Variety (Jul 1944)

Yi>«?ucs<lay. July .5, 19M PfiRFETY RADIO 28 SPONSORS RUSH TO RENEW Spots More Eyes Getting Wor&^ Trade Seeks Way Out of Dilemma BIGGER NETWORKS By WON WALSH : 3>}ejcasing resentment is evidenced |rno.iig .established ad ' agen.eks and the- leading indies ift 'Kt. -V: over fiepths--to which spot transcription peddlersiare sinking in the matter pi ■•fcad taste, false claims and question-: "■able radio practices. • It's reached a pohit-where^lamor is being raised jpr the' formation... of. -.an--industry. 4irie' vigilantes commiuee to set Msnda.ds .for acceptable methods of jijrlanes advertising,'■ •.'■'-' Among loudest beefs . are those fi'om. manufacturers <and their rep- resentatives) of, reputable, vitamin Reparations tvn'o bemoan the ; re- cent flood of nostrums.into the mar- .ket and dubious methods .by w hich, sonic of llksei manufacturers launch their sales messages via spot tarn- .scriptions. ; .:'■-',.': Claims- are being made, it is thar^ed. that these concoctions are •miraculous curealls wLlh plugs adopt- ing an almost constant recourse .to . the "scare 'em. to death'' approach ■oyer the air. Not only do agencies j(presenting the reputable concerns ;> ; l)jeet to the alleged:, practices be- cause t h py . h u l't a ti v it am i n m a n u - faelurer? but far-seeing execs object 'r.eranse the ill-advised plugs prom- ise to hurt all: radio advertising. Other platters drone out day and right a dreary 'cacaphony of trick . MJimd: effects ranging from gpatis to tar-piercing screams, it's charged. ■j-.hu i-iiinhp) tfirmf )'|!.ui's_._alinched without r.hym'e or reason and bear- ing no scientific sales approach. It •would almost seem, one agency exec (.pined, that the sponsors themselves never' listen 1o the brand of stuff i.eir.g aired under their name aiid; at their, expense. A lot of this cer- tainly can do the clients no good and, in many , cases, i.s doing .them a Jot of harrn, with intelligent/ listeri- *'<■'••. ';, '•; : 'Vt! ,- r -/ ,••;•:'• Another pointed out: that a burp .Way be very funny in a '.- wres'il.ing' arena but quite another thing when . exploded out of a. living room loud- speaker during a digestive remedy ■ »i.d■'• It's ha.rdto believe, he added, that plugs grounded on such poor taste can do the sponsors 'any good and they, themselves,, w ould be bound' to benefit from an -all-around cleanup; .: '- Pointed out. though, that NAB, one 'likely channel- for such it .move, Potildfi't function very well inasmuch I's most indies, airing the objection- sole stuff aren't members. Same thing, as - far. as, agencies are con- cerned, applies to !h* A A A A. Some •objectors feel that Federal authori- ties, • who recently grilled celebs Merit their signed eigaref testimo- nials, might also concern themselves with certain spot ads along-lines, of fair trade practices, false claims, etc. CBS to Retain 'Report' -Eleci ric Companies' decision to drop the "Report to the Nation'' CBS session heard Wednesday nights, 10:30-11 p.m., cues switch, effective July 30. of the Hirer into the Sunday night, 7-7:30 p.m. spot oh a .sustain- ing basis'. Web feels that show will acquire a sponsor in short order—in fact, several nibbles have- already been received. New sponsor would .have to have open lime on CBS or spot it in the . less desirable rime niches now-open since show is. pack- aged iby CBS and cannot be shifted to another net. The utility cooperative sponsorship l« seeking another show to go into the. Wednesday. 10:30-11 p.in. . sfot. Reported that lliev prefer a mus cal 'show. - ' ;'•'.'■'■': :''V : - •..'