Variety (Sep 1935)

Wednesday, September 4^ 1935 R A D I O VARIETY SS WEBS ALMOST 100% BOOKED Agencies Shares the Rap The report issued by the Bureau of Advertising of the American News- paper Publishers' Association, based upon a six months' analysis of the ertectlvenesa (or lack of it) of radio advertising, promises to start a Uvely controversy. Unquestionably the radio industry, through one or both of Its national networks, will seek to refute the claims of the pub- lishers* report that radio advertising is ineffective arid extravagantly expensive, when compared with newspapers and magazines, -and on the decline, as maintained hy the figures that of the 635 radio advertisers who bought time on the air for some period between 1928 and 1933 in- clusive, 448 had dropped the use of radio in 1934. Notwithstanding the conclusions reached the statistics revealed Indi- cate that radio, as a channel for national and local advertising, is not so easily disposed of as the report would indicate. Taking the published figures, there are 19,001,692 homes with radio sets in the United States of a total of 32,600,000 homes. The analysis limits, itself to certain 'lis- tening areas,' containins 12,489,886 sets, within reach of the major net- works. Seventy-nine program^ were, studied during a recent six months' period. Contention is that the average cost (per prpgram) was $3,052, of which '35.6% represented cost of talent. Compared with the number of listeners reached this means, the report says, an average cost per million listeners of $7,302.69. Nine programs averaged more than 2,000,000 listeners throughout the six months' period. .These nine paid an average of $8,287 each (per program) 'for time alone, but spent in addition an average of $5,674 (per program) for talent. Intent of the publishers to disparage radio advertising as unduly costly when compared with periodical advertising, is in lino with previous blasts of this nature. What surprises those conversant with radio advertising la that the publishers did not strike at or point out the real crux of the situation—that radio advertising is showmanship and its effectiveness depends wholly upon the entertainment material provided and the man- ner of its presentation. A mortality of 448 advertising accounts out of 635 within a five year period could point to three things. First, the medium (radio) may have been wholly unsuited to some of its, users. Second, the showmanship expressed by the advertising agencies handling the accounts might have been futile and disappointing. Third, the advertising agencies, having convinced a sponsor to spend his money, then failed to keep the account properly informed of radio's effectiveness. 'What the advertising agencies need to realize Is that while dealer tie- ups, contests, premiums, merchandising and the whole follow-through technique is important, the program remains wholly dependent upon the entertainment equation. The campaign falls down when the program falls to appeal to listeners. Like it or not the agencies are dealing with emotional elements, not arithmetic. It is paradoxical that agencies themselves are often such poor self- promoters. They hold back on showmanship and will not go the full distance. The credit or blame for radio programs is largely theirs. Where an agency builds up a success story on its own showmanship thafs some- thing that calls for spotlights and a chord in G. The opposition will ■pread the news about the flops; the agencies themselves must self- czplolt the clicks. r Chains Hit by New Tuner Wage Scale on Coast Los Angeles, Sept. 3. Musicians' local, 47, AFofM, has promulgated a new wage scale cov- ering radio broadcasting, to become effective Sept. 16. Wages, generally, have been upped, with chain broad- casts emanating from here especi- ally affected. New scale approxi- mates cost rates of similar broad- oasts going out from San Francisco on both national chains, but con- siderably less in cost to stations per program than same output If origl- ■ating in Chicago or New York. Minimum rehearsil period has been designated by local 47 on all coast-to-coast programs, starting with three hours of paid time for a one-half hour broadcast, and five hours for a one-hour program of a Blngle engagement. Under new scale half hour chain program, with minimum rehearsal period, will cost station or sponsor $25 per musician, with a $37.60 per man nick on a one-hour broadcast. Bxtra rehearsal time will be at rate of $2 per half hour instead of cur- rent price of $2 for a full hour. Lower wage level than prevails In eastern centers has been i?et be- cause of geographical position of Los Angeles which necessitates dup- lication or re-broadcastlng of cer- tain programs intended to cover eastern seaboard territory. WJBY, Gadsden on NBC Birmingham, Sept. 3. WJBT, at Gadsden, Ala., ., has signed with NBC and has already started bringing the chain programs. Station is operated by Babson Hopson of WAPI, Birmingham. Taubels in Smash-Up Philadelphia, Sept. 3. Clarence H. Taubel, president of WPEN and WRAX, and his wife, were injured Saturday (31) In an auto collision