, deserve the thanks o| the industr) lor seeing this important change through. Agencies and clients will applaud their work since it will provide a clearer understanding of listening in American bonies. \. <;. Nielsen executives are to be complimented, loo. for the wa\ in which they worked with the industry to satisfy a need. sponsor is particularly gratified bv this latest development in the evolution of radio measurement. We have campaigned consistently for a fairer count of radio listening — in the livingroom, in the bedroom, out of-home. A recenl SPONSOR article was the first to predict the improvement of Nielsen ratings. For a more complete understanding of the shape the new NRI reports may take, see "Coming: better Nielsen ratings?."" 26 January 1053. p. 25. 96 SPONSOR