GOld Time Radio
Donate
  • GOLD TIME RADIO
  • NEW YEARS EVE (Audio)
  • JANUARY IN THE GOLDEN AGE
  • THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (Audio)
  • DECEMBER IN THE GOLDEN AGE
  • BOSTON BLACKIE (Audio)
  • THE MAN BEHIND THE GUN - (Audio)
  • THE CAVALCADE OF AMERICA (Audio)
  • THE GREEN HORNET - (Audio)
  • THE ALL TME TOP 100
  • ABOUT A SONG Audio & Video
  • ACTS OF CHARITY (Audio)
  • ALCHEMISTS OF THE AIR
  • THE ALDRICH FAMILY (Audio)
  • THE AMERICAN RADIO WARBLERS (Audio)
  • AMOS & ANDY: TWICE IS NICER
  • THE ARAGON'S LAST STAND (Audio)
  • ARTHUR GODFREY (Audio)
  • BABY SNOOKS (Audio)
  • BELIEVE IT OR NOT (Audio)
  • BENNY'S DOUBLE PLAYS
  • BERGEN, McCARTHY AND ADAM & EVE - (Audio)
  • BIG BAND REMOTES (Audio)
  • BIG BIG TOWN (Audio)
  • BILL STERN (Audio)
  • BLOONN...DEE! (Audio)
  • BLUE'S BLUE PLATE SPECIAL
  • BOB BURNS - (Audio)
  • BOGART & BACALL'S BOLD VENTURE (Audio)
  • BUSTED IN RANK
  • "BY TRANSCRIPTION..." (Audio)
  • CAN YOU TOP THIS? (Audio)
  • CBS PACKAGES UNWRAPPED (Audio)
  • CBS RATES: GO FIGURE!
  • COMMAND PERFORMANCE (Audio)
  • CROONERS & CHIRPS
  • THE CURSE OF DASHIELL HAMMETT (Audio)
  • D-DAY ON RADIO (Audio)
  • DICK POWELL (Audio)
  • DR. CHRISTIAN (Audio)
  • DR DuMONT'S PREDICTIONS
  • DR. I.Q. (Audio)
  • DUFFY AIN'T HERE (Audio)
  • DUNNINGER (Audio)
  • EASY ACES (Audio)
  • ELGIN'S THANKSGIVING SHOWS (Audio)
  • FATHER COUGHLIN (Audio)
  • FBI vs. FBI (Audio)
  • THE FEUD - ROUND 1 (Audio)
  • THE FEUD - R0UND 2 (Audio)
  • FIBBER McGEE MINUS MOLLY (Audio)
  • A FIFTEEN MINUTE QUIZ
  • A FIFTEEN MINUTE QUIZ, JR.
  • FIRST SEASON PHENOMS
  • FRANK MORGAN (Audio)
  • FRANK MUNN'S GOLDEN VOICE (Audio)
  • FRED ZIV - KING OF SYNDICATION (Audio)
  • FRIDAY'S ALL TIME TOP TEN
  • THE GOLD IN THE GOLDEN AGE
  • GOOD NEWS (Audio)
  • GOODNIGHT, MR. DURANTE... (Audio)
  • THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE(S) (Audip)
  • GREAT GREETINGS
  • GREAT GREETINGS AGAIN
  • GUNSMOKE (Audio0
  • GUS HAENSCHEN (Audio)
  • GUY LOMBARDO (Audio)
  • HADACOL
  • HOLLYWOOD CALLING (Audio)
  • HOOPER: NO EASY TARGET
  • HOPE FROM HOME (Audio)
  • THE HOUR OF CHARM (Audio)
  • HUMMERT'S MUSICAL MYSTERY
  • H.V. KALTENBORN (Audio)
  • I LOVE A MYSTERY (Audio)
  • I LOVE A SEQUEL (Audio)
  • IN THE MILLER MOOD (Audio)
  • INFORMATION PLEASE (Audio)
  • INNER SANCTUM (Audio)
  • IT PAYS TO BE IGNORANT (Audio)
  • JACK WEBB'S DRAGNET (Audio)
  • A JOHN GUEDEL PRODUCTION...
  • JOHN NESBITT'S PASSING PARADE (Audio)
  • JUBILEE (Audio)
  • JUDY CANOVA (Audio)
  • KARL SWENSON (Audio)
  • KATE'S GREAT SONG (Audio)
  • KAY KYSER (Audio & Video)
  • THE KING OF SWING (Audio)
  • THE LATE SHIFT
  • LET'S PRETEND (Audio)
  • LIFE WITH LUIGI (Audio)
  • LIGHTS OUT! (Audio)
  • THE LONE RANGER (Audio)
  • LUCKY GETS BENNY (Audio)
  • THE LUCKY STRIKE SWEEPSTAKES (Audio)
  • LUX...PRESENTS HOLLYWOOD! (Audio)
  • THE MAGIC KEY (Audio)
