NAEB Newsletter (Dec 1958)

■ A E B NEWSLETTER NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTERS VOL. XXIII NO. 12 URBANA, ILLINOIS DECEMBER 1958 HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME CONVENTION SPEECHES A Columbia Broadcasting System executive reported that the public is accepting an increasing number of serious television programs. As a result, said Merle Jones, there is optimism over prospects for gradual improvement in the TV audience’s taste. Jones, the president of CBS television stations, spoke before the annual convention of the NAEB in Omaha in October. Richard Vogl, manager of WOI (Iowa State Col¬ lege at Ames), told the broadcasters that with stereo¬ phonic broadcasting just around the corner, many radio stations are taking a wait-and-see attitude. They want to find out what Federal Communications Commission regulations on equipment will be, he said. Although stereophonic programming thus far has concentrated on music, the new technique can be used impressively for drama as well. He encouraged broadcasters to try stereophonic techniques. Eugene Thomas, vice president and general man¬ ager of KETV (Omaha), suggested educational broadcasters tackle the problem of teaching Ameri¬ cans a second language. He said there is a great need for language ability. “Europeans, and especially Russians, have it all over us in their ability to con¬ verse with people in their own language,” he said. “This job is ideally suited to the talents of educa¬ tional broadcasters, and can be a great contribution to the good of the country.” INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE OF MATERIALS PROPOSED The idea of promoting international understanding and goodwill through a “person to person” approach has gained wide recognition in recent times. In con¬ nection with this theory of contact between countries and their citizens the NAEB, in association with USIA, is seeking to foster friendly relations between educational institutions and groups in this country and their counterparts overseas. It is felt that the use of audio-visual devices will assist in making this project a success, and we seek here to determine how many institutions would be interested in participating in such a program. If you are interested please write to R. E. Underwood, Jr., 14 Gregory Hall, Urbana, Illinois. When writing please keep in mind the type of information we desire: 1. What your institution would have available for use in foreign schools: a. What subjects are available? b. At what levels are they aimed? c. In what languages would they be available? 2. What your institution would desire, ideally, to receive from foreign schools: a. What subjects? b. What levels? c. In what languages? 3. Are there any particular foreign schools with which your institution would like to exchange materials? We feel that the potential for such an exchange is limited only by the degree of imagination on the part of the schools here and abroad. Our aim now is to get this project off the ground; this can be done only if you investigate the pos¬ sibilities at your institution or in your school system and then contact us regarding the items listed above. We certainly hope you will assist us in this pro¬ gram. NEW PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE “Three Years of Stereophonic Broadcasting at WOI”—a paper presented by Richard F. Vogl, man¬ ager, WOI, Iowa State College, at the recent NAEB Convention. Now available in mimeographed form, in single copies, upon request to NAEB Head¬ quarters. (This paper has already been distributed to the chief engineers of member stations.) “Tape Recorder Directory”—Each year Audio Devices, Inc. publishes a tape recorder directory as one of the issues of their magazine “Audio Record.” 1