NETS TO ORDER

Network Radio stars Fibber McGee & Molly, Bob Hope and Phil Harris & Alice Faye, (pictured above), all finished in 1947-48’s Annual Top Ten.

Most Network Radio listeners assumed that these NBC three shows, like all the programs they heard from their local network affiliates, were broadcast by all the stations on the entire network.  But that was seldom the case. 

As the four studies of Network Radio rate cards on this site illustrate, networks were sold in geographical clusters tailored to the marketing areas of advertisers. (See NBC’s Chinese Menu, CBS Rates-Go Figure, Blue's Blue Plate Special and Mutual’s Bargain Sales on site.)

For example, Johnson Wax bought 165 NBC stations for Fibber McGee & Molly, Lever Brothers took 153 NBC affiliates for Bob Hope and F.W. Fitch bought only 143 NBC outlets for Phil Harris & Alice Faye.

Wouldn’t a heavy hitter like Lever Brothers buy the entire CBS network for its highly rated Monday night lineup of Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, Lux Radio Theater and My Friend Irma, each sponsored by its nationally advertised brands?  Surprisingly, that wasn’t the case, either.  Lever bought 145 CBS stations for Godfrey, 153 for Lux and 148 for Irma.

The networks weren’t eager to release the number of stations that were bought for their programs. However, 1948 advertising totals were published in the trade magazine Broadcasting. From those tables of advertiser expenditures our list of 187 network programs and the number of affiliates purchased for their broadcast has been compiled.

Network Radio hit its high water mark in 1948.

Network revenues grew for the 14th consecutive year to $210.6 Million, (2.08 Billion in today’s money). Network affiliations were at an all-time high with ABC at 256 affiliates, CBS at 162, NBC with 167 and Mutual growing to 519 affiliates.  (See Radio Nets' Grosses.)

Further, Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953, reports that the average rating for Annual Top 50 Programs in the 1947-48 season hit its highest level in 13 years at 18.7.

Yes, it was a very good year - and a good year to obtain these figures because it was all downhill for Network Radio from 1948 until the end of the Golden Age five years later.

Looking at 1948’s list, it was a typical year for program turn-overs. Eight shows switched networks: The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet , Amos & Andy, Bob Hawk Show, Double Or Nothing, The Ford Theater, Lassie, Morton Downey Sings and What Makes You Tick? Three switched sponsors: Gangbusters, Lum & Abner and The Red Skelton Show, and two switch both networks and sponsors: Big Town and The Milton Berle Show,

Advertisers thought enough of three programs to give them same day exposure on two networks: Carter Products bought Sunday night time on both ABC and Mutual for Jimmie Fidler’s Hollywood News while Procter and Gamble slotted Ma Perkins on CBS and NBC every weekday as did Gillette‘s Toni Hair Products for This Is Nora Drake .

Again, the number following each program’s network identification is the group of affiliates bought by that program’s sponsor for which the network and stations were reimbursed.  How many, if any, stations not bought for any programs broadcast them anyway cannot be determined.

Finally, the notation CBC identifies the 32 programs for which their sponsors also bought time on the network facilities of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Program                                                    Sponsor         Network & Affiliates Bpught 