  • MAJOR BOWES' ORIGINAL MONEY MACHINE
  • THE MARCH OF CHANGE (Audio)
  • THE MARCH OF TIME (Audio)
  • MARRIED SLEUTHS (Audio)
  • MBS = MUTUAL'S BARGAIN SALES
  • MEL BLANC (Audio)
  • MEMORIAL DAYS
  • MEREDITH WILLSON (Audio)
  • MR ALLEN MEETS MR BENNY (Audio & Video)
  • MR DISTRICT ATTORNEY (Audio)
  • MR. PRESIDENT (Audio)
  • MONDAY'S ALL TIME TOP TEN
  • MONEY WELL SPENT
  • THE MONTHLIES
  • MONTY WOOLLEY (Audio)
  • MULTIPLE RUNS ALL TIME TOP TEN
  • MUTUAL LED THE WAY
  • MY FRIEND IRMA (Audio)
  • NBC's CHINESE MENU
  • NETS TO ORDER
  • NETWORK JUMPERS
  • THE NETWORK RACE
  • A NETWORK RADIO QUIZ
  • NICK CARTER (Audio)
  • ON A NOTE OF TRIUMPH - (Audio)
  • THE ONE, THE ONLY...GROUCHO! (Audio)
  • THE ORIGINAL ABC NETWORK
  • OUR MISS ARDEN (Audio)
  • OZZIE & HARRIET (Audio)
  • PEOPLE ARE FUNNY (Audio)
  • PETRILLO!
  • THE PRESS RADIO BUREAU (Audio)
  • "PROFESSOR" JERRY COLONNA (Audio)
  • THE QUIZ KIDS (Audio)
  • RADIO GOES TO THE MOVIES
  • THE RADIO HALL OF FAME (Audio)
  • RADIO NETS' GROSSES
  • RADIO'S RULERS: CROSSLEY, HOOPER & NIELSEN
  • THE RAILROAD HOUR (Audio)
  • RANKINGS OVER RATINGS
  • R.I.P., PBS
  • SATURDAY'S ALL TIME TOP TEN
  • SEPTEMBER IN THE GOLDEN AGE
  • SERIALS, CEREALS & PREMIUMS (Audio)
  • THE SHADOW NOS. (Audio)
  • SHERLOCK HOLMES (Audio)
  • SHORTY BELL (Audio)
  • SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EARS
  • SOFT SOAP & HARD SELL (Audio)
  • SPIKE JONES (Audio)
  • SPONSOR SWEEPSTAKES
  • SPOTLIGHT BANDS (Audio)
  • STARTING POINTS QUIZ
  • STOP THE MUSIC! (Audio)
  • SUNDAY AT SEVEN (Audio)
  • SUNDAY'S ALL TIME T0P TEN
  • SUS...PENSE! (Audio)
  • TALLULAH'S BIG SHOW (Audio)
  • THREE ERAS OF THE GOLDEN AGE
  • THREE LETTER CALLS
  • THURSDAY'S ALL TIME TOP TEN
  • TOP 40 RADIO'S ROOTS (Audio)
  • TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES (Audio)
  • TUESDAY'S ALL TIME TOP TEN
  • TWENTY QUESTIONS (Audio)
  • THE TWO STOOGES (Audio)
  • UNFILTERED CIGARETTE CLAIMS
  • V-E DAY (Very Early)
  • VIC & SADE (Audio)
  • V-J DAY (Audio)
  • WALTER WINCHELL (Audio)
  • THE WALTZ KING (Audio)
  • WAR OF THE WORLDS (Audio)
  • WAS AMERICAN IDLE?
  • W.C. FIELDS (Audio)
  • WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS (Audio)
  • WEDNESDAY'S ALL TIME TOP TEN
  • THE WHISTLER (Audio)
  • WORDS AT WAR (Audio)
  • YOU ARE THERE (Audio)
  • YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE (Audio)
  • THE 1932-33 SEASON
  • THE 1933-34 SEASON
  • THE 1934-35 SEASON
  • THE 1935-36 SEASON
  • THE 1936-37 SEASON
  • THE 1937-38 SEASON
  • THE 1938-39 SEASON
  • THE 1939-40 SEASON
  • THE 1940-41 SEASON
  • THE 1941-42 SEASON
  • THE 1942-43 SEASON
  • THE 1943-44 SEASON
  • THE 1944-45 SEASON
  • THE 1945-46 SEASON
  • THE 1946-47 SEASON
  • THE 1947-48 SEASON
  • THE 1948-49 SEASON
  • THE 1949-50 SEASON
  • THE 1950-51 SEASON
  • THE 1951-52 SEASON
  • THE 1952-53 SEASON
Picture