•' 'Blondie s Date With Blue Off? CBS may keep the "Blondie'' airer after , all. if Colgate, which now sponsors the session, ■ exercises" its option for 1he Sunday' night. 8-8:30 p.ifi.-' slot being ..vacated by dropping 01 the. Walter : Pidgeon "Star and Story" program by Goodyear Rub- ber. Prospective plans w hich, would 1lrTTF'^prrttT?rl~tiie stanza■ on-ttre - Brrrr ould obviously/fall through if show iemai.ned on CBS but sponsor would have, to fill the Blue. time. Friday, 7-7:30. p.m., since order: has already been- cleared.. Thus, Colgate, which/originally was faced with- the possibility of .having-to-drop one of its airers to make room for "Blondie'' -may have an extra show on. its hands. Plans for filling this extra time have not been worked --out yet but sponsor doesn't have much time since. Blue contract starts' on July 2}, - -. Reported that. Procter & Gamble had '.first crack at the Sunday spot with the idea of shifting its—Truth or Consequences" airer from its regular Saturday night; 8:30-9 p.m. spot on NBC into the CBS hole, but Nilts Trainmell, NBC piexy.. repbrf- | edly managed \o block .the inove. P&G has often expressed dissatisfac- tion with, its NBC spot. Safe Cues Drug Co. To Commercial copy sensitivities, • lUTtiifly U nder'scrutiny of the Feel- .nal Communications Commission, Tnan resulted in the Block Drug Co. dropping.' all its spot advertising on ladio. Company,, which manufac- tures kidney pills, had been utilizing, -spot facilities on about 80, stations around the country chiefly for '.early- iooniing programs of news and hitir billy ishow variety. Sponsor-dropped ■JfloSt'pi its air advertising as of.June 30, and will be off the air completely by July is. '•':::•;;■:-::■' ,':• FFC intervention and .subsequent J/'V estimation, while not forcing: com- pany off the. ah,' nevertheless;had P**ed : . a problem on trcatlneir 1 ot iommercial copv, with resultant fie-- ci'.ion to suspend i adio i-'ctK ilit* uri.- i-il there's further clarification: tit the s-'Uiation from. Washington.' . .'.' J--Waller Thompson is the agei.-cy t* the account.' '■: ';•.•-' '".•'.'..'.•-'-;-;'-'.', Edith Meiser Is Plenty Burned—Says Her Needle Gave Watson Air Hypo ■ Dropping of Edith Meiser as scripter of the JWutual-Peti 1 W he "Sherlock Holmes'' "airer may result iil'i writer suing the A. Conart Doyle e.-iate. Miss Meiser claims that" she' look- the su"b _ orelTnafe '''Dr. Waispir character of Doyle aiul developed it to the point where Watson was as important to the series as Holmes, himself. Since the. estate -derives the money from rights to' the char- acters of the mystery'series^they w ill be the defendants in the planned suit. '-, •'-._'. ,- ' If successful M.iss . Meiser's. suit would provide;.a precedent foj- de- lermini.ng the radio writer's ..equity in material adapted for radio and developed " by the scripter for .that medium; " :,:': ; - ;: - :-■ •' •'..-'.' '-'-:" • Those inflexible SRO hours in nighttime radio, have manifested their' value, 'So /Jar...as sponsorship com- is concerned, by an. unpre- cedented situation.■■•'■ Clients' are no longer holding off to .the; eleventh- hour- to retain their franchises. On the muCh-Rought-afier evening: time, but are renewing contracts far in advance:'.'-;".""- "v,,;"'.-.'.•'::'•"•.'.".'. '.'-.*•- •''•,. ';.':■ Whereas, in The past," it .was the policy of piost nafiohal advertisers to withhold- plans for the new season until their semi-annual balance,sheet assured ihem of excess profits, this year the tax-bracket factor,while still important, is. relegated to the back- ground as : the necessity of. maihtain- mg good radio time looms, fim in importance. :'•'": ' . Ail ; of 'which adds up to the fact that, even at the-expiration of the fiist- ii.v morihs, the four ma.ior webs are destined to. surpass last year's record-breaking $160,000,000 in gross t-;me sales. . The enigma of;bow radio can. con- •,;nue ;q. spiral its billings in the face of .iampacked skeds that have existed for a long time has at least two con- crete explanations-^more and more spot time sales'are evidenced, w-ith a SO'-J increase'.over .last: year already noied, plus the continued expansion of the networks to embrace more and more affiliaies. as outlets for lop coin' shows. . The fact, that there is still -plenty' of network time available outside of the charmed 7-1! p.m. bracket is re- garded as reflecting-theMremcndous pull of . the, desirable spots or else a lack of courage on tne part of-FpoTr sors in refusing to'develop nighttime p'rogrammihg during off-lime, hours, Reconversion Of Industries Eyed By Major Webs 'Town Meeting fo lingering Death' Is That Good? WLEW. Ei le. fa , boasts a new 'fist" tn- radio... Not content . w ilh making a . plas for audience attention vm commercial .tingles, the station announces as. its gift, to the in- dustry a "singing station break." Mutual Aims . .'■'-, ;...v: ■; . '.'. ■ .^;!-;.-., r . : ,-:. : - ■ Cowl at Femmes Jane Covvl takes over the . 2:45*3 p.m. spot on ;WOR-Mutua) -net im her own -Moiiday-througli-Fririay sustaining', program, .effective;' July 10 Mo\e if an attempt bv MBS to inject a fo ma; to counter the,day- time serial stanzas on NBC and CBS. Program has been tabbed ".h;st Between You and Jane Cow;l,'' 'which' will have, a-timely slant on current topics af seen through the eye« crl the legit actress and aimed princi- pally for femme appeal. .- Greenwood Fifth, Await Subsequent Hooperating As Test for Hope Fill-in The Charlotte Greenwood summer replacement show: lor Bob Hope, heard Tuesday nights at 1,0 ^o'clock via j\BC. capvureo .\o. .1 spot on. iKtf Aetna Insurance Co. ; Likes 'War Journal' Atm» Life Iiistifance Co., Hartford, l.;.' auditioned • War Journal."' Blue . ounclup by cot) t-spodents c.f the i.tt'liM'-ii' -ni*- 5- lor possible spou- .ship. '■:';-; ■■'".'• . .Staiiii • is cUrroiilly heard, tacb S .sul:.\. in iii'C VJ-12M p.m. slot •on- iric wtb. ..'.. * fales departments of major web Tast.Aveek began.making major pitch- es foi business from « ar- industries, expected- to reconvert :to peacetime goods: mamifaclnring shortly. Many of these war-implement makers were important radio ..advertisers pre-w'ar. but have been oil 'the air since the start, or hostilities, w'hert.-' thejj. be- gan working for Uncle Sain. ,, PIaros have ali-ead'y been bl uepri nt- k> for seven:) of these inanufactur- ers to return to the making of..con- sumer, goods by the fall; and the web; sales execs are keeping more than a:wealber-eye on- the silnation. Net- \vork .men .are adyisirjg agencies for these accounts that they will be weleomed back with open arms, many of them haying been -bankroll-. w" of 'nt-tt, ork: '.-ftcrw? f«M7>-'.-,yeb irr* jaiicy..' '.„-.-.;• ".v •':■:;„- ;'.--.' ; Expected ;<< piofif ptost ift the, imrnetij'gte lu'.nve' by , this, ,si.tualion are . the' Blue and Mutual netw orks, which have /plenty of time to sell •to these important' advertisers,; CBS and NBC, hov. ev'er. are also in there seeking some of the business to be garnered ., for their, webs and -af- .j bnd. half-hour) ! filiated segments, such ,as the Pacific coast and Rocky Mountain portions of. their nets;-. ':- :.