Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

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The NEWS MAGAZINE of 2, NO. 4 WASHINGTON, D. THE FIFTH ESTATE $3.00 PER YEAR — 15c A COPY The ^European Myth" Blasted by Facts By MARTIN CODEL f. S. Government Directory Shows Nearly Half of Nations kccept Advertising; Data on the Rates Revealed HAT'S ALL this talk about cona sting the "American" and the European" systems of broadcastig? Except for the fact that uropean countries generally im>se license fees of varying nounts on the ownership of radio •ceiving sets — a method of derivg revenue that has studiously ;en avoided over here — there is ially no such thing as a "Euroean system." However else they may regulate nd administer their radio, nearly alf the countries of Europe that ave broadcasting stations follow le so-called "American plan" of acuring the commercial sponsorhip of programs, i.e., of permiting advertising on the radio. Some f these countries offer ripe raarets for the radio exploitation not nly of home-made commodities but f American imports. To furnish American advertisers guide to commercial broadcasting n Europe, the U. S. Department of Commerce has just published Broadcast Advertising in Europe," . new bulletin (Trade Information 3ulletin No. 787, Government 3rmtmg Office, 10 cents) answerng questions hitherto covered onlv n scattered references. This buletin follows close upon the issuince of "Broadcast Advertising in -atin America" (Trade Informaion Bulletin No. 771, Government Printing Office, 10 cents) which loes the same for the countries to :he South of us. nearlv all of which jermit radio advertising. Latest Available Data WHILE far from complete, these bulletins provide the latest available data on policies, rates, etc., that prevail in the respective countries. A third such bulletin, covering Africa, Asia, Australia and hew Zealand, is now in course of preparation. The material, for the most part, was gathered by foreign representatives of the Depart, ment of Commerce and department j of State. It was compiled by E. D. Schutrumph of the Specialties Division, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, working with the staff of the Electrical Equipment Division in the same bureau. In its 21 pages, "Broadcast Advertising in Europe" omits much data that is needed by the adver tiser to get a complete picture of the broadcasting system of each country. Number of sets, types of sets, license fees, and other pertinent data are not included. These and other details, it is presumed, may be secured from another volume, "Radio Markets of the World, 1930," by Lawrence D. Batson (Trade Promotion Series No. 109, Government Printing Office, 20 cents). Mr. Batson's book, now two years old, is largely obsolete but it is the best available source of information on foreign radio known to the writer; he is now at work on a revised edition which may not be published before the end of this year. At any rate, Uncle Sam has so far taken cognizance of the use of radio advertising here and abroad to have published two bulletins thei'eon and to have planned another. This seems to be an indication of definite acceptance of ad When We Have Government Ownership of Radio THE PROGRAM TONIGHT will BE RENDERED Sy the musical Relatives of senator, "wh0o2it who has done so much wr. his country in voting, wr the GOVERNMENT CMLMERSfUP C?2> AND management op Radio / £OTTrE TtOOUTTLE C-fii.NO DAUGHTER. C5ENAT05. DlTCUW&TEft. DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION Op THE N'GHT CrtRliTMAS .AUNT SUSIE" HOSSlNPFEFFEl^. \uiu-' iPOADCAST -DAILY HEfc| ' RECIPES FOR PuTONC, UP sv<E£T Pickles. AUNT SUSlE IS THE AUNT OF IfCORESEMTATlVE JM Hoe HANDLE FROM motr VALLEY Copyright, 1932. New York Tribune. Inc. Courtesy New York Herald-Tribune vertising in the radio scheme of things, as it pertains to our foreign trade. Certainly the fact that nearly half the European radio administrations accept radio advertising gives the lie to those who, for one reason or another, are constantly pointing to the "European system" of advertising-free radio as being so superior to our system of free, competitive and advertising-supported radio. Each country of Europe seems to have a different set of regulations. In most, broadcasting is a governmental monopoly with the operation of stations either in the hands of the government or of a concessionaire responsible to the government. In a few countries private and government stations operate side by side, the private accepting advertising and the state declining it. A few countries actually prohibit both broadcasting and receiving. Probably the most important countries of Europe that prohibit radio advertising are Great Britain, Holland, Belgium and Sweden. They absolutely will not let the bars down — unless, of course, one regards the liberal credits given the gramaphone companies whose records are broadcast quite regularly as advertising. Britain's radio, of course, is controlled by the British Broadcasting Corporation, a state monopoly which gets its funds from part of the two shillings per month (less than 25 cents) collected on each of the 4,500,000 sets in use in the country. Where Ads are Acceptable HOLLAND did not ban advertising until May 15, 1930, and its broadcast organizations are financed exclusively by voluntary contributions paid by an enrolled public membership. Belgium, until the beginning of 1932, accepted advertising from about 200 companies, but this was halted. Sweden bars advertising by government regulation. Advertising is also taboo on the radios in Austria. Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland. Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Switzerland. It is also barred in Portugal, but that country leaves broadcasting in the hands of a few amateurs and only now is considering establishment of a large state station. Where is advertising accepted and under what conditions? France, Germany, Italy, Estonia, the Irish Free State, Norway, (Continued on page 28) February 15, 1932 • BROADCASTING Page 5