gro and Mexican). The Notre Dame foot- "It isn't so important from the longtime ball games are carried live by KGFJ ex- viewpoint that radio is getting more busi- clusively in the Los Angeles area, she said, ness than at any other time in its history, this fourth year being sponsored by Delco but rather that it is getting new business," Battery Div. of General Motors Corp. Mr. Spero said. "Advertisers who until a M. W. Hall, president and manager of short while ago had never used radio are KLAC Los Angeles (5 kw, 1 kw night on now listed among its most enthusiastic spon- 570 kc), stressed that "habit is very im- sors. portant in radio. That is the basic reason for "Take the wine industry, for instance. our swinging to the music, news and sports Two years ago wine advertising was limited format years ago and sticking to it." primarily to the printed media and tele- KLAC today emphasizes its "Big Five" vision. Now KMPC has several wine ac- disc jockeys broadcasting 24 hours a day and counts. Guild Wine, through Dancer -Fitz- sold as a whole package, he said. KLAC's gerald -Sample in San Francisco, bought a "big five" are Peter Potter, Dick Haynes, schedule on KMPC last spring and produced SOON Jim Ameche, Alex Cooper and Gene Nor- such results that they have expanded their man. schedule to a saturation campaign using Mr. Hall believes that the radio crisis all KMPC personalities and the Chef Milani power boost to year was around 1949 "when everybody was Merchandising Plan. going to bury it." Since then KLAC's net "Other newcomers to KMPC who either profit has increased 400 %, he said, and the had not used independent radio previously station's net before taxes this year will be or had used it irregularly include Wilson in excess of a half million. KLAC sells Packing Co., Bond's Clothes, Wynn's Fric- mostly spots and the longest program it will tion Proofing, Luer Packing Co., Household sell is a 5- minute show which is usually Finance Corp. (previously limited to net- news, Mr. Hall said. work radio), Shell Oil Co., Morris Plan Like other Los Angeles stations, KLAC Bank, Calso, Canada Dry, Eclipse Mattress, experienced no summer slump. "Business Washington Carpet Co., Morse Signal De- 50KW has gone on at the spring and fall pace," vices, Lady Esther Cosmetics and others. he said. "Radio is growing not only in 'depth,' i.e., "It's a rare thing in this market today receiving bigger appropriations in the form for when an advertiser does not ask for satura- of saturation campaigns from long -time tion coverage. The advertiser here knows radio advertisers, but it also is growing in how to use radio," Mr. Hall said. He 'breadth,' i.e., attracting new advertisers finds the automobile audience is a big plus. who, previously, had not tested its impact. "In this town the percentage of newspaper That's the significant feature today," he said. readers is small. The reader doesn't ride KWKW Pasadena, on the air for 13 years, to his job on a subway where he can read aims the major portion of its programming a paper. He drives there and listens to his to the large Spanish -American segment in radio," Mr. Hall said. the Los Angeles area. This year the sta- KLAC, which is strong on promoting it- tion has increased its Spanish -language pro- WQXR self, also is heavy on merchandising its gramming 55% over last to a total of 15 advertisers. "We spend about $75,000 a hours of daily block programming. Coin- year on promotion of KLAC to the trade cident with this, KWKW shows an increase The Nation's No. 1 and public," Mr. Hall estimated. "In addi- in billings of 30% over last year, William tion we devote about $34,000 a month in Beaton, general manager, reports. Indica- Good Music Station station time for public service announce- tions are for larger increases with August ments." showing a 39% boost over the same month Robert O. Reynolds, vice president -gen- of '54. eral manager of KMPC Los Angeles (50 kw Most accounts that have tested the sta- Now more than 650,000 fami- day, 10 kw night -directional, 710 kc), said tion's Spanish -language programs have be- lies in metropolitan New York that his station is running 10% ahead of come permanent advertisers, according to last year which in turn was 10% over 1953. Mr. Beaton. KWKW is the Los Angeles listen to WQXR every week. "The increases are coming from substantial outlet for the Sombrero and Spanish Lan- accounts, oil, food, department stores. It guage networks. indicates a healthy type of relationship," he George Barron, manager of KOWL Santa for engineering map said. Monica (10 kw daytime on 1580 kc), re- Send KMPC boosted its rates about 10 -12% vealed that August this year was 30% over showing our new coverage. the first of September, the station's first in- last year and that 1955 so far is running crease in about three years. Mr. Reynolds 20% over 1954. National business since said the growth of the market, specific audi- 1953 has increased five times on KOWL, ence increases and extra merchandising Mr. Barron said. He estimated that na- WQXR the increase. values to advertisers justified tional and regional accounts are placing AM and FM The KMPC executive also noted the big heavy business on his station because of the Station of The New York Times auto listening market and the great influx of Negro and Spanish-language format. KOWL The Radio York 36, N. Y. new families in the area annually. now broadcasts about 8 hours of Spanish Times Square, New KMPC's format employs three themes: and 51/2 hours of Negro programs each day. Disc jockeys and music, with middle ground He said a total of 67 national and regional Represented nationally by popular tunes; frequent news programs, accounts are using these programs. The Paul H. Raymer Company mostly 5 minutes, and sports coverage of Mr. Barron said the Spanish audience in various kinds, baseball, football and golf. greater Los Angeles now totals about a half Stanley Spero, general sales manager of million persons, while the Negro audience KMPC and chairman of the SCBA Sales totals about 350,000. He said the Negro Committee, believes stations are overlook- market alone represents about $100 million ing the most significant factor in their busi- in annual purchasing power. ness boom today -sponsors new to radio. KOWL personalities programming for the BROADCASTING TELECASTING September 19, 1955 Page 165