The enterprising evangelist will find a helpful ally in radio "spot" announcements. Frequently, radio stations discriminate against paid gospel advertising on the radio. At such times representatives of religion are almost forced to seek the help and services of an advertising agency. Such a procedure is very helpful in securing contracts that might otherwise be barred, as the agency can command the respectful consideration of a station, whereas an individual might not be able to do so.
An example of how this problem works out in practice was seen recently here in Washington, D.C., when an attempt was made to buy a series of radio "spots" from a large network station. Our request was denied, and we then turned to an advertising agency, the largest in the city, having a network of twenty-six affiliates in the principal cities of the United States.
After our false start even the agency was unable to buy the "spots," because it would have involved losing face on the part of the station to rescind a former dictum. It is very likely that, had we approached the station through the agency at the outset, we would have been successful in obtaining a contract for as many "spots" as we wanted 'for the entire length of the evangelistic effort.
The three other network outlets in Washington have a long-established "policy" which completely bars all paid gospel broadcasts or "spots," but this station's "policy" is of very recent origin.
With all this in mind our agency approached the four stations in the matter of their own carefully designed alternative, "courtesy spots," and was successful, in God's providence. These four network outlets granted us $247 worth of "spots," fifteen in all, without any charge, over the week end of the opening Sunday night of the evangelistic effort.
Later on we were given six "courtesy spots" by the four stations over another week end, which would have cost us $95 had we been able to buy them, and there were still further significant grants by all four as the campaign progressed.
There was no charge by the agency for this service, which included all negotiations, obtaining of desirable schedule locations, and writing the "spots" themselves. Whereas the evangelist is often relatively unknown in local business circles, the advertising agency is an established organization, doing a substantial amount of business with the local radio stations as well as with the networks. In dealing' with the evangelist direct, the station management can hide behind "policies," "regulations," and other convenient devices, and easily refuse time and facilities. But with the advertising agency these excuses carry little weight. The obvious reason is that the agency handles numerous other accounts, many of which are most desirable from every angle, and if the station does not grant the evangelist's contract, the agency can use its powerful influence in channeling other contracts to competing stations or to other advertising outlets.
In other words, the advertising agency steps into the picture at the radio station management's own level, and is thereby able to secure a response. For this "advocate" service in obtaining "spot" announcements, the evangelist pays nothing, as all agency fees are collected from the company which sells the advertising time or space.
Two Classifications of "Spot" Advertising
Radio "spots" may be broadly classified as "station breaks" and "participating program spots." Station breaks are usually very short. But their timing compensates for whatever disadvantage this may suggest. They are tied up closely to the station identification and, in theory at least, are placed so as to catch both the tuners out and the tuners in—that is, those who have tuned in for the preceding program, and those who are tuning in for the next quarter hour and succeeding programs. If the station break can be placed on the hour, it has the added advantage of being as close as possible to the time signal itself.
Participating program "spots" may contain as high as 125 words, in contrast to the thirty-five or fifty-word limit on station breaks, and they are interspersed with musical selections or local community news notes. In all fairness we must say that there is a serious question as to whether or not the attention can be held for 125 words in a program which has not been designed to prepare the atmosphere for a particular "spot." Participating "spots" are scattered promiscuously over a wide program area, and it is reasonable to assume that their effectiveness is equally scattered.
There are stations that offer free "spots" to certain local features, such as community meetings. Whenever we may obtain them, we should, of course, do so. But make it a point to limit them to seventy-five words, or less, for two reasons. First, we will have a distinctively short announcement in a series of maximum word "spots," with the opportunity to pack a lot of meaning into a very small space. And second, we will be demonstrating to the station management that we appreciate the favor by streamlining the wording. This in itself may win further concessions.
It is always well to make every effort to go the extra mile in supporting station regulations, especially in the matter of submitting copy. Usually the management require that "spot" copy be in their hands a day or so in advance. Instead of viewing this as an unjustified imposition, we would do well to accept it as an opportunity to demonstrate our desire to co-operate, aiming at the maximum advance time limit rather than the minimum. In so doing we will not only be serving well our own interests, by placing our spot in line for location and time preference, but we will also be building good will with the station. Every effort we make now to co-operate with radio men will bear interest later on when the enemies of religion concentrate their efforts in the direction of sweeping all religion off the air.
