Sponsor (1956)

I fc"a ■ Advertisers should stiek with programs for a reasonable length of time. The schedules of all networks are full of programs that took a year or two to move into the hit category O. Do you think advertisers are sometimes hasty in cancelling new network shows on television? (In radio, they Mere accustomed to look upon the first I .'i weeks as hash-ally a period of experiment.) A. television is played for much higher stakes than radio evei was, even in pre-h days. So it's easy enough to under-taml a client s apprehension when a program doesn't take hold from the ver\ start. Still, it seems to me that if an advertisei is sufficient!) sold on the basic merits of a new program to hack it. he should stick with it for a reasonable length of time as long as it demonstrates it is building a following. The schedules of all networks are full of programs that took a full year or two to move into the hit category. This i especialK true when it comes to putting over radicall) new formats and personalities, many of them in the low-pressure category. O;. What is \BC doing to develop new talent and program formats? \. \I>(T Talent Development Department was set up for just this purpose, and is now rounding out its first year of operation. During the year, the department uncovered some 300 properties for l\ spectaculars and nighttime dramatic programs, signed up a group of promising young corned) writers for seasoning and traveled all over the countr) scouting college dramatic groups, communit) theatres, and the off-Broadwa) and straw-hat circuits for star material. A network's product is its programs, and were investing in research foi the products of the future. This organized form of program development becomes more important as television ranges evei farther into allied entertainment fields for ii properties and stai-. D\ Where does network radio stand today, and what i its future? \. Tin growth of television has forced us to reappraise network radio and re-adapt it to its new role. In digging into the problem we have discovered thai network radio has unexpected sources of strength. Take news, for example: -nine people -till prefer radio for news, so we have set up a new operation with oui affiliates to bring them five minutes of network news ever) hom of the broadcasting <la\. plus ,( "hoi line" service foi flashing important new developments to all stations when the) happen and from the place they're happening. This news-on-the-hour will add new strength to the radio network and, when combined with local new-, will give the affiliates an unbeatable service in their ana-. Then there is daytime radio. We have found that, despite years of television, more people listen to radio than watch tv from seven in the morning until three in the afternoon. So, starting with Bandstand, we have begun making over daytime radio into a medium fur stead\. ■■reminder'" advertising reaching large cumulative audiences. Even at night, there are large groups of people who still prefer radio — no matter what's on television. Then there is the weekend, and Monitor has shown us how successful a program can be if it appeals to Americans as they go about their weekend leisure activities. Monitor has been so successful that we are extending it to include Friday nights when most people actually begin their weekends. Finally, we are making the entire radio schedule flexible enough so it can be used for the new technique of "Imagery Transfer." W ith this technique, a brief announcement is used to trigger the memory of a sales message stored up in the listener's mind. In sum then. I believe that, if we make full use of all the resources we are discovering in network radio, the medium will continue to bring important service to listeners and advertisers for a long time to come. Q. NBC has gone through a recent executive realignment. Would you outline the role of each executive vice president? A. 1NBC has reorganized its executive -Inn tine in line with it rapid and continuing growth. As part of this plan. live executive vice presidents have been created on a top management level. Four of these live positions were filled hv promotions within the company. Thomas A. McAvitv has been made Executive Vice President. Television Network Programs and Sales. In his new post. Tom is in direct charge of tv programing and sales, and has reporting to him a Business Affairs Office. This position was created because of the vital importance of television programing and sales in our over-all operation and the advisabilit) of having a top-level executive concentrate exclusivelv on these functions. Charles Dennv was made Executive \ ice President, Operations. He was formerl) v.p. in charge of our owned ft and radio stations and Spot Sales, and will continue to he re sponsible for these operations. In addition, he now has reporting to him the NBC Radio Network, Production Facilities, and California \ational Productions, an NBC subsidiarv which engages in tv film syndication and related activ ities. John \I. Clifford, who was formerl) Vdministrative Vice President, has been made Executive Vice President, Administration. Reporting to him are talent and program contracl administration, the lav. department, the treasures I SI'ONSOlt 15 DKi EMBER 1 ')■">(>