Radio age (May 1922-Dec 1923)

II 1 1 11 1 mil 1 1 [ M I I I I 1 I I I II I 111 1 I I I I I I II I I L MM I I II I \ 111 I I I \ I II II I I M U U M I I I II II I II I I I mi I IJ-LiJ-i-U-LL-l-l-l-LLLI-L\ 1 1 M M I I H\ Mil , •pu8u:sHv:F> ^s^ RADIO JIGE _ ^ ' Tfie Ma^a^ine of tfte Hour ■-/ PUBLISHED MONTilLY GAI^RICK BLDG CHGO. ^ ITS I I M I I I 1 ! I I I I I M M I I I M M I I I I I M M I M L M M M I I I I I M I II \ I M M I I M 1 I 1 I I I I U n M I 1 M I n M M 1 I U I M M I I I 1 I M I I I I I II I 1 I, I M M I M I I I IT Broadcasters Form National League ORGANIZATION of the radio broadcasting interests of the country jor and by themselves was accomplished in Chicago on October 16, when owners representing many of the more important stations assembled and launched the National Broadcasters' League. It is expected that the league eventually will include on its membership rolls practically all of the broadcasting station owners in the United States and Canada. The purpose in organizing, as explained by speakers at the Chicago meeting, lies primarily in effecting a means of interchange of views and news between broadcasters. The general plan of the league might be condensed into the following outline: 1. To protect heavy investments owners of stations already have made and to find ways and means of obtaining some tangible return on that investment. 2. To establish a clearing house for information of value to all broadcasting station owners, so that they may be informed promptly of developments as to radio legislation ; that they may work as a body for the elimination of interference in the broadcasting of programs; Xsx improve programs; to present a united front against those persons and combinations of persons who are attempting to prey upon broadcasters; to convince the public and the government generally of the important position and strength of the broadcasting interests. George S. Walker, President of the Western Radio Corporation, Denver, Colo., and owner of station KFAF, was elected president of the League. Arthur H. Ford, Professor of Electrical Engineering at the State University of Iowa, Iowa City, was made first vice-president. W. J. Baldwin, of the Alabama Power Company, Birmingham, Ala., was elected second vice-president. and Frederick A. Smith, of Radio Age, Inc., was chosen for secretary. Directors will include: Frank W. Elliott, woe, Davenport, Iowa; T. B. Hatfield, Hatfield Electric Co., Station WOH; T. W. Findley, Minneapolis, Minn., Station WLAG, and owners of stations on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and in the South. It was decided to make the membership fee $10 a year, this nominal sum to be disbursed for postage, stationery and printing and distribution to all broadcasters of the periodical bulletins of importance to station owners. A complete view of the activities of the League will be published monthly in this magazine, which will give space for discussion of new problems by all or any members of the League who wish to thus communicate with their associates. Executive offices of the League are located in the Garrick Building, Chicago, 111., where communications from members or any others interested should be addressed. From the outset the Chicago meeting made it apparent that broadcasters desired an association which should not be identified with any other radio organization. Cooperation, where cooperation was decided to be desirable, was generally agreed to be the purpose of the broadcasters. But the speakers were definite in their expressed opinion that the League should admit none but a broadcaster to membership and that it should not affiliate with any other radio group, whether manufacturers, tradesmen, or whatnot. The meeting was called to order by Mr. Smith, who briefly explained that he had been asked by important broadcasting interests to bring about such a meeting. He said there were many problems confronting broadcasters at this time and that the interest in forming a union of station owners was evidenced by the large number of letters from station owners who could not be present but who wrote enthusiastic commendation of the plan and volunteered their services in making the organization a power for mutual progress and protection. Newspapers all over the country, having broadcasting stations in connection with their plants, were particularly quick to respond to the suggestion that a League was necessary. Frank W. Elliott, member of the Iowa legislature, and vice president of the Palmer School of Chiropractic, at Davenport, Iowa, was made temporary chairman of the meeting. Mr. Elliott expressed the opinion that one of the most important subjects for discussion was that of interference. T. B. Hatfield, of WOH, said: "We are WOH of Indianapolis, Hatfield Electric Co. We have been broadcasting since March of this year. Our two problems are: First, Interference, on which something certainly must be done through an organization of this kind. I am here without any definite idea as to how the interference problem may be solved, but am eager to listen to whatever information we may get. "Second: We are a commercial organization and it is costing us a pretty penny per month to run ou*broadcasting station, on which we get very little returns, unless advertising may count as such. But if we count advertising it is still costing us a great deal for that advertising. I am in favor of seeking some way of getting some return for our outlay. But primarily the thing to do is to find out how we can help each other to clean out the interference." T. W. Findley, Station WLAG, Minneapolis, said: