Murder Makes a Mark by Clarence Budington Kelland

Author:Clarence Budington Kelland [Mills, Roxanne L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Digital Parchment Press

CHAPTER 10

Avery had spent an annoying half hour in argument with the promoter of a real-estate sub-division who sponsored an evening program of Western adventure. This gentleman had been encroaching upon the time of the entertainment portion of the program with ever-increasing commercials. He was demanding editing of the film, so that he could take more time to boast of the merits of his houses and lots to a point where the sales department had felt compelled to refer the matter to Avery.

The flamboyant executive of the realty enterprise loved the sound of his own voice. He was arrogant. He pointed out that he was paying for a half hour’s time on the air and was entitled to use it in any way he desired. He informed Avery that if HARP-TV did not let him have his way, then one of the other stations would be more lenient.

Avery listened with patient courtesy while Mr. Longwy told him how to conduct his business, ending his laying down of the law with what amounted to an ultimatum.

Longwy was one who believed that he could batter down opposition by blatancy, bad manners, assertiveness and noise. Avery, who did not endure discourtesy with equanimity, nevertheless controlled his temper and replied to the man reasonably and temperately. It was of no avail.

“Mr. Longwy,” he said, patience worn thin, “a television station is bound by certain obligations to the public. These obligations have been stated in a code of conduct adopted by the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters. This code is reasonable, Mr. Longwy. It has been adopted alike for the benefit of sponsors, broadcasters and the public. Without the good will and respect of the public, television as an advertising medium would lose its effectiveness. Among other things, sir, a viewer must not be made to feel that he is being cheated or imposed upon. He resents the feeling that he is a captive audience. He is reasonable in accepting the necessity for the interruption of commercials to an acceptable extent.”

“Who pays for the time? Who gives the public a free show?” Longwy demanded.

“You pay, Mr. Longwy, for the attention of the viewers. If their attention strays or if they are aggrieved by too long and too frequent commercials, they turn off the program, or, to put it bluntly, they resent the sponsor. Instead of winning his friendship and patronage, the commercials turn him against what they have for sale. The sponsor, if he is greedy, fails completely to profit from his advertising and reaps a crop of resentment.”

“Bosh,” snorted Longwy.

“Long study and investigation has established time standards for advertising commercials. These standards are fair and reasonable both to sponsor and viewer. As a matter of fact, Mr. Longwy, they give the advertiser the best of it. Here are the time standards for programs of various lengths. An advertising message for a five-minute program may be one minute; for ten minutes, two minutes; for twenty-five minutes, two minutes and fifty seconds; for a full half hour, three minutes; for a full hour, six minutes.

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