Sponsor (July-Dec 1954)

NEGRO COMES OF ACE [Continued from page 49) Us any veteran broadcaster in the field jean tell you. Like any growing medium, Negro Radio reached maturity 'only after passing through an "Awkward Stage." "In these past six years, mistakes have been made and lessons have been learned," Leonard Walk, manager of Pittsburgh's WHOI). a pioneer Negro outlet, stated. "Experienced station operators have come to realize that you cannot generalize about Negro likes and dislikes any more than you can generalize about 'American taste.' "We have learned to differentiate between 'gospel' and 'spiritual' music," lie added. "We have learned that 'Rhythm and Blues' music is not catnip for all Negroes. We have learned to do newscasts that answer the question, "How is this news going to affect me as a Negro?' We have learned to say 'no' to per-inquiry and mail order advertisers and to sponsors who sell 'down' to the Negro. We have learned that church and social news deserves a unique place of importance in our daily Negro programing. These and many, many other lessons that have been learned mean a solid foundation for the advertiser who is entering the Negro Radio field. He is no longer sailing uncharted waters." The third factor that contributes to the media development of Negro Radio is not under the control of either advertiser or broadcaster, but its growth means continuing success for both. This factor is the importance of the Negro as a consumer market. Viewed in national perspective, the Negro market is extremeh important. As the ad manager of one of the leading national beer brands told sponsor, "The Negro market is often the difference between 'breaking even' with a good consumer product and making a real sales gain." Negroes in the U.S., by the estimates of the U.S. Bureau of the Census, now amount to about one out of every 10 persons. And, according to the USBC, they are increasing faster than whites while their median incomes are rising more quickly than white medians. By the most conservative estimate, Negro families in this country have total incomes of well over $15 billion. Viewed at the regional or local level the I .S. Negro market spotlights the importance of Negro Radio in leaching this quality-conscious audience. Here is a typical case: "In the South, generally, reading is at a very low ebb. This is demonstrated by the fact that the leading magazines in the U.S. have very few readers in this area," Jules J. Paglin, president of the four Gulf Coast "OK" stations, told sponsor. "In this area you have constant opportunities to fish, hunt, enjoy sports and indulge in paid recreation. This also diverts the reading habit. Negroes are generally getting their information, their news and their entertainment from radio. "In the past 10 years, Negro wages in this area I Pensacola to Corpus Christi I have risen from $18-27 a week for unskilled labor all the way to $125 a week. Formerly, the building trades workers, largely Negroes in this area, received 75c to 90c an hour. They now receive from $2.15 to $2.35. In the large chemical industries which dominate this area, Negroes now earn from $1.25 to $1.90 per hour. "This added take-home pay has made the Negroes in the Gulf Coast area able to buy every type of cost-of Over 200.000 Negroes in and ttround MONTGOMERY, ALA. Listen everyday . . . support whole heartedly . . . and are proud of 1. ELLIS FORD— leader among the local gospel groups in toirn. "Morning Reveries" 5:30-6:45 A.M., Mon.-Sat. 2. BILL JOHNSON— local boy made good with that extra selling personality. "Tan Town Coffee Club" 7:00-9:00 A.M., Mon.-Sat. 3. "ACE" ANDERSON— selected by Color Magazine as one of nation's top D.J.'s. "950 Club" 2:00-4:30 P.M., Mon.-Sat. "Highways to Heaven" — 9:30-11:30 A.M.. Mon.-lri. 4. JACKIE (THE JOCKEY) JACKSON— WRMA's new female D.J. sensation -Male Call" 11:00 A.M. -2 .00 P.M., Saturday "Lunch Call" 12:00 1:00 P.M., Mon.-Fri. . . . All heard daily over WRMA (950 KC, 1000 Watts) . . . Montgomery's only all-Negro station serving every Negro community in the center of Alabama's Black Belt. Joseph Hershey .lleGillvra — >«**! Rep 20 SEPTEMBER 1954 149