The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet       International Sterling - CBS 152 &  CBC - Jan to Sep 
                                                              International Sterling - NBC 156 & CBC - Oct to Dec
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes    Clipper Craft Clothes - Mutual 266
The Adventures of The Thin Man         Kaiser-Frazer Autos - Mutual 477
Al Jolson’s Kraft Music Hall                  National Dairy Products - NBC 148
The Aldrich Family                                General Foods - NBC 147 
American Album of Familiar Music       Sterling Drug - NBC 155 
American Melody Hour                         Sterling Drug - CBS 138
Amos & Andy                                        Lever Brothers - NBC 151 - Jan to Jul 
                                                              Lever Brothers - CBS 150 & CBC - Oct to Dec
Art Linkletter’s House Party (M-F)         General Electric - CBS 164
Arthur Godfrey Time (M-F)                    Participating Sponsors - CBS 158
Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts              Lipton Div/Lever Bros.- CBS 145
Backstage Wife (M-F)                            Sterling Drug - NBC 146
Beulah (M-F)                                          Procter & Gamble - CBS 81 & CBC
Big Sister (M-F)                                      Procter & Gamble - CBS 93 & CBC
The Big Story                                          American Tobacco - NBC 163
Big Town                                                 Sterling Drug - CBS 149 & CBC - Jan to Jun
                                                                Lever Brothers - NBC 131 & CBC - Sep to Dec
Bill Henry News (M-F)                             Johns Manville - Mutual 372
Bill Stern’s Colgate Sports Newsreel      Colgate-Palmolive - NBC 71
Bing Crosby’s Philco Radio Time            Philco Corp. - ABC 241
Blondie                                                    Colgate Palmolive - NBC 151 & CBC
Bob Crosby’s Club 15 (M-F)                    Campbell Soups - CBS 153 & CBC
Bob Hawk Show                                       R.J. Reynolds - NBC 161 - Jan to Sep
                                                                 R.J. Reynolds - CBS 160 - Oct to Dec
Bob Hope Show                                       Lever Brothers - NBC 153 & CBC
Break The Bank                                       Bristol Myers - ABC 224
The Breakfast Club (M-F)                         Participating Sponsors - ABC 266 & CBC
Breakfast In Hollywood (M-F)                   Participating - ABC 188
Bride & Groom (M-F)                                Sterling Drug - ABC 214
The Brighter Day (M-F)                             Procter & Gamble - NBC 154
Burl Ives Show                                          Philco Corp. - Mutual 200
Burns & Allen Show                                  General Foods - NBC 146
Can You Top This?                                   Colgate Palmolive - NBC 143
Casey, Crime Photographer                      Toni Div/Gillette - CBS 163
Cavalcade of America                                DuPont - NBC 152 
Challenge of The Yukon (M-W-F)              Quaker Oats Co. - ABC 221
Chesterfield Supper Club (M-F)                 Liggett & Myers - NBC 164
Cities Service Band of America                 Cities Service Co. - NBC 81
Curtain Time                                              Mars, Inc. - NBC 140
Danny Thomas Show                                General Foods - CBS 151
David Harum (M-F)                                    B.T. Babbitt - CBS 55
A Day In The Life of Dennis Day               Colgate Palmolive - NBC 143
Dick Haymes Show                                   Electric Auto-Lite - CBS 163 & CBC
Dr. IQ                                                         Mars, Inc. - NBC 135
Don Gardiner Monday Morn Headlines     Seeman Bros Air Wick - ABC 204
Double Or Nothing (M-F)                          Campbell Soups - CBS 119 - Jan to Jun
                                                                 Campbell Soups - NBC 130 - Jun to Dec
Drew Pearson News Commentary            Adam Hats - ABC 256
Duffy’s Tavern                                           Bristol Myers - NBC 160
Eddie Cantor Show                                   Pabst Beer - NBC 150
Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy            Standard Brands - NBC 143
Edward R. Murrow News (M-F)                 Campbell Soups - CBS 150
Edwin C. Hill Human Side of The News    Nash-Kelvinator - ABC 119
Famous Jury Trials                                    General Mills - ABC 100
Fanny Brice Baby Snooks Show               General Foods - CBS 151
The FBI In Peace & War                           Procter & Gamble - CBS 149
Fibber McGee & Molly                              Johnson Wax - NBC 165 & CBC
The Ford Theater                                     Ford Motor Co. - NBC 162 & CBC - Jan to Jun
                                                                 Ford Motor Co. - CBS 170 & CBC - Oct to Dec
Fred Allen Show                                       Ford Motor Co. - NBC 166 & CBC
Fred Waring Show                                    Johnson Wax - NBC 166 & CBC
Friday Night Boxing                                  Gillette - ABC 213 & CBC
Front Page Farrell (M-F)                           American Home Products - NBC 58
Gabriel Heatter Behind The Front Page   Mutual of Omaha Insurance - Mutual 455
Gabriel Heatter News (M-W-F)                 Carter Products - Mutual 329
Gabriel Heatter News (Tu-Th)                   Serutan Co. - Mutual 213
Gangbusters                                             Waterman Pens - ABC 202 - Jan to Mar
                                                                  Procter & Gamble - ABC 143 - Mar to Dec
Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch                     Wrigley Gum - CBS 158
Give & Take                                             Toni Div/Gillette - CBS 160
The Grand Ole Opry                                 R.J. Reynolds - NBC 158
Grand Slam (M-F)                                    Continental Baking Co. - CBS 48
The Great Gildersleeve                            National Dairy Products - NBC 148
The Green Hornet                                    General Mills - ABC 100
The Guiding Light (M-F)                           Procter & Gamble - NBC 143
The Hallmark Playhouse                          Hallmark Cards - CBS 157
Hilltop House (M-F)                                  Miles Laboratories - CBS 124
The Hint Hunt                                           Armour & Co. - CBS 157
Hollywood Star Preview                           American Home Prod - NBC 127- Jan to Aug
Hollywood Star Theater                           American Home Prod - NBC 129 - Sep to Dec
Horace Heidt’s Youth Oppty Pgm            Philip Morris - NBC 162
The House of Mystery                             General Foods - Mutual 481
Inner Sanctum                                         Emerson Drug - CBS 153
It Pays To Be Ignorant                             Philip Morris - CBS 149
Jack Armstrong (Alt Tu-Th & M-W-F)      General Mills - ABC 198
Jack Benny Program                               American Tobacco - NBC 163
Jack Berch Show (M-F)                          Prudential Insurance - NBC 136
Jack Carson Show                                  General Foods - CBS 151
Jack Smith Show (M-F)                           Procter & Gamble - CBS 82 & CBC
Jimmie Fidler Hollywood News               Carter Products - Mutual 215 + ABC 79 = 294
Jimmy Durante Show                              R.J. Reynolds - NBC 161
Joyce Jordan, M.D. (M-F)                       Procter & Gamble - NBC 154
Judy Canova Show                                Colgate Palmolive - NBC 143
Junior Miss                                             Lever Brothers - CBS 164
Just Plain Bill (M-F)                                 American Home Products - NBC 58
Kaltenborn/Harkness News (M-F)           Pure Oil - NBC 32
Kay Kyser’s Kollege Mus Knowledge     Colgate Palmolive - NBC 143
Ladies Be Seated (M-F)                         Participating Sponsors - ABC 230
Lassie                                                     John Morrell Packing - ABC 155 - Jan to Jun
                                                               John Morrell Packing - NBC 162 - Jun to Dec
Life Can Be Beautiful (M-F)                    Procter & Gamble - NBC 151 & CBC
The Life of Riley                                     Procter & Gamble - NBC 139
Light of The World (M-F)                        General Mills - NBC 67
The Lone Ranger (M-W-F)                     General Mills - ABC 104
Lora Lawton (M-F)                                  B.T. Babbitt - NBC 166 & CBC
Lorenzo Jones (M-F)                              Sterling Drug - NBC 146
Lowell Thomas News (M-F)                    Procter & Gamble - CBS 78
Lum & Abner (M-F)                                Miles Laboratories - CBS 137 - Jan to Sep
Lum & Abner (Sun)                                Frigidaire Div/Gnl Mtrs - CBS 164 - Oct to Dec
Lux Radio Theater                                 Lever Brothers - CBS 153 & CBC
Ma Perkins (M-F)                                   P & G - NBC 149 + CBS 110 = 249 & CBC
The Man Called X                                  Frigidaire Div/General Motors - CBS 164
Manhattan Merry Go Round                   Sterling Drug - NBC 152
Meet Corliss Archer                               Campbell Soups - CBS 147
Meet The Meeks                                    Swift & Co. - NBC 162
Metropolitan Opera                                Texaco - ABC 255
Metropolitan Opera Auditions of Air       Farnsworth Corp. - ABC 140
Milton Berle Show                                  Philip Morris - NBC 144 - Jan to Apr
                                                               Texaco - ABC 252 & CBC - Sep to Dec
Mr. & Mrs. North                                     Colgate Palmolive - CBS 151
Mr. Chameleon                                      Sterling Drug - CBS 138
Mr. District Attorney                                Bristol Myers - NBC 160
Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons           American Home Products - CBS 151
Molle Mystery Theater                            Sterling Drug - NBC 140
Morton Downey Sings (M-F)                   Coca Cola - Mutual 352 - Jan to Apr
Morton Downey Sings (M-W-F)               Coca Cola - NBC 141 - Jun to Dec
My Friend Irma                                        Lever Brothers - CBS 148
The National Farm & Home Hour            Allis-Chalmers - NBC 164
New York Philharmonic                           Standard Oil - CBS 153