-'.,,. 'F. igidaire 'General . Motors siib- sid I .is. understood to be currently sti(rpping; for a: coast-lo-coa'st ,.sh"o\v ;il an important nighttime spot,; as are. the; .Chrysler: Corp, ror, several of t.t.s subs'dJU't' and nem.ingtqH- Ran.o,.typew'i )lt; mt.-mifaclur'f)- There i* ?n a > of .uptimism aniong the :top, Avai-fhne.; manhfaetiu'ors that the v. ar will j>c < \er shortly., and 'hty will again loin- iq the inakiiig. of'.' electric .ri of yes. typewriters, <.! ,';.')•. Z< nith Radio qe's-io'if s milking' radios, o !•••' large-scale .'. Refining reports in, the trade that "he had . pifviously put himself on itroid that pe v.ould withdraw as a Town Hal) trustee if "America'* Town Meeting' ever became, :spon- fcoied,' No 'nan Thomas 1 old "Va- riety''.(bis week that while he was, still opposed in principle to sii' h a '"<vt >ic vtii tSielc.'S he constdt leti it wiser thai?"a "slow and . lingering death" for the program. > Conouions laid down in the cdn- jiaet lor Readers Digest sponsor- ship of the Thursday night Blue net- work Jorum, Tnomas asserted, are sucr as to satisfy mm-that.there « iH . be. ho eilitorial .interference or exer- t'sinj' of control and no individual moneffci'v benefits w ill accrue to the - Town Hall personnel. The mo- trieht. there's the slightest,deviation from tbt terms e.>t the contract 'Thomas said the reason he agreed to go along was because of the ex- acting te-rms: of the pact i "there'll be, plenty -of seiuawlcing'frbm this <:or-' ner, for I »on't tolerate it, 1 .: ' •' The networks:!oeing the powers thai' they are, Thomas pointed outj it , was simply a case of choosing trie lts.ser,o! two- evils—experimenting under' carefully guarded comnteicial : auspices or. being,- made a football ami being .kicked around,,. "I'm, ne.t so ' une-omprOmising as 1 to sit l.i'ck Bfie?;. invite a slowi. lingering death,"-. ' he asserted. ;•. ... Thomas sees justification fbt'-siic'h speinseirs-hip being rendered sttsipect i"I vr eeeii a critic, 61 Reader s Di- gest ipvhell ma.uv times in the past' ) ( but he believes .'uc'i an arrangeme i t ran wo. k cjot' satisfactorily. With lf.i.sc v, •-»». l'^ht) ihi; map n»; . Fp'S'-f-t Hooper listings for the period coyer- ing June 15-21 with a 16 rating. The "Fibber McGee and Molly'' show,' now taking a hiatds, w-as out in front for, the period iwith a 24.8 Hooperat- iiig. . Second'; with 17.7, was the Joan Dav is-Jack Haley: Sealtest show. The No. 5 spot for -Miss Green- wood, a, newcomer .to radio, is .ob- viously influenced by the Tuesday night listening habit of -dial-twisters, tiipfiig in; for the Hope: stanza. Sub- scquent ratirigs. 'it's felt, will give a niore.'-realistic pictiire..'of the come- dienne's ability to hold the .10-10:30 afTditnce. ,.; - ,-i ' '.i . Meanwhile, attention is being fo- cused' on the rating istill to .be re-, leasedt that the "Words aTWar" re; placement for the "Fibber" show; will manage to ..roll up. .in view; of the drastic switch in fofmat from come-, dy to serious, war-tempoeri program- ming. It's felt that an analysis' of ■the- rating should bring forth sf'me interesting dala: < I ; does the. public, crave such serious programming: <2i-I sp< ju.-l how large-' a segment' of .the-re- ord-pulling "Fibber" audience can be switched- to -the new. bracket e»l entertainment: (.'i> ; is there" such a tiling as a "habit'' audience, one that alter week-in, week-out adherence, to a. dial spot can' jje relied' upon to remain-glued to the same station. Top 15 ratings for the June 15-21 pc < ,tid follows • '"• --■'■—■■ .. . - "Fibber -McGee-' -ft ''Molly.