"Classification of Educational Radio Research" (January 1, 1941)

parts of the program are most effective in developing the thinking of listeners, then "broadcasters can make immediate use of this information in designing further series. Research of Particular Value to Teachers (1) Teachers must know how much listening their pupils do and what their pupils listen to if they are to have an adequate picture of the interests of those they teach. A breakdown of the amount of listening for children from different socio-economic levels will he valuable to many teachers. It might be expected that increased listening goes with decreased opportunity for other entertainment. There is however a small amount of evidence tending to show that the same programs are favorites and that the same amount of listening is done by children from upper and from lower income groups. Several studies done in different parts of the country have found an average amount of listening of 2-3 hours per day. Teachers will want to know such facts, especially if con¬ firmed for their own students, since they disclose some interests of youngsters which can probably be used to motivate school work. Another simple but important quantitative aspect of young people’s radio preferences is connected with program schedule and program availability. There is but little published research that shows to what extent children’s listening is conditioned by the fact that there are only a few hours in the day when he has control of the dials. Quite different conclusions about children’s preferences may be drawn when the actual listening is reported in terms of what programs are on the air at the times of day for which each child can choose what he wishes. (2) The relative preferences of youngsters for different programs seem fairly constant. Studies made in Chicago, St Louis and Zanesville show that "Gang Busters” and the "Lux Radio Theatre” lead in popularity over a wide range of ages and for both sexes. This finding, at present a tentative one, will if verified be an important one for teachers . Apparently these programs give the children some satisfactions that are not being supplied by home or school, although research data are lacking concerning the role of the movies, pulp magazines, comic strips, and some games in satisfying the same needs. Seven hundred and fifty-four high school students in Newark were asked the question, "What are some of the radio programs from which you learn some¬ thing?" Thirty-four and two-tenths (34.2) per cent of them gave "Professor Quiz 30.5 per cent mentioned "Gang Busters"; 17.0 per cent mentioned "Cavalcade of America"; 13,8 per cent mentioned "March of Time." Nineteen programs received from ten per cent to one per cent of the votes. This finding is equally un¬ complimentary to teachers and to broadcasters. Apparently the students feel that the accumulation and retention of miscellaneous bits of information is educational. Apparently also there is not a large surplus of genuinely edu¬ cational programs on the air. All the same, this is where the students are, and teachers would do well to listen to "Professor Quiz" and to "Gang Busters" so as to know one more thing that their pupils appreciate and think about. It will be important for teachers to know how the listening interests of their students change with age, if the listening interests of boys and girls are different, and if differing occupational, national and social backgrounds affect the radio preferences of young people. -7-