Interests in Newscasts Soared Search of Radio Program Popularity
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Interests in Newscasts Soared search of radio program popularity. Blue Central Div. Notes With its beginnings in 1929, the (Continued from page 13) CAB took shape five years later as Sales Increase for 1943 grams ranked fourth in use of time. most program, Kate Smith Speaks, a non -profit enterprise. Supervision REVIEW of 1943 sales figures for They were charged with 15.5% of the leaders were all serial dramas in the first four years of operation the Blue Network's Central Di- the time, and the outranking types broadcast five days a week. was exercised by the Radio Com- vision -the first year of operation All of since separation from NBC were, in order: drama, variety and them, including the Kate Smith mittee of the Assn. of National -dis- Advertisers in conjunction with closed substantial increase over audience participation. These types program, a news summary, were a 1942 figures, according to Merritt held the same relative positions in 15- minute programs. If the Sunday companion committee of the Ameri- R. Schoenfeld, sales manager of the winter season of 1942 -43. presentations were added, two more can Assn. of Advertising Agencies. the division. programs A reorganization in 1934 led to the Nighttime Leaders would be included: The "During the first quarter of Pause That Refreshes on the Air appointment of a governing com- 1943, sales figures showed a 68.7% As in other years, there was little and the New York Philharmonic mittee--now the Board of Gover- gain over the first three months of change from the previous year in Orchestra. These would place re- nors-in which both agencies and 1942," explained Schoenfeld. "Our the December 1943 roster of radio's spectively in second advertisers had equal control. next three months indicated an and third po- 82.5% gain over 20 leading productions. They were, sitions, the latter tying with Big Thus, the CAB is representative corresponding of all the buyers of radio time and time in 1942 and the Blue's third listed in the order of their ratings, Sister and Pepper Young's Family. quarter was marked by a 90.5% as follows: The average rating of the week- talent. The Board, nominated by gain over the third period in 1942." Fibber McGee and Molly day leaders for December 1943 is the American Assn. of Advertis- Although fourth quarter figures Pepsodent Program-Bob Hope ing Agencies and the Assn. of Na- Chase and Sanborn Program 11.5 as compared with an average were not available, Mr. Schoenfeld Jack Benny of 10 for December 1942. tional Advertisers, at present con- seemed certain that a 100% in- Lux Radio Theatre sists of three agency members and crease would be reported. Red Skelton Aldrich Family Sports Events an equal number of advertiser Maxwell House Coffee Time members. Mr. District Attorney In accordance with its usual Meat Kay Kyser The Board fixes all policies of Institute Series Kraft practice, the CAB scored the radio Music Hall audiences the CAB including, of course, those AMERICAN MEAT INSTITUTE, Sealtest Village Store of numerous sports Chicago, new to radio, on Jan. 16 Kate Smith Hour events in 1943, including 10 boxing governing research, membership Time To Smile -Eddie Cantor rules and the compilation and dis- started The Life of Riley, on ap- Abbott and Costello matches and numerous baseball proximately 156 Blue stations, Bit Parade (45- minute program) games semination of information. A major 3 Screen Guild Players in the championship season. Sunday, -3:30 p.m. (EWT). Take It or Leave It Boxing -None policy of the Board has been its Starring William Bendix as a war The Great Gildersleeve of the 10 fights determination to foster the devel- rated in 1943 was a industry worker, cast includes Fitch Bandwagon championship. opment and the improvement of the Georgia Backus, Hans Conried. Only four were new to the list, affair. As a result the top fight CAB techniques. The end in view Series is produced by Don Bernard, and one of them, Sealtest Village rating was only 8.5, and it was is the perfection of the ideal pro- written by Ashmead Scott and Store, appeared in the 1942 roster scored for the Beau Jack -Fritzie gram popularity measurement. Ac- Alan Lipscott. Lou Kosloff is mu- Zivic as the Rudy Vallee program. The affray on Feb. 5, 1943. The cordingly, the CAB has always al- sical director. Agency is Leo Bur- nett Co., Chicago. other three were Abbott and Cos- ratings for the other nine contests located a share of its income to ex- tello, Screen Guild Players, and ran down the scale to a low of 3.7 perimentation. As a result, the Take It or Leave It. The latter set for the bout between Johnny Greco CAB subscribers have benefited tive statistical data, while complete a