U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

Gospel Singers' Talent Search Draws Crowds and Votes When the Pet Milk Company sponsored a national talent search contest for gospel singers, KCOH Houston conducted auditions. For five consecuti\e Sundays, the station broadcast one-hoin programs to audition contestants. First prize was an allexpense paid trip to Chicago, limited to six people in a group, to appear on the Pet Milk national program. Winners were chosen by listener votes. The response, says the station, was most satisfactory. It asserts that over 15,000 votes were written in and over 4.000 people attended the finals for which the station leased the City Auditorium. Station Promotes Radios, Retailers Sell Them Promoting radio through its community's retailers, WICE Providence, R.I., begins a seven-week campaign this month that represents four months of coordinated planning and preparation. Early in January, the station surveyed the local merchants to find out when would be the best time to run the promotion. They asked if the retailers were planning or considering a portable radio jiroinotion. and what the approximate dates of the j)romotion woidd be. The station then announced a schedule of its on-the-air spots, which urge listeners to buy their radios at stores fcatining special radio displays. The first jjart of the campaign, from April 1 to .\pril 16, featines an Easter gift theme with "Give a radio for Easter." The sctoiid part will emphasize "Wherever you go there's a radio." In the third step of the effort to tie in its promotion with local merchant sales, the station sent a covering letter to cooperating merchants infornn'ng them of its schedule and advising tliat their promotions tie in with the radio campaign. The campaign will last until May 21, which shoidtl cover most of the retail promotions. Honorary Memberships Say 'Thank You' for News Leads To thank its listeners for reporting newsworthy items, CJMS Montreal has formed an associate membership in its news department. Each week the station decides on the most newsworthy item contributed by a listener. To the contributor is presented a "Certificate ot .Appreciation" advising all who read it that the recipient is an associate member of the station's news de partment. 1 he first certificate bears a red seal. Should the same person submit another winning news item, he will receive a certificate with a silver seal. If, within a 12-month period he provides a third winning item, the seal becomes gold. The station reports that its news department plans a reception for all winners at the end of the year. Further prizes will then be awarded. Listeners Turn Salesmen, Deejay Buys Old Cocoa When Art Ford offered his listeners of WRCA* New York the chance to sell him something for a change, he received sales pitches from over 1,000 people. Among the listener items for sale, reports the station, were a circus of fleas dressed in Mexican costumes, a slightly used trolley car, a two-man submarine at .'6100,000 and a mastodon's tooth for four cents. The item that sold Ford, however, was offered by a Navy Lieutenant (j.g.) . It was a 50-year old cup of cocoa, salvaged from food supplies cached near the South Pole by Capt. Robert F. Scott, famous Rritish explorer of .Antarctica. • • • 'Denotes stations who are members of BPA (Broadcasters' Promotion Association) BUYING NEW YORK? BUY W I C C FIRST TO SELL THE 2,000,000 RICHEST BUYERS! SHARE 0 F R A 0 1 0 A U 0 1 E N C E VO'(D«»-FRI0AY Stations SAM 12 Nn 12 Nn 6 PM 6 PM 8 PM WICC IS 12 12 WCBS 9 10 WINS 7 9 WAVZ 6 6 WNEW 7 5 WOR 5 e WELI 5 5 WNHC i 4 WMGM 3 6 WMCA 3 4 WRCA 4 3 WNAB 3 3 WTIC 2 3 WABC 2 2 Misc. 25 23 22 Total Percent 100 100 100 HU.R. 24.9 24.0 23,1 WICC is the Dominant Sales Medium in the Four Counties in Connecticut and Long Island where 456,000 families have over $10,000 per year! PULSE proves it.... Doxens of Blue Ribbon Advertisers know this Secret of Sales, too In New York Call WICC Circle 5-0668. Since 1926 ONE OF THE NATION'S GREAT NEWS STATIONS 90 Since 1926 U. S. RADIO • .\pril 1960