Broadcasting (July - Dec 1936)

Chronology of NBC Achievements in Decade (Cont'd) Broadcasts were received from and transmitted to England, Holland and Germany. 1930 IN JANUARY, NBC set international broadcasting history by placing microphones in the British House of Lords at the opening of the important 1930 Five Power Naval Conference. In March, NBC broadcast the first long-distance two-way conversation of its type when Admiral Bvrd, in Dunedin, N. Z., talked to NBC officials over WGY, Schenectady. In March, NBC established another first" in a shortwave program from the 8. S. Europa after that ship had broken the transatlantic speed record. In April, the parabolic tvpe of microphone was perfected and placed in service, allowing NBC to pick up crowd noises or focus on sounds from a distance. In September, on the RCA Victor program, NBC made pickups from Boston, Portland, Me., New York Washington, Jacksonville, Dallas, San Francisco, Portland, Ore., and Chicago—probably the first time this many pickups had been used on one program. In October, NBC carried the first broadcast from Japan in a program which picked up the voice of President Hoover from Washington, Prime Minister MacDonald from London and the Premier of Japan from Tokyo' In December, NBC broadcast the nrst program from a submarine under the water, and the Christmas program that year was sent to and received from Tokyo, New York, Manila and Honolulu. 1931 NBC carried in January the address by Mussolini at the opening of Rome's new shortwave station. In February, the voice of Pope xt^S was heard in America over £JBC as the Papal radio station, MVJ, was opened in the Vatican. In August, the greatest number of performers up to that time took part ma broadcast from Soldiers Field Chicago, with NBC carrying the Chicago-Landsic Festival, featuring 1 200 musicians and choruses of thousands of voices. In October, NBC announcers were aboard on the first radio test flights off the American Clipper planes, forerunners of the China Clipper. If1 .December, as a tribute to Marconi, JvBC broadcast a program which originated in 19 widely separated parts of the globe, marking the first time world broadcasting centers were connected in a single hookup. This month also featured an NBC broadcast of the eruption of Kilaua, in Hawaii, in which an NBC microphone was suspended from the lip of the crater. Music lovers were given a treat when NBC presented its first broadcast direct from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, on Christmas Day. 1932 IN JANUARY, NBC presented another "first" when singers in New York and Los Angeles were accompanied by Paul Whiteman's orchestra from Chicago. A short time later ><BC featured a rapid three-way conversation between New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, the first time it had been attempted. In the same month, Floyd Gibbons made what was probably the first broadcast from an actual war zone when he spoke over NBC networks from Manchuria. In February, NBC covered the Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. In June, NBC broadcast both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. In August, NBC made its first shortwave broadcast from a glider in air, and the following month made the first broadcast from Dr. Beebe's bathysphere, hundreds of feet underneath the sea. In December the new ribbon, or velocity microphones, of a type still in use, were placed in operation in NBC studios. 1933 IN MARCH, the most intricate broadcast setup in radio history was used in describing the Inaugural Parade. Besides nearly a score of land lines, five shortwave transmitters were used in the seven-hour broadcast. German and English commentators described the parade for rebroadcast in their own countries. A short time later NBC inaugurated the policy of flashing news bulletins, interrupting regular programs when the bulletins were of sufficient importance. In April, the crash of the dirigible Akron was covered from the NBC mobile unit, with the programs relayed by shortwave to NBC headquarters. In July. NBC covered the Balbo flights from Italy, a flight by Wiley Post, and the flight by Mollison from England. In November. NBC moved to new headquarters in Radio City, New York, the most modern broadcasting plant ever built. Looking to the future, ample studio and laboratory space was reserved for television, on which NBC scientists had been experimenting since 1926. From the opening day, NBC's Radio City studios became one of the outstanding points of interest in New York City, attracting thousands of visitors every year. Jolly Bill and Jane put on the first sustaining program from the new headquarters, and there were greetings from major countries throughout the world. In November, NBC broadcast America's first important stratosphere balloon flight when a microphone was placed in the gondola of the craft used by Lieut. Comdr. T. A. W. Settle and Maj. Chester Fardney. On the flight there were pickups from the balloon, the field at Akron. O.. New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Washington. In December, the Christmas exchange program from abroad included Christmas bells from Bethlehem and programs from New York. London. Ireland. Bermuda. Canada, New Zealand. Australia. India and South Africa. 1934 IN FEBRUARY, NBC broadcast the funeral services for Ring Albert of Belgium, and the subsequent coronation of Leopold III. In March, NBC presented an onthe-spot description of the Grand National at Aintree, brought to America via RCA facilities. In the same month, a singer in New York was accompanied by an orchestra in Buenos Aires through the use of two-way shortwave broadcasts. In April, NBC microphones were aboard for broadcasts as the first streamlined trains were making their trial speed runs. In May, NBC broadcast the Passion Play from Oberammergau. A short time later NBC presented a radio review of the opening of the Chicago Century of Progress. In July, one of radio's most thrilling experiences occurred during the stratosphere flight of Captains Albert W. Stevens and Orvil A. Anderson in the U. S. Army Air Corps-National Geographic balloon. NBC was on the air from dawn until dusk, with the two airmen conversing with ground observers and describing the scene from the air. After rising more than 11 miles, the balloon ripped and the gondola plunged to earth, the balloonists saving themselves by leaping leaping in parachutes. NBC broadcast the flight exclusively, from the In August, NBC broadcast funeral services for President Von Hindenburg in .Berlin. In September, NBC broadcast the launching of the £. 