The evangelist's use of radio "spot" announcements produces maximum results when these short lightning shafts of advertising are directed at a cumulative build-up of interest or at a specific meeting, or both. The ideal plan is to combine the two objectives. For example, during the week preceding the opening night of a series of meetings, the following sequence might well be used :
Monday's "Spot" Announcement
"WHAT NEXT IN EUROPE?" PEACE CONFERENCE NEGOTIATES, WORLD DIPLOMAT ARBITRATES, NEWS COMMENTATOR SPECULATES, FIFTH COLUMN AGITATES, VISIONARY RUMINATES, WHILE THE BIBLE PLAINLY STATES—THE TRUTH! AND THE BIBLE WILL OCCUPY THE SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT WHEN ____________ , BIBLE COMMENTATOR, SPEAKS ON THE SUBJECT "WHAT NEXT IN EUROPE?" ADMISSION FREE. DETAILS LATER OVER THIS SAME STATION.
Tuesday's "Spot" Announcement
CALLING ALL FRIENDS OF BIBLE PROPHECY TO HEAR THE BIBLE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION "WHAT NEXT IN EUROPE?" ___________________ BIBLE COMMENTATOR, SPEAKS SUNDAY NIGHT ON THIS SUBJECT AT_______ . DON'T MISS IT. EVERY SEAT FREE. UNLIMITED FREE PARKING.
Wednesday's "Spot" Announcement
YOUR ABILITY TO ANALYZE CURRENT EVENTS CANNOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT THE BIBLE STORY. BE SURE TO GET THE BIBLE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION "WHAT NEXT IN EUROPE?" BY HEARING ____________ , BIBLE COMMENTATOR, NEXT SUNDAY NIGHT AT _________ . ADMISSION FREE.
Thursday's "Spot" Announcement
ANCIENT BIBLE. PROPHECIES EXPLAIN CURRENT NEWS DEVELOPMENTS. HEAR THE BIBLE DESCRIPTION OF THE INEVITABLE DESTINY OF EUROPE. HEAR ___________ , BIBLE COMMENTATOR, SUNDAY NIGHT ON THE SUBJECT "WHAT NEXT IN EUROPE?" AT_____ . ALL SEATS FREE.
Friday's "Spot" Announcement
ALL ROADS LEAD NEXT SUNDAY NIGHT TO ______ FOR THE PROPHETIC BIBLE ADDRESS BY ___ ,BIBLE COMMENTATOR, ON THE SUBJECT "WHAT NEXT IN EUROPE?" DON'T FAIL TO HEAR THIS UP-TO-THE MINUTE BIBLE ADDRESS NEXT SUNDAY NIGHT AT______ . EVERY SEAT IS FREE.
Sabbath's "Spot" Announcement
HEADLINES! "WHAT NEXT IN EUROPE?" [location and name of evangelist], BIBLE COMMENTATOR. THE SUBJECT—"WHAT NEXT IN EUROPE?" WHEN? TOMORROW NIGHT. THE INVITATION—TO YOU, AND YOU, AND You. ADMISSION FREE.
Sunday's "Spot" Announcement
FUNDAMENTAL, BACK-TO-THE-BIBLE PREACHING IS THE RULE AND THE ATTRACTION AT_____ IN A NEW SUMMER SERIES OF BIBLE LECTURES BY _____ , BIBLE COMMENTATOR. HEAR MR. ____ TONIGHT IN HIS GREAT OPENING ADDRESS ON "WHAT NEXT IN EUROPE?"
It is likely that the frequency of the -"spots" will be somewhat reduced after the opening week. If it is possible to have one or more every day for the first few weeks, it is well to use these to direct attention to the meeting for the evening of that day, rather than to use six or seven "spots" as a build-up for the following Sunday night.
It is a good plan to change the wording of the announcement from day to day rather than to have the announcers repeat the same words, parrot• fashion, day after day through the week.
Whenever possible, those schedule openings should be chosen which reach the maximum number of men in the radio audience. The agency will be found to be a great asset right at this point.
With its long record of dealings and contracts with the station, it will be able to command the most desirable openings. It will even succeed at times in having the station shift permanent accounts to accommodate the evangelist.
If only one "spot" a day is used, it may well be located at or near six o'clock in the evening, preferably just preceding the time signal. When two "spots" a day are used, the second "spot" will have a large audience at or near twelve-thirty during the noon hour. In the case of three "spots" a day, a desirable time for the third is at or near eight in the morning. When four "spots" are possible, it is suggested that the fourth be located at eleven o'clock in the evening, just as close as possible to the newscast, in preparation for the meeting on the following night.