near Memphis, Tenn. Taubel received a broken wrist and three broken ribs, his wife suffered several rib fractures, chest injuries and numerous bruises. They were returning from a. business trip wlien the accident occurred. The radio exec, a retired hosiery manufacturer, Is 44. Mrs. Taubel, who is 30, was formerly 'Miss Pennsylvania' and was throe times runner-up for 'Miss America' in the Atlantic City beauty pageant. They are reported In satisfactory condi- tion by Memphis physicians and are expected back in Philadelphia at the end of the week. Mevius Quits WHAT Philadelphia, Sept. 3. John C. Mevius, general manager of WHAT, resigned effective Fri- day (30) to super/Isc construction and become general manager of a new.station in Milwaukee. He will be succeeded by L. H. Bailey, for the last eight years general man- ager of WKJC, Lancaster. Mevius was formerly technical supervisor of WHAT and was re- sponsible for the first hlgh-fldellty broadcasting In Philadelphia. Al Shayne Unfettered His release from Sally's Studio effected, Al Shayne has signed with the William Morris agency for everything. He's switched from Sally's WMCA multt--broadcasts to a once-weekly on WOR for Ansonla •Shoes. Joe Cappl ore accompanies. Another half hour may be added later In the fall. When with Sally's Shayne was committed to his sponsor for a split on stage and other engagements besides radio. NBC'S RED HAS 8. See All Three Basic Loops Sold Out by Mid-Septem- ber—Running Ahead of Last Year SHOW BIZ LATE With the exception of a half hour each Sunday and Tuesday nights there is no more commercial time available on NBO's red (WEAF) network from 7 p. m. to 11 p. m. Open Sunday evening spot is from 7 to 7:30, while the Tuesday vacancy Is from 10:30 to 11 p. m. Columbia's only evening sellout is Sunday. Open across that net- work's board, excepting Sunday, Is the 7:16 to 7:30 p. m. spot. Other segments awaiting bidders are Mon- day, 10:45 to 11 p. m.; Tuesday, 10:45 to 11 p. m.; Wednesday, 10 to 10:30; Thursday, 10:46 to 11 p. m.; Friday, 10:45 to 11 p. m., and Satur- day, 8 to 9 p. m. and 9:30 to 11 p. m. With General Motors deciding to fill the Sunday 10 to 11 p. m. stretch on the red this season, NBC's blue (WJZ) link will have to seek else- where for a taker of the 8 to 9 p. ml niche. Blue's slate of vacancies otherwise consists of Sunday, 10 to 11 p. m.; Monday, 10 to 11 p. m.; Tuesday, 10 to 11 p. m.; Wednesday, 10 to 11 p. m.; Thursday, 8:15 to 9 p. m., 9:30 to 11 p. m.; Friday, 10 to 11 p. m., and Saturday, everything but the hour occupied by Alka- Selzer's Barn Dance. Little of the available NBC time is obtainable on a coast-to-coast basis. (Radio will go fully booked from two to three weeks earlier than last year, by indications. At the same time, and for what the contrast may be worth, the theatre season is near- ly a month late this season.). International Biz increases Wax About 50-50 with Live Talent in Newer Time Placiemeiits KRAFT GOES VARIETY Weekly Change of Guests New Whiteman Set-Up Kraft-Paul Whiteman show on NBC switches to a weekly change of bill policy next Thursday (12) and the guestees booked for the pro- gram are Mlscha Levltzki, Michael Bartlett and Bob Burns. White- man will do the m.t.'lng. Following week's stanza will likely guest Mildred Bailey and George Gershwin. If the -former booking goes through it will be the warbler's first appearance with Whiteman since their break three years ago. ROSENBAUM, WFIL, ON PA. BANKING BOARD Philadelphia, Sept. 3. Samuel R. Rosenbaum, WFIL prexy, was last week appointed member of new Pennsylvania State Banking 'Board hy Gov. George H. Earle. Body, authorized by last session of legislature, will have broadest powers of any such group in country, one of its prerogatives being right to dismiss any officer of any bank in State. Rosenbaum, in addition to post at WFIL, is attorney, realtor, art and book collector and one of prime powers on board of Philadelphia orchestra. He's second WFIL exec to be appointed to State Job, Walter Grosscup, Lit Brothers store ofncial and WFIL board member, resigning recently to become head of State Liquor Control Board. Rosenbaum will continue his radio and other connections. N.A3. Report Analyzes Sununer Decline; Better Than '33-'34 Washington, Sept. 3. Broadcast advertising of all types slumped 11.1% from June to July, but the gross still remained well above the level of the past two years. National Association of Broadcasters reported last week. Following the normal seasonal downtrend, July sales brought in $4,848,004, bringing the year's total up to $60,923,976. Volume was sub- stantially ahead of July, 1934 and 1933, giving radio a marked advan- tage over competing mediums in re- gard to the extent of recovery from the depression. The July report, marking the end of N.A.B.'e second year of collecting statistics on business volume, re- vealed that broadcast advertising has made the greatest gains of uny medium since the depression, the report emphasized, compnrativo lig- ures showing that radio has far out- stepped competitors. WhlU; rail in advertising was 33.2% better In July this