NBC’S CHINESE MENU

How easy was it to buy the time and place a program on a network? .

Remember Buddy Hackett’s “Chinese Waiter” routine, when the frustrated comedian kept explaining all the choices from “Column A” and “Column B” to his confused customers? Multiply that several times over and you’ll get an idea of the complexity involved in buying the NBC (Red) network at the midway point of Network Radio’s Golden Age in 1942.

The NBC rate card appearing in 1942’s Broadcasting Yearbook, presents the choices available to prospective network sponsors. One hour, prime time rates are quoted below. Network charges for half hour prime time blocks were 40% less and 15 minute prices were 60% off the hourly rate. The rates were for station time and network line charges only - program production costs were additional.

Obviously, the easiest part of the process was buying NBC’s Basic Network of 26 stations - but that only carried the sponsor’s message as far west as Kansas City and no further south than Louisville or Washington, D.C. - then it became more difficult. Conditions and stipulations were attached to reaching most every area of the country beyond that perimeter.

                                                   NBC RADIO NETWORK 
                                       
Gross Rates: One Hour, 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM .

NBC BASIC NETWORK -
Available only as a group.
    Baltimore/WBAL: $360; Boston/WNAC: $440; Buffalo/WBEN: $320; Chicago/WMAQ: $800; Cincinnati/WLW*: $1,080; Cleveland/WTAM: $520; Des Moines/WHO: $520; Detroit/WWJ: $420; Hartford/WTIC: $400; Indianapolis/WIRE: $220; Kansas City/WDAF: $400; Louisville/WAVE: $220;
Milwaukee/WTMJ: $340; Minneapolis-St. Paul/KSTP: $400; New York/WEAF: $1,400; Omaha/WOW: $340; Philadelphia/KYW: $480; Pittsburgh/KDKA: $480; Portland/WCSH: $160; Providence/WJAR: $200; St. Louis/KSD: $360; Schenectady/WGY: $400; Toledo/WSPD: $220; Washington/ WRC: $240; Wilmington/WDEL: $120; Worcester/WTAG: $180. 
    Total for Basic Network of 26: $11,020.
*  
WSAI/Cincinnati is optional to WLW at $240. When WSAI is used, WING/Dayton and WIZE/Springfield are also available for an additional $140.

NBC BASIC SUPPLEMENTARIES - Available individually with the Basic Network 

    Allentown/WSAN: $120; Altoona/WFBG & Johnstown/WJAC (Combined): $140; Augusta/ WRDO (Available only when WLBZ/Bangor is used): $60; Bangor/WLBZ: $120; Bluefield/WHIS: $80; Charleston/WGKV & Clarksburg/WBLK (Combined): $140; Columbus/WCOL: $120; Duluth-Superior/WEBC: $140; Eau Claire/WEAU: $80; Evansville/WGBF & Terre Haute/WBOW (Combined): $160; Fort Wayne/WGL: $100; Grand Rapids/WOOD: $120; Harrisburg/WKBO (Available only when WORK/York is used): $100; Lima/WLOK: $60; Madison/WIBA: $140; Mankato/KYSM & Rochester/KROC & St. Cloud/KFAM (aka Minnesota Network, Combined): $120; Manchester/WFEA:$100; Reading/WEEU: $140; Reading/WRAW (Available only when WEEU is off the air): $120; Richmond/WMBG: $140;Sioux Falls/KSOO: $140; Sioux Falls/KELO (Available only when KSOO is off the air): $80; Springfield/KGBX: $120, Wichita/KANS: $120; Wilkes-Barre/WBRE: $120; York/WORK & Lancaster/WGAL (Combined): $120; Zanesville/WHIZ: $60.

NBC NORTHWESTERN SUPPLEMENTARY GROUP - Available individually for use with the Basic Network
.
    Bismarck/KFTR: $200; Fargo/WDAY: $160.

NBC BASIC NETWORK SPECIAL SERVICE
- Available for use with the Basic Network. 
    Havana/CMX: $200

NBC CANADIAN SERVICE -
Available individually for use with the Basic Network,
    Montreal/CBM: $240; Toronto/CBL: $300.

NBC SOUTHEASTERN SUPPLEMENTARY GROUP - Available in a group of not less than five

    Charleston/WTMA: $80; Charlotte/WSOC: $120; Columbia/WIS & Florence/WOLS (Combined): $140; Greenville/WFBC & Asheville/WISE & Bristol/WOPI & Greenwood/WCRS & Kingsport/WKPT (Combined): $140; Norfolk/WTAR: $160; Raleigh/WPTF: $240; Savannah/WSAV: $80; Winston-Salem/WSJS: $120. 
    Total for group of 13: $1,080.

