NAEB Newsletter (September 15, 1939)

NAEB NEWS LETTER* *•.Sept* 15, 1939 Pag® 11 programs, and the right arrangements for broadcasting of such program^® would bring ample financial support from our enlightened philanthropists and from many organizations that have long bean anxious to promote genuine adult education." Well® 1 think that anyone of you here who has been responsible for the operation of an educational radio station® devoted primarily to the furthering of adult education® and giving all of your time and thought to broadcasting the best educational programs which you can build, have not found many philanthropists or organizations sitting around on your doorsteps with out-stretched hands offering you the thousands of dollars which you know you need to do the job you are aware should be done* It just doesn’t work that way* Even the Rockefeller Foundation which has been interested In radio® financing fellowships and councils, has not been willing to continue its support indefinitely. They believe® for instance® in launching a project and setting it on its feet® but at the end of a number of years® feel that that organization or council should be self-supporting, so® X do not agree with Mr., Yarros trat this is the answer® and that if he or hi® fellow educators were mi lling an educational station® thejr would have any more luck financing it than Joe wright or Harold McCarty or anyone of you* Take, as an examle, the case of the contribution to the University of Chicago of 138,000 by the Sloan Fund for the purpose of stimulating and vitalizing the Hound Table. This money did enable the University to pay the participants® to transcribe and reprint the discussions® send out more publicity on the program, but has it made the Hound Table any better? The Crossley rating does not show that it has® and® Mr* Yarros® only educatox^s are responsible for that program - it is mm by a University and not by commercial broadcasters* Frankly® I think if it were, it might be better - I don’t know® I just say® I think it might* "When all is said and done® i radio station must be financially sound before it can continue to operate indefinitely and must broadcast programs acceptable to the lit tener bofox*© it can become permanent enough to be financially sound * One goes around in the well-known vicious circle* "It is not easy to build, hour after hour, exceptionally good educational programs* Programs of real quality, quality is difficult to achieve and when one is faced with ten® twelve, fifteen hours daily, week in and week out® it is easy to understand how one can become lax and think that anything might do/ Then, too® I have heard some educational broadcasters brag about the number of programs which they have had on the air oser a given period of time* Is that anything to brag about® rather wouldn’t it be better to b\*ag about the quality of programs, and their audience appeal? Fewer programs exceptionally well planned with real established following, mean more than twice as many mediocre in quality* Nothing 1© harder than tv take material that in itself does not have an audience appeal and fr \m that make an interesting radio program * we all have that problem to contend with* We have been, we think® making some headway toward hotter programs® but often we stop and ask ourselves why w© think them! should be so many educational or public service shows* Are we sure Lhat the public is clamoring for them? I® for on©, am not* How doea Mr* Yarros or any educator know what the public wants - the general public? How does he know that they are not satisfied with the infinite amount they ax*e already receiving? X am speaking, of course® of the general public, not