News of The World (M-W-F)                   Miles Laboratories - NBC 144
News of The World (Tu-Th)                     Miles Laboratories - NBC 133
Our Gal Sunday (M-F)                             American Home Products - CBS 84
Our Miss Brooks                                      Colgate Palmolive - CBS 151
Paul Whiteman’s Record Club (M-F)       R.J. Reynolds - ABC 245
The Pause That Refreshes                     Coca Cola - CBS 167 & CBC
People Are Funny                                   Brown & Williamson - NBC 164
Pepper Young's Family  (M-f)                  Procter & Gamble - NBC 153 & CBC
Perry Mason (M-F)                                  Procter & Gamble - CBS 93
Phil Harris & Alice Faye Show                F.W. Fitch Co. - NBC 159 
Portia Faces Life (M-F)                          General Foods - NBC 89
The Prudential Family Hour                   Prudential Insurance - CBS 151
Queen For A Day (M-F)                         Participating Sponsors - Mutual 489
Quick As A Flash                                   Helbros Watch Co. - Mutual 420
The Quiz Kids                                        Miles Laboratories - NBC 149 
 The Radio Readers’ Digest                   Hallmark Cards - CBS 157
The Railroad Hour                                  Assn. of American Railroads - ABC 254
The RCA Victor Show                             RCA -  NBC 162
Red Skelton Show                                  Brown & Williamson - NBC 161 - Jan to Aug
                                                                Procter & Gamble - NBC 144 - Sep to Dec
The Right To Happiness (M-F)                Procter & Gamble - NBC 152 & CBC
Road of Life (M-F)                                   Procter & Gamble - NBC 156 & CBC
Rose of My Dreams (M-F)                       Sweetheart Soap - CBS 162
Rosemary (M-F)                                      Procter & Gamble - CBS 63
Roy Rogers Show                                   Quaker Oats Co. - Mutual 485
Sealtest Village Store                              National Dairy Products - NBC 93
Screen Guild Players                              R.J. Reynolds - CBS 160
The Second Mrs. Burton (M-F)               General Foods - CBS 66
The Shaeffer Parade                               Shaeffer Pen Co.- NBC 165
Sky King (Alt Tu-Th & M-W-F)                 Swift & Co - ABC 198
Spike Jones’ Spotlight Revue                  Coca Cola - CBS 164 & CBC
Stella Dallas (M-F)                                   Sterling Drug - NBC 146
Stop The Music                                        Participating Sponsors - ABC 176 
Strange Romance Evelyn Winters (M-F) Sweetheart Soap - CBS 162
Strike It Rich                                             Ludens, Inc. - CBS 160
Suspense                                                 Electric Auto-Lite - CBS 163 & CBC
Take It Or Leave It                                   Eversharp Inc - NBC 164
Tales of Willie Piper                                 General Electric - ABC 169
Ted Malone Bet The  Bookends (M-F)     Westinghouse Electric - ABC 212
The Telephone Hour                                 Bell Telephone - NBC 152
Terry & The Pirates (M-F)                        Quaker Oats Co. - ABC 221
The Theater Guild On The Air                  U.S. Steel - ABC 257
The Theater of Today                              Armstrong Cork - CBS 165
This Is Nora Drake (M-F)                         Toni Div/Gillette - NBC 157 + CBS 152 = 309
This Is Your FBI                                       Equitable Life Assurance Society - ABC 257
Today’s Children (M-F)                            General Mills - NBC 138
True Detective Mysteries                         Williamson Candy Co. - Mutual 489
True Or False                                           Williamson Candy Co. - Mutual 481
Truth Or Consequences                          Procter & Gamble- NBC 143
Twenty Questions                                    Ronson Lighters - Mutual 486 & CBC
Vaughn Monroe Show                             R.J. Reynolds - CBS 160
The Voice of Firestone                            Firestone Tire & Rubber - NBC 140
Those Websters                                      Quaker Oats Co. - Muual 485
Vox Pop                                                  American Express - ABC 156
Walter Winchell’s Jergens Journal          Andrew Jergens Co. - ABC 220
Waltz Time                                              Sterling Drug - NBC 150 & CBC 
We The People                                       Gulf Oil - CBS 121
Welcome Travelers (M-F)                        Procter & Gamble - ABC 198
Wendy Warren & The News (M-F)          General Foods - CBS 145
What Makes You Tick? (M-F)                  Procter & Gamble - ABC 173 - Sep to Dec
                                                                 Procter & Gamble - CBS 80 - Dec
What’s My Name?                                   General Electric - ABC 169
When A Girl Marries (M-F)                      General Foods - NBC 77
The Whistler                                             Household Finance - CBS 61 & CBC
Young Widder Brown (M-F)                      Sterling Drug - NBC 145
Your Hit Parade                                        American Tobacco - NBC 163
Your Lucky Strike (M-F)                           American Tobacco - CBS 167

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