NBC FLORIDA SUPPLEMENTARY GROUP
- Available only as a group for use with the Southeastern or South Central Group. 
    Jacksonville/WJAX: $160; Miami/WIOD: $200; Tampa/WFLA & Lakeland/WLAK (Combined): $140.
    Total for group of four: $500.

NBC SOUTH CENTRAL SUPPLEMENTARY GROUP - Available only as a group. WSM/Nashville of Mid-South Service must also be used with this group if available.

    Atlanta/WSB: $400; Birmingham/WBRC: $160; Memphis/WRC: $240; New Orleans/WSMB: $160. 
      In addition, at least two of the following: Jackson/WJDX & Laurel/WAML & Hattiesburg/WFOR (Combined): $120; Mobile/WALA & Pennsacola/WCOA (Combined): $120; Montgomery/WSFA: $100: 
    Total for group of ten: $1,340. 
     Also available individually with the South Central Group:
Chattanooga/WAPO: $100; Knoxville/WROL: $100.

NBC MID-SOUTH SERVICE -
If available, WSM must be used with South Central group..
    Nashville/WSM: $400.

NBC SOUTHWESTERN SUPPLEMENTARY GROUP -
Available in a group of not less than seven.. 
    Amarillo/KGNC: $120; Dallas-Ft. Worth/WFAA or WBAP: $440; Houston/KPRC: $260; Little Rock/KARK: $140; Oklahoma City/WKY: $240; San Antonio/WOAI: $300; Shreveport/KTBS: $120; Tulsa/KVOO: $280. 
    Total for group of eight: $1,900. 
    Also available individually with the Southwestern Group:
Corpus Christi/KRIS: $100; Pittsburg/KOAM: $120; Weslaco/KRGV: $100.

NBC MOUNTAIN SUPPLEMENTARY GROUP -
Available only as a group with the Basic or Pacific Coast Network..
    Denver/KOA: $300; Salt Lake City/KDYL: $200. 
    Total for group of two: $500.

NBC NORTH MOUNTAIN SUPPLEMENTARY GROUP:
Available only as a group to be used with the Mountain Group or Pacific Coast Network.
    Billings/KGHL: $120; Boise/KIDO: $120; Butte/KGIR & KRBM/Bozeman: $120. Helena/KPEA & Pocatello/KSEI & Twin Falls/KTFI; Free of charge with complete group. 
    Total for group of seven: $360.


NBC PACIFIC COAST NETWORK
- For use with the Mountain Group in conjunction with the Basic Network. When used separately, special program production in San Francisco or Hollywood studios is required.
    Fresno/KMJ: $160; Los Angeles/KFI: $520; Portland/KGW: $220; San Francisco/KPO: $420; Seattle/KOMO: $240; Spokane/KHQ: $160. 
    Total for group of six: $1,720 . 
     Also available with the Pacific Coast Network:
Medford/KMED: $80.

NBC SOUTH MOUNTAIN GROUP -
For use with the Pacific Coast Network subject to availability of lines.
    El Paso/KTSM: $120; Phoenix/KTAR & Safford/KGLU & Tuscon/KVOA & Yuma/KYUM (Combined): $160. 
    Total for group of five: $280.

NBC PACIFIC COAST NETWORK SPECIAL SERVICE
- For use with the Pacific Coast Network. 
    Honolulu/KGB: $160; Manila/KZRH & Cebu/KZRC (CombinedI): $440.*
    *
Note: The NBC 1942 rate card was obviously prepared before December 7, 1941.


(For comparison see Blue's Blue Plate Specials, CBS Rates - Go Figure! and MBS = Mutual's Bargain Sales on this site.)

Network sponsors wanted their programs - and commercials - broadcast only in markets where their advertised goods were sold.

But what happened if, for example, a sponsor marketed its advertised products in only 23 of the 26 markets of the NBC Basic Network that had to be bought as a complete group?

The network would instruct its affiliates in those three markets not to broadcast the program. Nevertheless, the sponsor was still required to pay the full rate from which the entire group of 26 stations was compensated. Were there exceptions to this rule and other requirements on the NBC rate card? Probably, but not many. You’ll find hints of them in Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953.

Adding to the complexity of this rate card were discounts available to advertisers whose gross charges totaled at least $2,000 per week for 13 consecutive weeks. These discounts began at two and a half percent and increased on a graduated scale up to 12½% for sponsors spending more than $18,000 per week. However, five percent was deducted from discounts for programs broadcast between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM, New York Time.

Considering the myriad of choices, charges and discounts that had to be calculated by agency time-buyers and network salesmen without the aid of computers - it all makes the most detailed Chinese menu look simple by comparison. 

Nobody was ever rewarded with a fortune cookie, either.


                            Copyright © 2015 Jim Ramsburg, Estero FL   Email: tojimramsburg@gmail.com

Picture