"The University Station Director Faces His Problems" (December 11, 1936)

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THE UNIVEhsiTY STATION DIRECTOR FACES HIS PROBLEMS'* Harold B. McCarty Program Director, Radio Station WHA, University of Wisconsin President,' National Association of Educational Broadcasters Some time ago a noted educator whose name you all know said to me, "McCarty, you are in an enviable position. Why, I f d rather be director of a state radio station than president of a state university. Think of your opportunityl Think of the greater number of people you have the chance to serve! The whole state, all ages, and all kinds to educate and improve." I smiled and thanked him for the encouragement. I passed off the remark as mere pleasantry. Yet I do think ser¬ iously of that opportunity he mentioned.' I think of it often when problems pile up, when the way seems uncertain.- For naturally, such an opportunity is accompanied by obstacles. And I propose to hold before you today a few of the problems of the university station director, as I see them. This, by the way, is not a survey of the opinions of others. For the most part it is a personal analysis of experiences in the growth of one station. It may not be typical, for university aims and administrative methods elsewhere may differ. But it should be representative of stations operated by universities under a broad concept of educational service to the entire commonwealth. As the station director faces his problems, he sees that the first big job he has is that of convincing enough people that a publicly-supported broadcasting service will give them something they can get in no other way. Not many^ people, you must realize, are actively dissatisfied .with things as they are in radio. Not many see the quiet conflict between education and entertainment, a competition in which education is generally, if not always, the loser. Few are aware^of the denial of education’s rights in the licensing of facilities. They are unaware of the half-hearted and shifting support given to educational programs by commercial broadcasters. They see minor annoyances and complain of them, yes, but fundamental flaws are obscured by the gloss of great entertainment, fine music, and spectacular broadcasts from afar. •*Talk given at The National Conference on Educational Broad¬ casting, "The University Broadcasting Station" Section, Washington, D. C., December 11, 1936.