*- Joan Davis and Jack i;HMey.;.I-ux Radio Theatre.;.Screen Guiid Players. C'nar.- lotte.Gretnwoori; "Mi-.;, bistricf AltOr- ney," Frank . Morgan-Fahnie':. Brice; Bing Crosby. "Take. It or Leave It." Walter Winchell.' "Aidrich Family'."' Kay Ky-er •8)>t halt-houri.. Eddie Cantor. Hilde-garde. Kay Kyseir, >see- he has nc' paiieTiee. "especially when it's tossed.around as carelessly as has ..Vice-Pi esiueni Wallace." Sponsorsiiip . coin will accrue to. Town Hal!.treasury,, with moderator George V. Denny continuing w ith his present $20,000 s year Mary; acee/r.d- ing tt'.Tho ncs. ; . A t the .same time. 'Thomas R; Car- skaidon i cJmirrijSn- of the. radio cuhi- miitee of'the American Civil Uotr- ties Union, replying to- a tjuory s»s: to the coMiTihtet s position . aritnt the. Reader's .Digest sponsorship of "Meeting." re-itera.ie-d the union's stand th;,t "'cornmcicial sponsorship, ■ •• innopSf ore-ate- danger to.free- tf6iar i>t. 1hotig.it and 'expression on Jorum ;-:.-ei r.iU' c. o^r ilssion pro- ' gri:")f i'-M, shotfief be avoided. *.- "We . deplore-tne 1. '., ' Carskaoon aeie eo, "ihix seime networks, because, of wai -sv.c.lh n e:< "\, nds for ce.rh- me.'c.a) l,me. are now putting pies- sure' or. well-fstaolisheid' forum and . public e isenssion: programs to accept . •rise.) ship.' We belie ve that, broad- . casters >vm> oo this are going against fries,, < v.r long-term interest, as well «»"Vfj».sr>«.t. the public interest Lis- teners «jli resent . such moves and the finaf result.may be a demaiid for more government .control oyer pro- grams—v, hich is se>mething that all- e.J iif interested in freedom: ol the'' raoi.o v.. iSi if,.to iiVOtfl-V..; Fishbein Nixes Scripts On Socialized Medicine For 'Doctor Fights' Show Buildup Fund Cues Delay On Hilliard-Nelson Show * p.e'thce fif ' Dj-j Morris Fisnbein, eeiiioj , 't'f- . tmi" Au;eric:in Medical' !"As>)f.' Jeitiini!),' as: consuilaftt on the i sclienle y-CBS "Tne - Doctor Fights" kih.h\)-}i/t iisiilted in the barring -«.f- t >.},y srTipis, on socialized medicine i from tniit.stanza. At recent meeting: Desii-e to .pHe up a fund .-for 'ex-'!>. h>'pl rn "latizing the medical ,-e.t- ploiiation of fh'e Oz/»e -Neisoii-Har- i >t> «t.t '.e Ki.iscr piunts was mulJtd ii«:tt. n'!'l;ai'd'.'.'io,v is responsible fen'! **>< iuf.ne p.-ocuiction. Suggestion postRpniii^ premise fro:n 0< {. I to !:*•*' ez-ough to set Fishboin, jp-Jifari.t Of,, h ■ ;;■; -' ,".'..-'■ Ai. ci h.-.d * bfcen-. pencilled.' ^ in ' 1 li:'-'the*" f-i.riiM date but since! siiow | v -. runs i-.. t; I'estricted. budget tlie o/il-y . •o ay to fiiid )n olii'ily.' , ;.f U es, K.oios Corp., \> hicb is- e.vpccteo m« 'lufi-otui e kill' 11 U. . Im oiti p.- o-ra.;ij !',i;:ring-;.id s':o jpui;' f<i) a i it- i. 1. I i-t budget. money for, additional ,• by carrying bier the S hei T ifatrt foimat fo ext,a week. Stive T it.-itre cost s ;.000 >, - .'.e/ek •vhije tbe Xeho.i ( p|.ejiye.ni . of .socialized medicine, off >. t, Jengthv tmbltfe'i'eel rtiatrtbe iclv .i.'Cnr, int. .end of ary such, pis Je.i i t ; : jie.', . I'ishoe.in v.ii.s'-s.o,' Aorked up about :e i:i--.i't;.e!''.!ria,t ne^sein out a tj-e.iini,. ¥ i ,Hi! . ■( M; i /. costs SO-SOO, ti'uis p. ei- { .,o;ic ie > t {. «>i ;,o< itiontil Vi.*)00 tor o.jly. .<fi iU.(i ' •"!'.-'..*.!.. .'-''- ' ' ■:,'■'■' '" .'.''". ' to !■ -ose cOi'inecteo .ii'lMhe hm-.ou t .-.( -i strip's sKosttng ooctiirs v.oik og tugej or . ■ . iv , t g tne 'Vied m:u/> tcel o,irto S lustrountlv he ••«•. / < -,.o orft such ' >.hbv,> .r,i fif ' -I nroii.-prn.