Education by radio (1931-)

sibilities of an ether offensive. Govern- ment stations have been known to jump five kilocycles off their assigned wave length in time to jam the inauguration of another country's latest radio pride. Russia's right to high power is unques- tioned by European engineers. It is a vast country; it conducts radio education on a scale demanded by vast iUiteracy. Rus- sia, moreover, was not invited to the con- ference in Washington, where world wave lengths were allocated. Nobody can blame her for crashing in where she can. Technically and culturally her broad- casting plans are unassailable. But it would belie Kremlin intelligence to sup- pose the plans unrelated to Russia's in- terest in world revolution. Already Brit- ish listeners, curious to hear Moscow, have asked why it is that the life-saving ring of radio marine signal stations around England [on which ships rely to steer] happens to operate on a wave length neatly distorting Moscow out of intelligibility. Will nations circle them- selves with stations trained to go red with rage against any waves from Rus- sia? Or would it be a more statesmanlike method to extend the law requiring set owners to take out a license to listen, and force them to add a license to think, revocable at police pleasure? Meanwhile Europe's keeper of the radio peace, the Geneva Broadcasting Office [Union Internationale de Radio- diffusion], with admirable discretion tackles wave lengths, the interferences of the new high powers, the coming necessity for fewer stations. It finds tech- nical rather than political menace in the new situation. For the spill-over area [where a station's signals no longer are heard but do carry interference] is vastly greater with the new giants. Recently its engineers worked hard and amicably over a bafflling interference between new Ger- man and English stations. But the tem- per of a host of British listeners mean- while was not calm; it was "Get the bloody fatherland off our airs." The international amateur — Finally there's another element being heard from: the amateur. Hitherto he has constituted in every country much the most international element in broad- casting. But he, too, helped turn what might have been the most peaceful of occasions—the opening of the Vatican station by the Pope—into a bellicose af- fair. Deliberate interference was so wide- spread that the papal message was or- dered repeated for a dozen countries, while Moscow was indicted as the ma- rauder by a righteous world. But it seems the interferences were various. Paris lis- teners, for example, found the Vatican wave jammed first by some distant northeastern station, second by a French station, and third by a French amateur [repeating the Morse b with good power] —all of which cleared out as soon as the papal words ceased. Authorities whose idea is rigid control, rather than the fos- tering of free broadcasting and tolerant reception, have their work cut out for them when individual intolerance is added to nationalist interference. Because they have the same language, the English-speaking peoples might have been expected to be the friendliest pio- neers in international e.xchanges. Notable things have been done in rebroadcasting official or ceremonial programs. In addi- tion, the National Broadcasting Com- pany has to its credit annual speeches by its president on the imminence of inter- national service, while the other great American chain, Columbia, has main- tained for over a year an original and varied series of programs from London, now extended to the continent as well. The friendly relations of both with the British Broadcasting Corporation have not visibly broadened the latter's pro- grams. With no desire to dismiss lightly either results or efforts, the truth is that foreign programs constitute hardly one percent of American or British offerings. What is Pure broadcasting?— What is ceremonial, what commercial, what pure? The radio world has evolved no clear lines on this at all. The President of the United States saw fit to broadcast his labor opinions as part of the celebra- tion of the activities of an American food concern during that concern's hour. These activities included manufacturing abroad. The offer of that pronouncement as an attraction deserving a place in European programs—well, the reactions of foreign governmental broadcasters, not to mention foreign food makers, can be left to the imagination. Such hap- hazard offers [when given the thin stream of overseas exchange] are certain to contribute less to international good relations and more to false habits of mind among the broadcasters. "Brit- ain pretends to regard all American broadcasting as commercial; somebody will be making money out of any pro- gram exchanged with it; 'holier than thou' is the attitude. America, on the other hand, pretends to see all European programs as government propaganda, or else cheap; 'freer and better than thou' is the retort." . . . Plainly, tolerance is the only way out. To give broadcasting its head is both sense and inevitable. Radio in the hands of the dictator and the bureaucrat may become a means of oppression and a source of inflammatory propaganda. Free radio means an easy and constant interchange of thought be- tween one country and another. Free trade in radio broadcasting may well prove a source of international under- standing and goodwill. But the trend is not in that direction. Threats and fears, hostile radio barriers, and controversies promise little for human kind. Science, which made for peace, devised the hor- rors, the gas, and liquid fires of the last war. The throttling of radio may bring about a result quite as hideous. Copyright, 1931, by Harper and Brothers. All rights reserved. EDUCATION BY RADIO is published weekly by the National Committee on Education by Radio at 1201 Sixteenth Street, Northwest, Washington, D. C. The members of this Committee and the national groups with which they are associated are as follows: Arthur G. Crane, president, the University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, National Association of State Universities. R. C. Higgy, director, radio station WEAO of Ohio State Univ., Columbus, O., Association of College and Univ. Broadcasting Stations. J. O. Keller, head of engineering extension, Pennsylvania State College, State College, Pa., National University Extension Association. Charles N. Lischka, 1312 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D. C, National Catholic Educational Association. John Henry MacCracken, vicechairman, 744 Jackson Place, Washington, D. C, American Council on Education. James N. Rule, state superintendent of public instruction, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, National Council of State Superintendents. Thurber M. Smith, S. J., St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, The Jesuit Educational Association. H. Umberger, Kansas State College of Agriculture, Manhattan, Kansas, Association of Land-G'ant Colleges and Universities. Joy Elmer Morgan, chairman, 1201 Sixteenth Street, Northwest, Washington, D. C, National Education Association. Everyone who receives a copy of this bulletin is invited to send in suggestions and comments. Save the bulletins for reference or pass them on to your local library or to a friend. Education by radio is a pioneering movement. These bulletins are, therefore, valuable. Earlier numbers will be supplied free on request while the supply lasts. Radio is an extension of the home. Let's keep it clean and free. ri54l