Radio Broadcast (May 1929-Apr 1930)

> Commission s Personnel Completed WK^k ». Whether a more forceful policy will be |§M|§j||^K / adopted by the Commission, now that. its iBpjlBllJi personnel has been completed by the ^^H|^^p appointment of General Charles McK. W ^^Bjl Saltzman for the Fourth Zone and William IlllJ ^fBl L. Starbuck for the First, only experience will determine. We may take slight comfort from the fact that four minor stations have been denied renewal of their licenses and a few others placed on probation. Threats have been made regarding frequency deviations, but we must confess that warnings by the Federal Radio Commission have been issued too frequently in the past without being followed up to warrant taking them seriously. It is obvious to any unbiased observer with a sensitive receiver that the clear and the better regional channels render such greatly superior service, as compared with that of the local and poorer regional channels, that any move to crowd these channels, further is absolutely contrary to the dictates of common sense. Nevertheless, new licenses continue to be issued and power increases are permitted on the regional channels. We earnestly hope that some of the serious experiments now being conducted in synchronization will help to reduce the number of heterodynes on the shared channels. Apparently it is a vain hope to rely upon the Federal Radio Commission to undertake the prime function for which it was originally organized, namely the drastic reduction of the number of stations operating, and hence synchronization is the only remaining hope for improved conditions. In dictating strict adherence to frequency stability and staunchly defending the clear channel, the Commission may still serve an important and useful purpose because it is only a matter of time before engineering advances in synchronization will help materially in improving the quality of reception provided on the crowded channels. But even this hope will be destroyed if too many new stations are licensed and too many power increases are allowed on local and regional channels. Trends in Radio Merchandising It is as much the concern of the radio receiver manufacturer as of the radio dealer that re tail merchandising shall be profitable. Receiver manufacture has proved a profitable and satisfying enterprise for most of those engaged in it with adequate capital and sales and engineering ability. However, if the dealer who retails the receiver does not enjoy this same prosperity, his failure will soon be reflected in the profits of the manufacturer. With quantity production, drastically lower prices, and a great increase in the number of effective selling outlets, the lot of the smaller dealer in the radio field, particularly in the less-populous communities, has become more and more difficult. The unit of sale grows smaller and.'although the turnover is increasing, it [is not sufficient to counteract completely the smaller profits per sale now made. The average sale has fallen to about $158. This still leaves an ample margin for efficiently conducted radio businesses. Efficiency implies low overhead per dollar of sale and that, in turn, depends upon a considerable turnover. Where large sales volume is not attainable, the dealer may operate without profit. There is much complaint to this effect at every dealer's meeting. Usually the answer lies in lack of sales ability, poor selection of lines, or excessive competition. Nevertheless, there are locations where none of these factors account for the dealer's failure to show profit. In such cases, sales are made almost entirely in low-priced merchandise, but population and economic conditions preclude the building up of adequate sales volume. In the smaller community, the answer to the dealer's problem lies in the development of a more comprehensive business by the sale of allied non-radio products. A manufacturer who would ingratiate himself with dealers serving rural areas could very profitably make a study of the economic position of the rural dealer with a view to point out solutions for his individual problems. Educational Possibilities of Radio A brief review of the British Broadcasting Corporation's latest edition of Talks and Lectures, a leaflet _ issued periodically to assist in taking advantage of its comprehensive educational lecture service, is sufficient to convince any American listener that we are overlooking many of the richest possibilities of radio broadcasting. While no educational lecture is greeted with enthusiasm by a majority of the audience, those whom it does serve are served significantly and the benefit accruing to them is of far greater permanent value than could possibly be derived from the type of program which is the stand-by of American listeners. We have to blame the economic system upon which our broadcasting is based for its lack of genuine service value. There is no progressive or comprehensive plan to take advantage of the educational opportunities which the microphone offers. Morning talks, presented for women, are little more than blatant and direct advertising of the most forlorn and discouraging type. Since the support for broadcasting is obtained on the strength of the good will accruing to national advertisers, it is natural that features should be presented which attract as broad a cross section of the listening audience as possible. This precludes any serious educational effort and levels all programs to a standard level of appreciation. Radio is principally a serviceable instrument for securing a background of music in the home with a minimum of effort. There is sufficient variety to appeal to any average musical desire. During political campaigns and outstanding sporting events, radio serves very acceptably as a news reporting device. But this is about as far as it goes and the serious constructive purposes served are highly exaggerated. There is just as great a field in child and adult education in languages, dramatic, and literary criticism, travel, history, 136 • • JULY 1929 •