U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1961)

WHAT JOE CULLIGAN THINKS OF RADIO TODAY work radio in its era ol decline? Primarily, Culligan is never happ\ unless he is in the midst of a great challenge. "1 was happ) to lake the job," he recalls, "I have always had an instinct to light Eor the underdog." Network radio is a superb communications system, Culligan once said, "but il matters little it your communication isn't sound and clear and well thought out." Capitalizing on network radio's flexibility and on television's physical inability to present news instantly, Culligan's first step toward restyling network radio was to introduce the lamed News on the Hour. A former Culligan associate remarked recently that the toughest job Joe ever had to do was go out and sell Arews on the Hour to the affiliates. "Most of the affiliates had rock-firm commitments at certain onthe-hour periods for news programs with long-time local sponsorship. In Los Angeles the NBC affiliate had programed the Richfield Reporter at 10 p.m. for 20 years. They didn't want to give up that program. But Culligan sold them. He charmed them right off their feet. His selling point was the future of the NBC radio network, and how it depended on program changes such as the News on the Hour concept, how it would help them to resist the rock 'n' roll craze dominating the independent stations." With Neivs on the Hour cleared by 90 percent of the affiliates, and an immediate hit when it went on the air on January 14, 1957, Culligan moved to strengthen news by introducing the NBC Hotline, the network-to-affiliate quick communications system that allowed fast newsbreaks to bulletin on the network, or be taped for later presentation on stations that could not interrupt programs in progress. Together the Hotline and News on the Hour produced $4,200,000 in new revenue for NBC the first year of their operation. Clearly, these innovations were moving the network in the right direction, filling a program need by striking a responsive chord in listeners and advertisers alike. Marking Culligan's NBC radio Continued from page I career, loo, were such Cullinganisnis as "imagery iransler," (the listener's c apac il\ to si i i 1 1 the image he rc< eives of a product horn television to the same product advertised on tadio) and "engineered circulation" (the ability ol an advertiser to scientifically reach an audience at various lc\ els ol .K i i\ ity). He still nurtures the dream thai his "engineered circulation" themewill be picked up by other broadcasters and usher in a new day foi radio. "It is the next biggest thing for radio," he says, "because radio is the one medium that is scientifically designed to reach audiences at levels of activity. Once a person buys the advertised product, it can become its worst enemy il it stands unused on the shelf. Radio can remind the consumer of a product's usefulness, and can reach him as he is about to buy." Culligan's "engineered circulation" has gained attention from sellers of spot radio, some of whom have recently tied spot frequency to frequency of purchase. The plan usually works best for fast turnover products such as cigarettes, groceries, gasoline, candy, toiletries. Culligan firmly believes that the next 18 months will be amazingly like the first 18 months of the '50s in shaping the broadcasting industry for the next 10 years. International radio and television are just over the horizon, and Culligan is certain that the two media will become global in dimension. Interpublic has already focused the attention of broadcasting men on international communications, says Culligan, citing the work of Sylvester L. (Pat) Weaver (Culligan's former NBC boss) in his role as president of McCann-Erickson Corp. (International) . Radio is entering this decade with a fully developed sense of its strengths, Culligan believes, and the continued cultivation of its natural gifts should make the medium grow vigorously. "Radio's greatest function and most important contribution is the offering of news and commentary," says Culligan. "Radio cannot be primarily an entertainment medium. Radio must inform, because it is the only medium capable of informing while news is happening. "But a second function is specialized entertainment. Musk provides ihis in part. Bui a station that is aware ol audience preference cannot ignore other types ol entertainment. To do so is to forget the desire <<! the listenei to heai a progiam thai will stimulate him intelle< tuall) as we ll as entertain him. "The recent emergence ol bright comics and satirists like Elaine Ma\ and Mike Nichols, Moil Said and Shelley Berman is important Eoj radio because their fare calls for mental participation In the audience." In Culligan's network days, long beloie cjiii/ sc andals bioke Ol \<u ton Minow's "vast wasteland" speech became famous, he was one of the most vocal advocates of public interest programing. He personally directed the creation of Image Russia, 40 hours of tapes programed at night in segments. The program was well received by listeners and won an award. But it went sponsorless, says Culligan, because it was too "controversial" a subject for advertisers who are loo "sensitive." He followed Russia with Image Mino; ities. That, too, went on the air without a sponsor. But he was so convinced that these programs were good for the public and good for radio, that MH \ footed the bill for the broadcasts. "No rating," he says, "can ever correctly measure the service that an advertiser renders the public and itself with public interest programing. But if the public is going to demand escapism, it should get it." Culligan says he would like to see programing upgraded as much as would FCC Chairman Newton Minow and NAB President LeRoy Collins. "But," he qualifies, "continued general criticism is not good, for two reasons. For one thing, the broadcasters w4io do not deserve criticism bear the brunt of it. On the other hand, those who do deserve the attacks hide behind the generalities of criticism. When charges are made they should be specific and isolate the few culprits who now give the whole industry a black eye. "After all," he continues, "broadcasting is a terrifically demanding business. All businesses suffer crises, maybe once a month, maybe less. But in broadcasting there are two or three crises every day that put a heavy drain on talent. Working un U. S. RADIO/August 1961 43