year than during the same month of .1934, figures showed that receipts of national magazlnes_ re- mained static, newspapers enjoyed a 6% rise, and farm papers stayed at about the same level. Bounding to a point 49.5% higher than in the same month two years ago, radio time sales reflected im- proved business conditions, the re- port noted, with network accounts showing 27.2% Improvement over 1934, non-network advertl."jlng gain- ing 68.6%, and local advertising ris- ing 18.8%. Comparative figures for June and July showed time sales for national networks dropped 10.2% to total of $3,175,042; regional webs remained about the same, with receipts of $92,102; national non-network ac- counts slumped 7.4% to $1,297,065; and local volume fell oft 10"'8% to $1,283^796. Declines Major part of the decline in non- network sales was accounted for by stations over 1,000 watts, which re- ported grosses of $1,160,000, down 16.3%. Medium-sized stations took $1,016,860, decline of 7.8%, and smallies garnered $404,000, relatively, unchanged. All geographical dis- tricts suffered the seasonal slump, with the Mid-West and the South showing greatest drops. Continued gains for flesh pro- grams were noted despite the Crop in total business. Brea' dcjwn ot national non-network Males .showed the expenditure for talent rose J3'J,- 705, but flesh dropped in the local field. National transcription vol- ume was off 18.8% In contrast to a gain of 6.0% for flesh, while the talent business was 60.5% above last year and 170% higher than two years ago. July business showed marked In- crease In automotive advertising of all types, compared with last yean, while food accounts Increased sub- .stantlally and tobacco advertising over regional webs and national non-network stations continued to gain. Foodstuffs kicked In $1,271,072 during July to lead all other ac- counts, with accessories, ga.soUnc and olI.H second, $540,12,';. Drugs and pharmaceuticals were third with $551,621. Automobiles touched $378,- 824; beverages, $364,281 ; and soap and kitchen supplies, $350,189. Time bookings on foreign stations • by American manufacturers looks set this season for the biggest boost in radio's history. Firms specializing in this type of busi- ness placement report that the con- tracts from export sources already involve an increase of about 160% over what it was for the 1934-36 season. Recent spurt of commercial en- deavor in South America is reflected ' by the air appropriations made by exporters for Brazil and Argentine. Another common objective on the American merchandiser's list are the Central American countries. Among those who through iri'quirtes to foreign station reps have shown an interest\in plugging their prod- ucts by way of radio in Central and South America are the brewers of Pabst and Budweiser. Particularly noticeable about the foreign buElness placed this season is the sharp trend' toward the use of electrical'transcrlptlons. Last sea- son tho programs bankrolled by American manufacturers In Latin American countries were 80% live talent. Proportion between live shows and transcriptions is no^^ about even, with the latter consist- ing of musical melanges that have been found to be of general Latin American appeal, Among the American accounts that have booked time outside tbla country are: Listerine, every South American country, the PhllJiplnes and Cuba. Carter's Liver Pilli, Cuba, the Phillipines, Brazil, Argentine, Costa Rica,- Panama, Mexico and Cuba, ^ Knox's Cystex, Costa Rica, Santo Domingo, Porto Rico, Cuba, the Phillipines. Pro-phy-lac-tic Toothbrush, all Central American countries, Cuba, Porto Rico, Gem Razor, Mexico, Cuba, Porto Rico. Kelvinator, Brazil, Porto Rico. Max Factor's Make-up, 24 stations in South America. Forhan's Toothpaste and Lipstick, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba, Porto Rico. Lentheric (French perfume), Por^ to Rico, Cuba. Libby, McNeill, Libby, all Central American countries, Porto Rico and Cuba. Tahgee Lipstick, practically all South American countries, Bayer's Aspirin, Brazil, Argentine, Cuba, Porto Rico, RHODE ISLAND'S 4TH SET FOR NEWPORT Providence, Sept, 3, A new radio station has entered the broadcasting picture in Rhode Island. Tho. station will be known as WNRI, and will be located In Newport. George S. Webb, a New- porter, has received permission from Federal authorities to set up his outfit. Webb is seeking suitable quarters and has organized a com- pany to finance the project, which Is to be strictly commercial. This win make the fourth broad- casting unit for Rhode Island. The othiT thiee, however, arc all located In I'rovlflcnce, a'ld are afllllated with netwoik.s. Willis Cooper Quits Chicago, Sept. 3. WlUla Cooper quits as continuity chief of the local NBC offices on Kept. 15. Win free lance his own Hhow.s on NBC such as 'Flying Time' and 'Lights Out,' both of which have been clicks. It's strict- ly an amlcahjc parting with Cooper .signaturing with the NBC Artists Bureau for representation. •Tob will be taken over by Larry comb, formerly with NBC con- tinuity In New York, and with the Fletcher & Ellis agency. .1^