8. Queen Mary, on-the-spot description of the Morro Castle tragedy, and complete reports of the America's Cup yacht races. 1935 IN JANUARY, NBC broadcast an on-the-spot description of the 8. 8. Mohawk disaster, including interviews with the survivors. This was take-off until the two airmen landed, followed in February with news broadcasts of the dirigible Macon crash in California. In April, NBC broadcast the takeoff of the American Clipper and the arrival at Honolulu on the epoch-making flight. In May, there were complete programs from England on the Golden Jubilee of King George. Beginning late in May, NBC presented a series of programs from aboard the S. 8. Normandie, making her record maiden run from France. The programs continued until the crossing was completed, being climaxed with a gigantic radio welcome in New York harbor. In June, NBC broadcast the BaerBraddock fight championship, carrying on an NBC tradition of exclusive coverage of the big fights. In August, NBC staged the most extensive field broadcast hookup in radio history with its coverage of the army maneuvers at Pine Camp, N. Y. Personnel and equipment included 13 engineers, six announcers, four mobile units, and seven shortwave transmitters, one of which was in an Army airplane. In September, NBC broadcast the Louis-Baer fight at Yankee Stadium. In November, the world's altitude record for balloons was set when Captains Anderson and Stevens once more rose into the stratosphere, with an NBC microphone in the gondola of their balloon. During the 10-hour flight, NBC was in constant two-way communication with the balloon. Among the outstanding programs of the flight were two-way conversations from the balloon with the China Clipper, flying over the Pacific Coast; a shortwave conversation between London and the balloon ; and a four-way conversation between the balloon Chicago, New York, and Washington. In December, NBC broadcast regular programs from aboard the Philippine Clipper on its two-way flight to Manilla and return. William Burke Miller, NBC program executive, and a winner of the Pulitzer prize in journalism, reported the progress of the flight over NBC shortwave equipment. 1936 IN JANUARY, NBC broadcast news from London of the death of King George, including the proclamation that the Prince of Wales was the new ruler. This was followed by a broadcast of funeral services for the sovereign. In March, upstate New York and Pennsylvania were ravaged by floods. NBC used planes and boats, with shortwave transmitters aboard, in telling listeners just what was happening. In April, NBC Announcer George Hicks described the annual Easter parade on Fifth Avenue over a tiny micro-wave radio transmitter so smail that it was hidden in his silk hat. The transmitter was developed by NBC engineers after years of experimentation, and it was used for interviews and on the floor of the 193(5 Socialist and Democratic National Convention. At the Republican Convention it was used in convention hotels and in interviews of delegates. In May, NBC presented exclusive broadcasts of the flight to America of (Continued on page 78) European Officials OnlnspectionTour NBC Arranging for Study of American Radio Methods ARRIVING in time to participate in NBC's tenth anniversary celebration, a large and distinguished group of European radio officials, headed by Robert Jardillier, French Minister of Communications, and Maurice Rambert, president of the International Broadcasting Union, will come to the United States to study American broadcasting methods and facilities. NBC is making the arrangements for the visit, and is bringing its European representatives, Dr. Max Jordan and Fred Bate, over to this country to help guide the visitors. When the various sections of the party arrive in New York they will be greeted by Lenox R. Lohr, NBC president, and Dr. Jordan and Mr. Bate. The group is coming under the auspices of the International Broadcasting Union at Geneva, to which Mr. Lohr issued the invitation. The first delegation arrived from Sweden on the S. S. Gripsholm Oct. 25; M. Jardillier and M. Rambeau will arrive on the S. S. Champlain Nov. 4, and the remainder of the group will arrive on the S. S. Europa Nov. 5. To Visit Several Cities THE VISIT of the foreign officials will last for two weeks, during which time they are expected to inspect radio facilities in New York, Washington, Chicago, Buffalo and possibly other cities. Following is a listing of the delegates who have already accepted, some of whom will be accompanied by their wives: Robert Jardillier, French Minister of Communications ; Maurice Rambert, president, International Broadcasting Union ; Arthur R. Burrows, secretary-general, International Broadcasting Union ; Raymond Braillard, head of European Radio Control Center, Brussels ; Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone Murray, general manager, Canadian Broadcasting Commission (now in Ottawa) ; Erich Von Kunsti, program director, Austrian Broadcasting Co. ; Dr. and Mrs. Ladislav Sourek, president, Chechoslovakian Broadcasting Co. ; Chamberlain C. Lerche, president, Danish Broadcasting Co. ; Kay Christiansen, chief engineer, Danish Postoffice Department ; M. Pellenc, inspector general, French Broadcasting Co. ; Mr. and Mrs. Emile Bremond, secretary-general, French State Broadeasting ; Dr. Kurt von Boeckman, head of foreign department, ReichsRundf unk Gesellschaf t ; Dr. Werner Nestel, engineer in charge of foreign relations, Reichs Rundfunk Gesellschaft ; L. W. Hayes, engineer in charge of foreign relations, British Broadcasting Corp. ; Dr. B. Vanderpol, chief engineer, Philips Co., representing Dutch broadcasting industry ; Dr. and Mrs. Chiodelli, general manager, Italian Broadcasting Co. ; Roman Starzynski, general manager, Polish Broadcasting Co. ; S. KaraffaKraeuterkraft, secretary-general, Polish Broadcasting Co. ; Dr. Carl Anders Dymling, general manager, Swedish Broadcasting Co. ; Eric Mattson, chief engineer, Swedish Broadcasting Co. ; Dr. Ivo Stern, director, Zagreb Station, representing Yugoslavia ; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gvozdanovic, vice president of Yugoslavian Broadcasting Co. Page 12 • November I, 1936 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising