Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

The RADIO BOOK SHELF B IROAPC ASTD IN € THE NEWS MAGAZINE THE FIFTH ESTATE of Published Semi Monthly by BROADCASTING PUBLICATIONS, Inc. National Press Building Washington, D. C. Metropolitan 1786 MARTIN CODEL, Editor SOL TAISHOFF, Managing Editor F. GAITHER TAYLOR, Advertising Manager • Executive and Editorial Offices: National Press Building, Washington, D. C. Subscription Price: $3.00 a Year 15c a Copy Copyright, 1932, by Broadcasting Publications, Inc. Tell the World IF ADVERTISERS should advertise their radio advertising, as Howard Angus of one of the country's leading agencies so convincingly urges in his article in this issue, it is no less convincing an argument that broadcasters should broadcast about their broadcasting problems. This statement is made with no thought of simply slinging words. Advertising radio advertising in suitable media is good business for sponsors. And it is sound policy, in these days when broadcasting is under fire from so many quarters, that the broadcasters should occasionally go on the air to tell their audience something about radio itself. The cooperative program staged jointly by two rival stations in the Twin Cities, namely, WCCO and KSTP, on New Year's Day, was an instance of what we mean by broadcasting about broadcasting. Henry Bellows and Stanley Hubbard, the respective station directors, in a half hour program, went on the air for a "frank discussion" of some of the problems radio faces. They took their audience into their confidence, telling their listeners about the obstacles the youthful industry faces and pledging improvements along all lines as fast as they can effect them. Mr. Hubbard put it pointedly when he told the audience that "although radio is the greatest voice in the world, it has been backward in telling the world about itself." That is so. Journalism and show business have never been slow to promote their own wares. Radio being a sort of hybrid of those two fields, having so potent a voice of its own, need not be modest or backward about telling its own story, fully and frankly, to its audience. It is a fascinating story, this story of radio, and it is surprising how few of the public know how they get their local and chain programs, who pays the bill, why certain interests want to deprive broadcasters of a substance derived from pioneering effort and heavy investment, what the future holds forth for the broadcasters and the listeners, etc. These stories can be told interestingly and in such a way as to hold audience. Certainly they are no less interesting than many political and club speeches that are regularly broadcast. Proper programming and production can actually make them popular regular features. The station manager, the control room man, the artist, all have stories to tell. Why not tell them ? The directors of WCCO and KSTP took a step in the right direction. Other station managers might do well to emulate their example. If they need material for their talks, that material is now being made available to them by the NAB. There is an abundance of literature about radio that is ideally adaptable to the spoken word. Welcome Inquiry BROADCASTERS should— as many of them do — endorse and welcome the Couzens-Dill resolution for inquiry by the Federal Radio Commission into various phases of broadcasting. They should particularly be glad of the opportunity it will afford for a complete airing of the respective merits of what has become known as Radio by the American Plan as against the European system of radio. We are ourselves thoroughly convinced of the superiority of the American system of free, competitive enterprise and commercial support for radio. We believe, along with Senator Dill, who made the statement during a radio address last spring, that "radio must be kept as free as the press." We do not believe that the government should control any medium of intelligence and entertainment any further than it controls the press, for radio is simply another phase of journalism. It is the audible counterpart of journalism; radio and the press naturally complement one another. Radio is "audible journalism." But there are others who cannot be so persuaded. Even Senator Couzens, author of the resolution, to which Senator Dill added sections, apparently is not persuaded that government ownership and operation is preferable. Informally, he says he simply wants advertising — over-advertising — limited to the bounds of good taste and due brevity. His resolution is prompted, as it says, by "growing dissatisfaction with the present use of radio facilities for purposes of commercial advertising." To us there seems to be no middle ground between radio supported by commercial sponsors and radio owned and operated by the government. Those who object to the present system are not simply fighting the battle of "the public." Either they want the radio channels to themselves, or they favor government ownership and operation. The Commission inquiry will do much to clear the atmosphere by dispelling many of the unfounded claims made against Broadcasting by the American Plan. The simple facts should appeal to the public, to whom the broadcasters owe their first allegiance. Someone has to foot the bill for broadcasting; if the advertisers cannot, then the only alternative is a governmental system supported by set taxes or other forms of taxation. The public then would have to pay the bill directly. Of course, the Couzens-Dill resolution has more in it than an inquiry into the feasibility of government operation. It asks for certain pertinent facts about commercial practices and the financial aspects of operating stations that will readily be forthcoming. Senator Dill especially wants to know about educational radio stations, and the inquiry will develop some interesting facts about them. Most in THE COMPLETED report on "Retail Distri bution in the United States," compiled as tfo result of the census of distribution survey o: 1930 by the U. S. Census Bureau, has jus come off the press. It is a valuable documen for the commercial and research department: of broadcasting stations, especially those ii the regional and local categories which deriv< their main revenues from community mer chants. It gives the number of retail stores and retail sales for each county and for eacl city of 10,000 population and over. It show: these figures for the principal business groups and selected kinds of stores, presenting figures derived from the first census distribution An excellent basis of estimating the amount of business done in a particular community is thus available, and from the figures for a community as a whole or for each class of business the broadcaster can make an estimate oi his potential business. The only deficiency ir the report is that it covers a year that maj not, in the light of the later depression, furnish a true average for typical years. The document, 130 pages, known as Distributior No. R-62, may be obtained free of charge frorr the Government Printing Office as long as th* supply lasts. SUPPLEMENTARY promotional activities tc aid broadcast advertising are outlined ir NBC's second volume of "Broadcast Advertising" just issued. Practical suggestions art offered as to how to increase the appeal oi radio programs by newspaper and magazine advertisements, sales meetings, trade papers dealer announcements, window and countei displays and other means. The study is basec on experience of NBC clients and is encasec in a loose leaf format so that new sections may be added from time to time. OHIO STATE University on Nov. 1 issued its second yearbook of the Institute of Educa tion by Radio ($3). Proceedings of the meeting of educators at Columbia last year and the developments of the year in radio educatioi will comprise the volume. This is a book thai should help many stations solve their problem; of liaison with educational institutions, statt and local, for the Ohio School of the Air is one of the most successful examples of cooper ative effort on the parts of state educationa officials and commercial broadcasters, asidi from the aspect it also has of operation of s broadcasting station for educational purpose by the state university. teresting, perhaps, will be the disclosure thai many of them have voluntarily sold out oi: gone off the air because of lack of financia backing or inability of the professorial talent to conduct their stations so as to hold audi ence. Much of the data sought by the Senate is already available from the files of the Radi< Commission and elsewhere. The NAB hat rightly expressed itself as "ready and willing' to cooperate. We believe that all broadcaster: should lay their cards on the table, face up They have nothing to hide. If some of then are guilty of offensive practices, all of then need not be blamed for those practices. Evei though the facts adduced in the Commission': inquiry will be interpreted and distorted bj the enemies of Radio by the American Plan t< their own convenience, they will still be facts The enemies of radio will blow off their steam but Congress and the public will not be fooled Page 16 BROADCASTING • January 15, 1931