record as the first quiz show to and Terry Young on May 8, 1943. from improved service time after case histories of all commercial climb into the top 20. Baseball -The baseball season time. programs broadcast during the turned in a monthly listening aver- The 10 nighttime leaders for the The cost of the CAB is borne by past 12 years are available to mem- winter months of 1942 -43 are given age of 13.3 for 1943 to better by a bers. narrow margin the 1942 average of the leading advertising agencies, in Table I. Changes in position from advertisers and networks, and oper- Subscriber -members use the CAB the previous winter season are few. 13.2. The 1943 season, however, reports to help showed ating funds are collected by dues them: (i) Pick the The only newcomer to the group is a wider fluctuation in in- preferable day and hour whenever and prorated according to each mem- Red Skelton. Both Walter Winchell terest reached a high point of a choice of radio time is available. 14.7 in June ber's interest in radio advertising. and Kate Smith slipped from the and dropped off to a (2) Detect trends in the popularity low 11.2 Results are sent to subscribers in first 10. The curious mathematics of in September. The ex- of programs and types of pro- that adds one and takes away two tremes of 1943 were higher and the form of 40 or more reports per grams. Appraise year semi -monthly reports, (3) talent scienti- is accounted for by the dual and lower than 1942. -24 and fically by scrutinizing performance 16 others. The monthly separate listings of Kraft Music 1943 1942 semi- and in ratings. (4) Determine whether May 13.1 13.5 monthly Hall as an hour and half -hour pro- reports are rounded out by a given season June 14.7 13.9 semi -annual publications ana- should be included gram. July 18.8 12.8 -one or not. (5) Balance the value of August 18.1 12.3 lyzing trends in program popu- daytime and Only three of the winter headlin- September 11.2 13.1 larity, the other analyzing trends nighttime programs. ers appeared among 10 Season average_ 18.8 13.2 (6) Analyze program audiences by the leading in listening habits. Both are accu- programs (Table II) of the sum- What the CAB Is mulations sections of the country, population of the previous months groups, income mer of 1943. They were the Lux Collecting listening data for the of summer or winter investigations. levels, etc. (7). Radio Theatre, Aldrich Family, and mutual information Evaluate the elements that contrib- of its members, Special analyses of radio pro- ute high Kraft Music Hall. The list reveals, the CAB is today the only non- grams to and low rating pro- however, that the Jergen's Journal, are readily prepared and grams. profit organization engaged in re- supplied from the CAB's cumula- vehicle for the news program of The CAB charts fortnightly the Walter Winchell, was still among "box office" returns of every spon- the 10 high shows in popularity. sored network program, regardless Daytime Leaders of the time of day or night it is on the air, using as its base a com- Seven of the 11 programs that prehensive, nationwide sample. contested for the 10 top positions among the weekday leaders in De- Cities Surveyed cember 1943 (two were tied for Investigations are regularly car- tenth) were among the 10 high ried on in: Eastern Cities- Boston, shows of December 1942. New York, Philadelphia, Pitts- The 11 leaders were: burgh, Baltimore, Detroit, Cleve- Kate Smith Speaks land, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Hartford, Stella Dallas Providence, Syracuse, Rochester, Big Sister Pepper Young's Family Washington. Right to Happiness MERCHANDISING PLANS of the Wildroot Co. (Cream Oil Formula Southern Cities Louis- Backstage Wife -Atlanta, Ma Perkins (Columbia) hair dressing) were discussed at a recent meeting held in Cincinnati ville, Memphis, New Orleans, Dal- Young Widder Brown at the invitation of Specialty Sales, WLW subsidiary. Seated (I to r) are: las, Houston, Oklahoma Romance of Helen Trent City. L. S. Kendall, Charles Siegwarth and M. G. Ballagh, Specialty Sales Midwestern Cities Our Gal Sunday field representatives; A. E. Ritchie, Wildroot's -Chicago, St. Lorenzo Jones general sales manager; Louis, Des Moines, Kansas City, St. Newcomers Allan D. Lehmann, BBDO account executive; Ronnie Jones and J. J. to the list were Stella Tigyer, district managers for Sales and Paul, Minneapolis, Omaha. Dallas, Backstage Young Specialty Oscar Haberman, field Wife, representative. Standing (1 to r) are Lou Sargent, manager of Specialty Pacific Coast Cities -San Fran- Widder Brown and Lorenzo Jones. Sales, and W. A. Murray, his assistant. Wildroot sponsors Gregor Ziemer's cisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Se- With the exception of the top- daily Background newscast on WLW twice weekly.