Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.ads From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: ads Thu, Apr 23 1992 Date: Thu, 23 Apr 92 05:38:05 EDT Message-ID: 04-23 0000 DECISIONLINE: Advertising USA TODAY Update April 23, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MAGS TARGET INDIVIDUAL READERS: Newsweek has become the first major consumer magazine to offer individual subscribers a choice of special sections. Other magazines are expected to follow. Newsweek began advertising the sections just a few weeks ago, so it doesn't have firm figures on how many readers have signed up. Customers to the service are paying $5 a year in addition to the normal subscription price. (For more, see special Customized package below.) ADVERTISING NOT YET EXPANDED: While top cosmetics companies have begun expanding their lines for ethnic complexions, that hasn't extended to advertising - yet. According to Lafayette Jones, president of Segmented Marketing Services Inc., "There is no African-American woman symbolizing a major cosmetics line but it's just a matter of time." Her company is a Winston-Salem, N.C., marketing promotion firm. AD CAUSES CONTROVERSEY: A GOP-sponsored radio ad thrashing House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., for being among Congress' check-kiters is causing a stir. St. Louis' KMOX says it won't air the ad that chides Gephardt for upping his bad-check count from three to 23 to 28. Gephardt's lawyers warned station managers they'd have to give the congressman a chance to respond without charge to personal attacks. CHANNEL ONE HAS LITTLE IMPACT: Channel One, the hotly debated TV show feeding news and commercials to schools, is largely endorsed by teachers and students, but its impact on student knowledge is "quite small." That is according to a study by Jerome Johnston of the University of Michigan. It was commissioned by Channel One owner Whittle Communications. The study involved 900 teachers and 4,400 students. ADS ARE NOT PART OF STUDY: Critics say Channel One commercials for snack foods and other products in the 12-minute newscast are inappropriate in classrooms. Whittle Communications, the owner of Channel One, recently commissioned a study on the program. However, the University of Michigan study, by contract, could not examine the effects of the advertisements. `L.A. LAW' TO MAKE CHANGES: Expect to see changes to "L.A. Law" in the fall. "Santa Barbara's" A Martinez will join the NBC show. Co-executive producer Rick Wallace said Wednesday Martinez will play a "strong litigator." He also says some of the show's regulars won't be back. "We're going to have to trim," says Wallace, explaining that the show became a bit unwieldy with seven new characters. `LIFE' HOPES TO CONTINUE: ABC News wants to put a new newsmagazine in the 7 p.m. EDT:PDT Sunday time slot against CBS' "60 Minutes." That isn't good news for "Life Goes On," which now occupies that slot. But Bill Smitrovich, who plays dad Drew Thacher, says he's hoping ABC won't cancel the 3-year-old show, but will move it. He's hoping for an 8 p.m. time slot any day of the week. `THAT'S AMORE' DUE IN SEPTEMBER: Starting in September, Group W will offer an American version of an Italian TV hit. "That's Amore" will be syndicated nationally. It's kinda like a "Divorce Court" for couples, a place for them to air their grievances. Of 750 episodes in Italy, not one couple has divorced, the producers say. LEAGUE'S PLANS GET NIXED: Commissioner Fay Vincent said Wednesday that he will veto plans by the newly created Arizona Fall Baseball League to incorporate commercial sponsors' names with the league and its six teams. The league, which begins its first season in October, two weeks ago said it would be called the Safeway Arizona Fall League. It planned to name each team after commercial sponsors. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON CUSTOMIZED: SERVICE AIMS TO BOND READERS: Magazines are beginning to customize content for individual subscribers. Magazines say the aim is to strengthen a reader's relationship to the magazine. "It is the ultimate reader service," says John Loughlin, vice president of the New York Times Co.'s women's magazines. "Our investment will ultimately be repaid by higher renewal rates, and readers will stay with us longer." SYSTEM USES SELECTIVE BINDING: Magazine consultant Martin Walker believes customized editorial sections will help the large magazines compete with the niche magazines. The technology that lets magazines get the right inserts to the right subscribers is called selective binding. It's been around since 1979, when Farm Journal began using it to send different news and advertising to hog, beef and dairy farmers. ADVERTISER CAN USE SYSTEM: Selective binding for ads lets advertisers reach only the readers they most want - such as women or doctors or senior citizens. With that system, advertisers can really narrow their sights. Although no one has taken it to such a level, selective binding could let advertisers target individual households. PROCESS IS EXPENSIVE: Neither Newsweek nor Child, the first magazines to use selective binding, is selling ads in its special editorial sections - yet. Both say that's a possibility. Publishers are being cautious because offering special sections willy-nilly could alienate or confuse readers. Selective binding also is expensive - although publishers won't be specific about the costs. (End of package.) Advertising Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM