Variety (Dec 1944)

Wednesday, December 20, 1944 17 IT HAPPENED ON DEC. 15 Keith Kiggins, Blue's Station Relations Vice President, met with four of the nation's ablest and most experi- enced radio operators. They signed contracts. As a result of these contracts, six great radio stations will become part of the Blue Network on June 15, 1945. We think this is important. Wethink it is impor- tant because of the calibre of men who run these stations. We think it is important because it convinces us once again that the Blue Network is steadily march- ing ahead. That the trend is to the Blue. That the idea is getting around that it is not only easy, but smart, to do business with the Blue. Let's look at the stations! One has the reputation of being one of the country's great farm stations, two are affiliated with important newspapers, two are the most powerful in their section of the country, and one, with already a loyal listening audi- ence in Boston, has plans to. increase its power in the near future. Then there is another very important considera- tion: Up to now, three of these stations have been part of CBS. Two were MBS. One was independent. Now they are all Blue. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT 4 EXPERIENCED RADIO OPERATORS, in the most effective way possible, have set their stamp of approval on the policies and ideals which are making the youngest of the 3 big Networks the fastest- growing advertising mediimi in thet6buntry...One of these men, Mr. Gardner Cowles Jr., sayst «'Wc are proud to afliliate three of our stations with theJBlue Network. We have growing respect for and confidence in the increasingly good job being done by the new management of the Blue. We think the Blue has a great future and we are delighted to be able to bring the listeners of three of our stations the high quality Blue Program service." IT MEANS MORE LISTENERS TO THE BLUE. scvc»i hundred thousand more radio homes come under complete Blue coverage. For examplie, consider WNAX, Sioux| City-Yankton, one of the greatest farm stations in the Lfnited States—in physical coverage, in mail pull, in its ability to sell goods for advertisers. A sur- vey of'20 counties shows WNAX first in listening in 11, second in 6 and third in 3. As another example, WFTL Miami, at 10 kw. is the most powerful station in Florida and teamed with it WPDQ operates with the highest full-time power in Northern Florida. 3 4 IT MEANS MANY PLUSES FOR BLUE ADVERTISERS. Aside from added coverage and loyal listening, these six stations are operated by men who know how to do a merchandising job and who get behind the selling efforts of advertisers who use their stations .. .Take KRNT, Des Moines: This, station is affiliated with the Des Moines Register & Tribune, one of the nation's great newspapers. Its staff of trained mer- chandising men call regularly on jobbers, distributors and deialers, expediting the flow of advertisers'^ goods into the rich Iowa market . . . WLAW is prepared to render this same valuable merchandising service in Lawrence. FINALLY, this switch of 6 important radio stations is further proof that NOW IS THE TIME FOR ADVERTISERS TO NAIL DOWN A FRANCHISE ON THE BLUE... Polotlog the way are star programs which have re- cently started on the Blue: Alan Young, voted the most. promising star by 600 radio editors, Herbert Marshall, The March of Time, Charlotte Greenwood, Gracie Fields, and Fred Waring ... These shows join the ranks of Radio Hall of Fame with its galaxy of big name stars: Walter Winchell, Breakfast at Sardi's, The Breakfast Qub, Blind Date, Life of Riley, Ed Wynn, Joe E. Brown, Hollywood Mystery Time, Drew Pearson, Quiz Kids, and those great public service programs, Boston Symphony, Metropolitan Opera, and Town Meeting of the Air. These and other national favorites prove the Blue can get high listening day and night, can get it again and again—with proved sales results for scores of satisfied advertisers. THIS IS THE GREATER NETWORK A ME R I C A N BROADCASTING CO M PA NY, I N-C .