Commercial Stations Play Big Part in Australian

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 40, 12 April 1935, Page 13

Commercial Stations Play Big Part in Australian

COMMERCIAL stations in Australia are an important and indispensable part of the nation’s broadcasting. , Radio advertising has been developed as an art in the Commonwealth, so that there is practically no undue obtrusion of "boosting" a line of goods or a service, and the programmes from commercial stations are of a remarkably high standard, to provide a service which sells itself to advertisers. .

{ALF of the annual license fee of 21/- chatgéd by the Government On all radio sets wsed by householders is devoted to the maintenance of the Government stations, their staffs and programmes. The private enterprises, or, as they. dare generally known, the commercial stations, are operated for profit, deriving their revenue entirely from the sale of advertising time. Research has proved that at any given moment 70 to 80 per cent. of the total available radio audience listen to commercial stations. Several reasons account for this preference. The Government stations insist on absolutely formal programme presentation; efforts by announcers to build up personal followings are discouraged; the tendency of programmes is more educational than’ towards popular entertainment; lack of competition causes the inévitable disabilities found in a Government concérn. Commercidl stations, however, broadcast programmes designed to make the strongest possible appeal to the available audience, according to-the time of day or night. The announcers of the main commercial stations have been selected to appeal to and inspire thé confidence of the various types into which the radio audience has been found to fall. ‘Thus they have become established. personalities, wielding a very strong influence over public habits and opinions. . There is considerable concentration of population dround the main cities, particularly Sydney and Melbourne, which means that those very rich mar_kets are ideally reached by radio, This is particularly so because in both cities are the outstanding Australian commercial stations. It must not be thought, however, that the country areas of Australia cannot be reached effectively by radio, Quite the reverse is the case, die to radio’s serving ag the major entertainment for country people, Country radio stations are located in key areas throughout. the Commonwealth. There are 29 stations. located outside the six main cities, Owing to the vast distances between large towns in Australia, either network broadcasts or transcription broadcasts must be used by national advertisers to cover the entire market. Network broadcasts are confined most« ly to the four main States of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. ‘Owing to the fact that Perth is more than 1400 miles west of Adelaide the cost of landline service renders o relay prohibitive. especially as the potential market Is relatively small. The same . proposltion arises in the case of Tasmania,

which is separated from the mainland: by 443 miles of sea. Network broadcasts which require a more specific country appeal are put through the smaller country stations, although the cost of landlines and the difficulty of getting them at a uniform time means that often transcriptions are: more suitable. ‘ Generally speaking the use of an electrical transcription programme is more suitable for advertisers desiring national coverage. The types of programme cover a very wide range: dramatic, musical, musical comedy, children’s and women’s. programmes, mystery serials and so on, which thus allow good "tie-ups" for sponsors of:

different types of product or service. These transcription programmes also enable such markets as West Australia and Tasmania to be covered cheaply. Also, transcriptions are most suitable to "tie-in" with sales drives which are not always made in all States at the same time, , By mail returns over a number of yeats and by response to advertising it has been established that the Australian radio audience can be classified more or less accurately according to the tine of day, as-follows: 7 am. to 9 a.m.: Young business folk -men. and women-and also school children’ from 7,80 to 8,80,

9 a.m. to 12 noon: Housewives and elderly follk. Noon to 2 p.m.: Housewives and lar ge family audience in country districts. 2 p.m. to 4.45 p.m.: Women interested in-tea table chatter, social news, fashions, bridge talks and modern music. _ 4.45 to 6 p.m.: Children’s session. 6.30 to 11.380: Night session-mavxi-mum audience of all ages and. sexes, fiuetuating according to: programmes and becoming of a more ‘sophisticated type after 10 p.m. Some stations have made subdivisions beyond: this broad schedule. ’ The actual sales results of firms using radio as an. advertising medium are best expressed in terms of renewals. The keenest national advertisers in Australia have renewed into their fifth and sixth years, with increasing appropriations each year. There, is no doubt that radio advertising fills a gap which other media miss, as it is the "living pérsonal" selling which lias a tremendously powerful subconscious influence, the effect ‘of which: has been proved for years. . Of the most prominent: B stations in. Australia, those with which New Zealand listeners are most familiar are 2GB, 2UW and 2UD, all of which are well enough received here to be included ‘on the itinerary ofthe dials any night. There are some outstanding names connected with each of these concerns which have created a personal appeal to many Dominion listeners, both as announcers and performers. .Many of them have'at one time been connected with the radio world of New Zealad, and others come to our notice by virtue of persistently high-grade entertainment in one way or another, On the station staff of 2UW, which is now operating 24 hours a day, there is one of the most colourful people ever to have spoken for any length of time into a New Zealand "mike," Mr. "Jim" Prentice. Other names on fheir pay- ~ roll which need little introduction to New Zealand are Len Maurice, Charles Lawrence, Vernon Sellars and Jack Win. _ Several New Zealanders are on the staff of 2GB, Sydney, including Jack Davey, a King’s College old boy, who left Auckland for Sydney a year or so ago. He is now the "Bing Crosby of Australia," and his fan mail is often 1000 letters a week. Mr. Davey, who used to manage the Civic Wintergarden in ‘Auckland. will shortly be returning to New Zealand for a brief holiday. During hig stay in Auckland he is expected to broadeast from 1YA. "One of my fitst appearances in public was When I wag about four feet high," said (Continued on page 58.)

Commercial Stations In Australia

(Continued from page 18.) Jack Davey reflectively to a "Radio Record" representative in one of the studios. "It was at His Majesty’s Theatre in Auckland- during the war. I was dressed in an Officer’s uniform, and stood in front of a Union Jack. I sang ‘Boy in Khaki’ and ‘Boy in Blue," while pennies were thrown on to the stage, and I howled like anything when one hit me in the eye. AS a boy I was always being told that had far too much to say.. But I find it very useful now because I am very often on and‘ off the air from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., during which time Tt need to have plenty of things to say." What with broadcasting, .rehearsals, ° conducting bands, and keeping a hun-dred-and-one other engagements, Jack Davey’s life is one. long rush. Incidentally, the father’ of, this ciever young radio ‘personality is the wellknown Captain’ Davey of, tie’ steamer Monowai. | At the fourth annual convention of the Australian Federation of -Broadcasting Stations-(as the B class style themselves) near the end of last year there was a. generally supported claim upon the :Commonwealth Government for equal.rights ‘with ‘the national service. Vigorous protests were made, for instance, because: the Postal Department in some instances gave the national stations the only availab between West Australia and the Eas ern States to permit.of a nation-vV hook-up of stations for the broadcast the Duke of Gloucester’s arrival. TIF Postmaster-General’at that time conceded ‘that: the B--class broadcasters were constantly ‘striving to keep up a high standard. v,