Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Average Man Key to Educational Radio {Continued from page 13) gram itself, which is now and always will be the crux of the matter. If programs, educational in character in the broadest sense, and not interminedly dull, as Henry A. Bellows says the usual educational program of the past has been, can be devised by qualified and independent educators of the first rank, it is the opinion of the present writer at least, that they will take their rightful place on the air as one of the features of broadcasting; and an audience for them will be built up consisting first of all of that important thinking minority of the American public which at the present time is extremely critical of broadcasting. Such programs will be listened to. Radio's biggest challenge to the educational world, among many, is the opportunity it provides for a speaker to address the community as an audience, whether the community be the nation or a territorial section of it. This is a fact, a new fact, which can be accepted and can be laid down as the first stone in the structure which eventually will be erected in this country to represent educational broadcasting. Nothing has as yet been attempted or discovered to indicate that the development of radio makes it necessary teo revolutionize the systems of education which have been built up in the countries of either the eastern or the western hemispheres. But admitting this one big opportunity, the challenge is sufficient. In Europe they have advanced much farther than we have in America, not so much in the programs themselves, but in their attempts to study the educational possibilities of radio and in organizing educational forces to take advantage of the new means it provides for the enrichment of their educational systems. DIVERSITY OF OPINION Not all educators are agreed on radio, and from present indications, it is not likely that substantial agreement can be reached for some time to come. There are some who insist it is absolutely necessary and right that separate channels be set aside for the use of stations owned and operated by educational institutions or by departments of education of the federal, state or other duly constituted governments. There are others who hold just as tenaciously to the view that absolutely free expression of views, via the medium of radio, is necessary for edu cation and similar "services" but that this freedom can best be accomplished and represented if a proportion of the time allocated to stations on all channels be set aside for this purpose. No doubt there is merit to both contentions, particularly if some of the questions which are implied in the first paragraph of this article are answered. But until adequate answers are brought forward the educational field in broadcasting will continu3 to be scrambled. Meanwhile, the organization which the writer represents, is determined to keep apart from this controversy, to study the program possibilities inherent in the educational world in this country, and to hammer away on the problems of devising the type of acceptable educational program described earlier. For, I repeat, the program is and will continue to be the heart of the matter. No matter how the educational controversy develops, it will always be necessary to provide fifteen minutes, half an hour, or more of broadcasting to hear which people will turn on their radio sets and keep them turned on. If this can be done, then and only then, we believe, we shall have educational broadcasting in this country. PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY JANSKY and BAILEY Consulting Radio Engineers Commercial Coverage Surveys Allocation Engineering Station and Studio Installations Engineering Management National Press Bldg. Wash., D. C. T. A. M. CRAVEN Consulting Radio Engineer National Press Building WASHINGTON, D. C. CARL H. BUTMAN Radio Consultant National Press Building WASHINGTON, D. C. LOST and found ads carried in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle are broadcast twice a week free of charge over WLTH, Brooklyn. SILENCED during a sudden storm on October 8 when a lightning bolt struck its antenna and burned out the inductance coil, WEAF, New York City, was back on the air in 33 minutes with a temporary antenna and reduced power and about 90 minutes later was back on full power. Place Your SPOT PROGRAMS Where they will Produce Results Electrical Transcriptions — OVER WIP-WFAN 500 WATTS — 610 KILOCYCLES PHILADELPHIA'S PREMIER STATION reach a potential audience spending 2 Billion Dollars Annually WIP-WFAN uses the most modern Western Electric Apparatus 100% Modulation 33 1/3 and 78 R.P.M. Turn Tables SEVERAL VERY DESIRABLE PERIODS ARE NOW OPEN RATES ARE ATTRACTIVE Write or wire immediately for reservation. WIP-WFAN Broadcasting Co. Philadelphia, Pa. Page 36 BROADCASTING • October~15, 1931