Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

Plant Broadcasting SYSTEM HIGHLY DEVELOPED BY RCA VICTOR SPEEDS FACTORY-WIDE COMMUNICATION, AND IMPROVES EMPLOYEE RELATIONS By David J. Finn Sales Manager, Industrial and Sound Department, RCA Victor Division AN axiom of industry is that the problems of management mul- tiply as the size of an organization increases. This factor makes its initial appearance while a business is still very small. At that point where an employer has to hire a foreman or any other assistant to help him supervise his workers, he begins to lose direct personal con- tact. No matter how able his aides, that slows up his line of communi- cation. Plant broadcasting is one of the most effective means of overcoming this handicap. Basically there is nothing new in it. For paging, for communications and for music it has been in use for many years. However, when the war emergency placed especial emphasis on harmo- nious relationships between work- ers and management as a requisite for more effective production, plant broadcasting came into its own. Although many questions still re- main to be answered concerning the most effective use of sound systems, there is no longer anything hit or miss about it. A considerable fund of information has already been gathered, mainly in acoustics and by psychological research into the actual benefits of music for men and women at their jobs, particu- larly when these jobs are of the repetitive type. Added to this, is much valuable experience in war plants under almost every conceiv- able condition. According to those who are using it, plant broadcasting is doing a really important job in war plants. This was again confirmed in a re- cent survey conducted by the War Production Board in Washington, which disclosed that ST^c of plants using a sound system stated that music improved morale and oT~'c reported music increased produc- tion. In nearly everything that has been written on the subject, how- ever, emphasis has been laid on morale. The word has been used so much that it sometimes loses its meaning. Drawing from experience and scientific studies, we are now beginning to realize some of the true potentialities of plant broad- casting—and these potentialities have assumed an importance far beyond the expectations of those who pioneered in this field. Four Basic Units What is plant broadcasting? When I say there is nothing basic- ally new in it I am referring chiefly to the equipment. There are still only four basic units: The micro- phone, the control desk, one or more amplifiers to supply broadcasting power, and the functional loud speakers. Initially, sound equip- ment for plants was very crude compared to the equipment avail- able today. There are now, for ex- ample, several types of microphones designed to meet the different needs. The master control desk or cabinet of today is stream-lined and built with an eye to future as well as present needs. There are a num- ber of types of speakers, each of which serves best under conditions suited to its specific characteristics. It is estimated that thousands of industrial plants in the United States are now equipped with sound systems of one kind or another, and a large percentage is broadcasting music. There would be many more plants in both categories if the nee- •\ '^ L, SPEAKINC AT PREVIEW OF MOTION PIC- TURE "MANPOWER. MUSIC AND .MORALE," EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR MARK STARK, OF I.L.n.W.. REVEALS SURVEY RESULTS. essary priorities could be obtained for the material, and if the man- power was available for the in- stallations. Surveys indicate there are about 14,000 top industrial plant prospects for sound equip- ment. The market is certain to ex- pand as more industrialists learn the multiple advantages of modern sound systems. Just now, when war production output is a paramount requirement, the greatest attention is being given to the influence of music on production. Dr. W. A. Kerr of the Personnel Planning and Research Department of the RCA Victor Division has recently completed one of the most thoroughgoing studies in this field. Among his conclusions, based on experiments continued over five months with groups of varying numbers and diflFerent oc- cupations, are that in 12 compari- sons, average output was greater when music was broadcast than when it was not. Average quality of production was higher with mu- sic in "7 out of 10 comparisons. "Present evidence," says Dr. Kerr, "indicates best production with music that is interpreted as of moderate or peppy tempo. It does appear that the time has arrived when industrial music may be in- creased further in effectiveness by systematic evaluation of the effects of specific music factors on quan- tity, quality, and net good yield." If morale is to be defined as in- terest in one's work, here is unques- tionable evidence of what music can do for the worker. It is evidence also that plant broadcasting is of [20 RADIO AGE]