Radio age (May 1922-Dec 1923)

10 RADIO AGE— "THE MAGAZINE OF THE HOUR" But the work was tedious. Great credit is due to Mr. Miller and members of his staff who listened in night after night, checking up on the broadcasting, the modulation, and finally on the program. The securing of good, pleasant and entertaining programs was no small task. This work as well as the general managing of the station developed upon Mr. William H. Easton. It was found that one of the most difficult things to do in the early days of commercial broadcasting was to interest newspapers in this new field. Untiring efforts on the part of Mr. Easton secured the recognition of radio broadcasting and awoke the duties of newspapers toward the hundreds of new fans. WJZ enjoyed the distinction of being the first broadcasting station to have its complete program published by a Metropolitan newspaper. Over eleven hundred newspapers in the United States and foreign countries published the WJZ program. Much of this work was carried out by Mr. P. A. Sensenig. In addition, WJZ has been the subject of many magazine articles and it has appeared on the screen. Dignitaries and men prominent in engineering circles have come from foreign lands to visit the station. From a point of equipment, WJZ was rated as one of the most powerful broadcasting stations in operation in the country. Its original transmitter was of 500 watt power. Last November, the power of the station was doubled, and WJZ could claim a transmitting radius of 2,000 miles. As a matter of fact, WJZ had the most consistent transmitting record of any broadcasting station. It was heard almost nightly in California and in England. It had followers in Australia, Cuba, South America and Europe. On one occasion, its signals were heard simultaneously in Honolulu and Bremenhaven, Germany, some 10,000 miles! To keep a station such a time as this required the best of operators and the most competent care. Six licensed radio operators, all of them having had extensive practical experience either on land or sea or both, stood the practically continuous watch at the instruments. The Chief Operator, Mr. George Bliziotis was in direct charge of this work, and many times the proper operation of WJZ depended upon his quick, prompt and skillful handling of the situation. The first man to ever broadcast station WJZ was Mr. C. W. Horn, when the station was oiificially opened up in October 12, 1921. Mr. Horn is now Superintendent of Communications for the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company. It is his duty to see that the other Westinghouse stations, KDKA, in Pittsburgh, KWY, in Chicago, and WI3Z in Springfield are kept in the pink of conditions. That he has done his work well is shown by the fact that these stations are without rivals as far as range, consistent transmission and modulation are concerned. Station WJZ was a pioneer in many ways. It originated many new variations in an attempt to put out a really interesting program. Woman Is Boss Station WDT has been reopened in its new home at 510 West 23rd Street, New York, in the studios of the Premier Grand Piano Corporation. The station is in charge of Miss Vaughn De Leath, the "original radio girl." The programs announced by the station are of outstanding merit. For instance the method of identifying operators and announcers was introduced at WJZ, and the practice soon extended to every broadcasting station worthy of the name. The voices of AWN, (Mr. J. L. Watt); ACN, (Mr. T. Cowan); AJN, (Mr. M. J. Cross), all announcers, and OBN, (Chief Operator G. Bliziotis) and OHN, (Operator Hiller) are well known to thousands of radio fans. Some of them reflect truly the personality of the Station, and have made many friends for themselves over the radio. The first time radio fans adjusted their watches was through the re-broadcasted NAA (Arlington) time signals from WJZ. This little innovation in the radio program was immediately popular, and spread out to many other stations. And then, one afternoon radio fans who could not attend the World Series were startled to pick up the cheering of the crowds at the Polo Grounds and of receiving announcements of the plays, on their receiving sets. WJZ was broadcasting the baseball game reports. This was the first time that remote radio broadcasting was ever attempted in the Metropolitan district. Subsequently, the first church service and then the first complete grand opera were sent out via WJZ's powerful installation. But WJZ's entertainment was not for grown-ups alone. For the kiddies, bed time stories were told by children story tellers and authors of national repute. Sleepy ears heard many tales of Jack Rabbit, Bunny Briar and others from Thornton Burgess, David Cory, Florence Smith Vincent and Howard Garis. The popularity of WJZ spread very quickly. The most prominent artists, public men and entertainers came to WJZ to broadcast. On the guest book of the WJZ studio and reception room may be found the names of Mary Sundelius. May Peterson, Cecil Arden, Frieda Hempel, Lydia Lipkowska, Vice President Coolidge, Premier Clemenceau, Lord Robert Cecil, Governors and Senators of many states, prominent lecturers and artists too numerous to mention. WJZ's scope was international. Its waves radiated into parts unknown, and were heard throughout the civilized world. WJZ was the first station to be heard in England, and reception is being achieved daily in London. The programs of English stations are being modeled after WJZ's programs, because of their completeness and entertaining value. But the old WJZ is shut down. It has found a more modern home in the Aeolian Hall Building, at 42d Street and Fifth Avenue in the heart of the city. Here a super-station has been erected by the Radio Corporation Engineers who were -always interested in the development of WJZ. Mr. C. B. Popenoe went from the old WJZ to the new to manage its programs and its activities. It may put on a new voice, be clothed in a new glory, but to many, old WJZ will be just "WJZ" an old faithful friend, whose presence we feel, and whose voice we love. Monday night, right after the broadcast, the operator in charge made an entry in the station log book, as he has done every night for the last year and a half. This entry difTered.from all others, because it read: "WJZ signed off for the last time. Station closed down — All's well." Fake Inspectors A "fake" radio inspector has been issuing "licenses" to amateur and broadcasting stations in Minnesota, the Department of Commerce has been advised. Using the return stub of an amateur application blank secured from the Department, an individual giving his name as Cecil Osborne is said to have supervised the installation of a radio station in Minnesota, and issued what he called a license. This imposter claimed that he was a former radio operator of the Navy Department and a member of the Naval Reserve. The only record of a man of that name in the files of the Navy Department is that of a deserter who served for a time as an apprentice and seaman. He deserted in San Francisco in July, 1922, the official records state. All radio inspectors of the Department, the officials in Washington point out, are supplied with means of identification, including official badges and identification cards bearing their photographs. Amateurs and broadcasters are advised to ask for identification cards and to pay no fees for li:enses. Although the White Radio bill ci/ntemplated the payment of fees for licenses, it failed to ^ass; the present law provides for the licensing without charge.