U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1959)

according to all surveys PULSE . HOOPER TRENDEX Norfolk Newport News Portsmouth ' and Hampton, Virginia Represented Nationally by JOHN BLAIR & COMPANY report from Adam Young Uses Khrushchev Visit As Backdrop for Radio Presentation A timely {Jiesentalion licing in last nionih's visit by Russian Premier Khrushchev with the values ol modern radio was staged recently tor advertising agencies in New York and Chicago by Adam Young Inc. The representative firm, a staunch advocate ol what it calls modern radio, presented a combined live, tape, and slide project, which, among other things, pointed out that: • Car radios alone come close to ecjualling the total number of magazine, television or newspaper homes in the nation. • Non-premium daytime periods on modern stations are more efjicient in reaching the awayfrom home listener. The Adam Young presentation, "Dynamic Radio in a Dynamic America," is keyed to the idea that Khrushchev's tour, if it were to accomplish any worthwhile purpose, would "show him first hand the workings of our American free enterprise system." What could be more representative of free enterprise and freedom of choice, points out the firm, "than the dynamic change in listener loyalties that has occurred in the past few years as a result of the American competitive system." Foundation Using the Khrushchev tour route as the foimdation of its project — with an Adam Young represented station in every city of the tour — the firm highlights certain statistics about radio. It states that nearly 15 million radios were sold last year — three times the number of tv sets — ;-nd that with radio becoming a personal companion, each member of the household "enjoys his particular brand of radio entertainment virtually anyplace . . . anytime." Beginning in Washington, D. C, along with the Premier, the Young presentation includes remarks by Conniiissioner Robert Lee of the Federal Connnunications Commission. Commissioner Lee states that at the local level, "increased competition among broadcasters has been responsible for increased ingenuity and eagerness to serve in as many ways as possible. The result has been better radio service for each comuuinity." Reaching New York, the presentation points out, Khrushchev soon became aware of American moloiists and that 90 percent of all new cars will have radios. At this point — typical of the complete project — a tape recording mentions a contest by WMCA New York which asked people to write to the Premier, and a slide shows a cartoon of people puzzling over their letters as one gentleman with pronounced feelings hits Khrushchev over the head with a mallet. Other cities included are Los Angeles, where population increases and the growth in the suburbs are shown; Des Moines, and Pittsburgh. The Young presentation states that the modern station's programming is especially geared to the active listener, "the listener doing housework, driving a car, or picnicking at the beach." It states that although advertisers still buy the traffic-time periods to reach radio's outof-home segment, Pidse studies indicate that non-premium daytime periods are more efficient on modern stations. Realizing that some people "will continue to deride the moderns as reaching only teenagers, using gimmicks and so forth," Young declares that research is now available to disprove these negative implications. "Successful modern radio stations today are programmed not by rigid formula," the firm says, "but by astute creative management, whose aim is maximum effect of the maximum medium — radio." • • • 78 U. S. RADIO • October 1959