Variety radio directory (1937)

COOPERATIVE ANALYSIS OF BROADCASTING (WHAT IT IS AND DOES) Over a million and a quarter interviews have been made by The Cooperative Analysis of Broadcasting since its founding in March, 1930. This is the largest number of consumer interviews ever made by one organization. The C. A. B. is an outgrowth of the 1929 activities of the Association of National Advertisers' Radio Committee. It is a mutual and non-profit organization operating under the supervision of a Governing Committee, two members of which are appointed by the president of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, and three members by the president of the A. N. A. This Committee has full charge of management and sets all policies, business as well as research. The subscribers comprise radio advertisers, agencies and networks. The cost is spread among them in proportion to their respective stakes in radio advertising.' The average subscriber pays $100 per month for approximately 300 ratings or about thirty cents apiece. The field work is conducted by Crossley, Inc., a private research organization, on a contract basis. The governing committee maintains a permanent headquarters at 330 West 42nd St., New York City, in charge of A. W. Lehman, manager. Ratings on practically all commercial network programs, daytime as well as evening, are reported to subscribers, in twenty-four semi-monthly and several more comprehensive reports which analyze programs by geographical sections, income levels, etc. In addition the committee is constantly studying various ways in which to improve its reports and service and has spent about $12,000 in the last two and one-half years on experimental studies. The most recent of these led to the first thoroughgoing study of rural listening habits, a survey which consisted of over 20,000 interviews with setowners — 9.815 among farmers, 10,785 among residents of small towns whose average population is 760. Currently the C. A. B. is making completed calls at the rate of 408,000 per year. These are made by 53 investigators in 33 cities, from Boston to San Francisco and New Orleans to Minneapolis. The calls are carefully distributed by geographical sections to correspond closely to the distribution of radio homes. They are also distributed in relationship to the size of the cities. For example, in New York and Chicago between 30.000 and 35,000 calls are completed each year, while in Spokane only about 4,000. In addition to the regular reporting service the C. A. B. supplies its subscribers with special analyses of almost every imaginable kind such as ratings of specified transcribed or sustaining programs, cumulative ratings on local programs in various cities, and how listeners turn from one program to another. From time to time the C. A. B. issues special reports and ratings on important events. For example during the past year or so it issued ratings on the Liberty League dinner. Louis-Schmeling fight, King Edward's Farewell address, the Kentucky Derby, campaign speeches, etc. Another interesting and valuable service is the complete program history of all the talent that has been on any commercial network program since March, 1930. More and more those who are responsible fcr radio expenditures are calling on the C. A. B. for the records of past performances of radio artists. In summary, the C. A. B. helps its subscribers: 1. To determine the best day and hour to select whenever a choice of radio time is offered. 2. To follow the popularity trend of various types of programs and discover when a given type is improving or wearing thin. 3. To purchase talent advantageously by comparing the performers on different programs. 4. To decide whether a given season should be included or dropped. 5. To make comparisons between daytime and evening programs. 6. To compare the difference in program audiences by sections of the country, population groups, income levels, etc. 7. To discern by studies of the leaders and laggers what makes a good radio program. 8. To check where the least competition is and find the most desirable time to buy. The Governing Committee is headed by Dr. D. P. Smelser in charge of the Market Research Department of Procter and Gamble (current leading radio advertiser). Dr. George Gallup of Young & Rubicam, Inc., is treasurer. Chester H. Lang, of the General Electric Company, George W. Vos of the Texas Company, and Dr. L. D. H. Weld of McCann-Erickson, Inc., are the other members of the committee. 29