Springfield Leader and Press from Springfield, Missouri • 113

TV comes of age for older fans On the air By Mark Marymont Older Americans will be pleased to hear that they are being portrayed more fairly than ever oh television. The Television Information Office has released a study on the subject, concluding that the stereotype of frail, dependent, powerless old folks has gone away. The TIO is part of the National Association of Broadcasters, hardly an unbiased group, but their studies are generally fair and usually interesting. The 106-page book includes descriptions of those efforts made by broadcasters in their attempts to answer the needs of the group. It reports that older viewerV watch more television than most other segments of the audience, although they do tend to be more selective than some other viewers.

"The purpose of the study is to correct some of the The Birch came out a couple of weeks ago, while the Arbitron was officially released July 29. Locally, only KXUS-FM purchased the Arbitron. Other station managers say the cost is too high, and they're sticking with Birch. By now though, most radio people have managed to glean a look at the Arbitron ratings. So have we, and here they are.

There really was very little difference in the two surveys. In the 18 years and older, Monday through Sunday, 6 a.m. to midnight period, KWTO-FM led with a 22.3 share of the people listening to the radio during that time. In the same period for the metro area, including Greene and Christian counties, country-formatted KTTS-FM was No. 2, with an 18.4 share.

KXUS-FM, with a contemporary hits format, literally came out of nowhere (it signed on just days before the survey began) to take a 10.2 share of the market. KWTO-AM was No. 4 with a 9.2 share, followed by KTTS-AM and KTXR-FM, both with an 8.5 share. KGBX-AM was next with a 4.9 share, followed by KLFJ-AM with a 3.9, KORX-FM with a 1.4, KICK-AM and KLSM-AM with a 1.1 and KTOZFM with a 0.7 share. Arbitron does not report ratings for non-commercial stations KSMU-FM and KWFC-FM.

Although only KXUS is buying the Arbitron, most advertising agencies seem to prefer it over the Birch figures. Actually, astute local buyers will place their advertising with stations that get results for their clients, no mattt how high or low a station's ratingwnay be. There still is talk about doing two surveys a year. A Birch representative said it was a possibility, although it would seem to depend on more local stations buying the spring book before any plans were made on another survey. An Arbitron spokesperson recently said it wasn't likely in the near future.

Last year, an Arbitron spokesperson said they were confident that local radio stations would return to the fold this year and buy the survey. It didn't happen, and there is a possibility that the company could decide not to survey Springfield. The irony of that is that the company surveys the market four times a year for TV ratings, so it would be hard to claim that we aren't worth rating. Meanwhile, if you are a loyal listener to one of the lower-rated stations, enjoy it while you can, as there may be some changes soon. At least one station will definitely be changing formats within weeks, and there may be more to follow.

Wiese joins the KWTO news team Wendy Wiese is the new newsperson at radio station KWTO. She joined the staff late last week from Joplin's KQYX-AM and FM. KWTO news director Barry Bryant said Wiese will do general reporting and anchor the moming drive news reports for KWTO-FM. Mark Marymont, a former radio disc jockey and producer, is a columnist and feature writer for Springfield Newspapers. misconceptions of TV's portrayal of older people," said Bert Briller at the TlO's New York City office.

"A lot of older people have a concern about being misrepresented in the media. There is a perception that TV just shows younger people because they may have more purchasing power. But, that's not necessarily true." Briller said that questionnaires were sent to all the TV stations in the country. Respondents were asked what they did as far as local programming for older viewers. The study also took into account what was shown on network television.

"Or. Mary Cassata, professor of mass communication at the State University of New York at Buffalo, had one of her classes monitor network programming and write a description of the programming and how it dealt with older people," Briller said. The survey was first begun in 1981, at which time post cards were sent to all local TV stations. Then, more detailed questionnaires were mailed to the stations. Because of the time lapse, some of the programs quoted in he study are almost five years old.

"The study is basically based on the viewing survey of the programs and the response from the local stations," Briller said. No study was made of the way older people are represented in commercials. Cassata. in an introductory chapter to the report, said that the Gray Panthers, an activist group of older Americans, are no longer as critical of TV as they once were. "In the past few years," she writes, "television has moved toward more realistic and sensitive portrayals of the aging, and one can find eveidence in this book of a society that is becoming more supportive of its elders." Cassata, quoting from a Louis Harris poll, found that 70 percent of Americans believe that TV shows show older people in a positive light.

The book is available from the TIO, 745 Fifth New York, N.Y. 10151. Newest survey finds few differences Once upon a time, Springfield radio programmers had to face one survey a year. The Arbitron folks would hit town every spring, distribute diaries to a collection of radio fans, collect the information, then go away and tabulate it and sell it back to all the radio people and the local advertising agencies. "Wait'U next year" was pften the cry of a wounded programmer, trying to put on a happy face after a bad book.

Now that's changed. Last year, Birch Radio took a survey, by telephone, that observers figured would either reinforce the Arbitron ratings, disprove them or just add to the general confusion. Pag 3 Th Nwj-ladr fcmdoy, Ai9.t 1 1, 1983.