From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1963

The Bill Gavin Newsletter  May 11, 1963

From the Desk of Bill Gavin  Billboard Contributing Editor

WHAT IS PRICE PROMOTION? From the standpoint of the music director of PD, the price is pretty high, in terms of the hours he spends listening to promo pitches. If he is conscientiously working at his job -auditioning new records, making up the survey, making out the playlist and other chores -he doesn’t have much time to spare.

Recently, several big stations in important cities have tried to protect their music men against such time wasting. Promotion men express some resentment over their restricted activities, but the restrictions are a natural outcome of just too much promotion.

Printed below is a portion of a letter from a music director at an important Eastern station. I’m withholding the name in order to avoid harassment to the station. Here is the letter:

“WHEN IS THIS GREAT AMOUNT of product going to quit? It would seem that the accent is on quantity rather than quality. One of our local distributors had 86 releases in 12 days. This is just one distributing company. How can 86 new things be listened to properly? Often I must hear things several times – all the way through – to really judge them, and I just can’t find the time.

“Besides, when can all these things be played? It’s ridiculous to play anything just once or twice, so I don’t play things until they can get some concentration.

“Along with this deluge comes a tremendous number of phone calls. I can think of one record where I got a call from one of the writers, the producer, the national promo man, the regional promo man, the artist, plus the local promo man’s pitch. And to my ear the record has nothing. (I forgot to add – the artist’s manager called three times to boot.)

“Now, I know each individual is trying to do his job, but can’t there be some co-ordination? Shouldn’t the national promo man’s business be with the local man – not me? I can’t stand people calling me and quoting sales figures in Dallas, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Atlanta or Philly. I couldn’t care less, and furthermore I don’t believe most of them.

“Another funny bit this week: The local promo man was here one morning – left his record – gave me his sales talk – and really pitched on record. That afternoon he returned with the New York promo man, who gave me a pitch on the record. While these two were talking, I received two long distance calls – both about this same record. What can my attitude be? I wanted to break the damned thing in little pieces.

“AM I UNREASONABLE? Do people have a right to consume my time like this? I try to he fair and considerate with everybody, but I find I’m getting cross and short.

“Another thing I can’t tolerate is the guy on the phone, somebody I’ve never met, who comes on with a lengthy weather forecast for his city, and how’s the weather where I am? How’s my family? What’s new? Five minutes of conversation before he gets to the point – and that’s to play a record I’ve already been hyped on and don’t like anyway.

“Where does it end? Am I a stinker if I refuse phone calls and deny admittance to promo men? Am I hurting the station? I guess all this activity should made me feel important – but I’d feel better if they let me have time to listen to the product and get my work done.

“I know of only one national promo man who has sense. He has told his regional man to lay off and put his efforts in an area where they are needed. He has the happy faculty of calling or writing just when you want information. He can look at sales figures from this area and tell if I’m missing the boat and he acts accordingly. To me, this is the greatest – promotion where promotion is needed – not just promotion for promotion’s sake.”

THANKS TO OUR CORRESPONDENT for an illuminating insight into the problems of coping with record promotion pressures. I hope that record people who arc pushing too hard will find wisdom and guidance in these comments. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; May 11, 1963)