Radio Digest (June 1932-Mar 1933)

32 Broadcasting from The Editor's Chair CHRISTMAS holidays and Christmas music soon will be flooding the earth with peace and good will toward all. For some the radio will bring a sense of comfort, cheer, and a feeling that it's not such a wicked old world after all. To others it will bring memories of days that have gone, never to return again, broken families, distant loved ones, and an overwhelming sense of loneliness. For these Radio Digest suggests a plan by which radio may be used to link the distant hearthstones. Let the separated families consult the Christmas programs of certain of the chain stations. Then, by previous correspondence or telegrams, plan for all to listen to the same program at the same time. The voices and music over the air will bridge the gap, thoughts may commune, and some little compensation may thus be gained for the miles of distance that stretch between. IT MAY seem a little late to discuss elements of the recent presidential campaign, but it is worth while to note that never before have the issues been so thoroughly placed before the voters en masse. Some professed to be bored by the flow of oratory, but those who know will tell you that the greatest radio audiences of the year were the ones who listened to the speeches by the presidential candidates. It is hard to tell, however, whether the average listener was greatly influenced by what he heard; whether he was swayed more by the thought of beer, or economic problems. Judging from the demonstrations in the theatres which showed sound pictures of the candidates making their campaign talks it would seem that beer raised the loudest clamor. Just as the experienced broadcasters have often pointed out, the radio listener is not greatly interested in deep and perplexing problems. He wants, in the main, to be entertained. And that is why there seems to be such a divergence of opinion as to how radio can be utilized to carry on educational features. CAPTAIN PETER B. ECKERSLEY, former chief engineer of the British Broadcasting Company, in an interview with an American newspaper man upon his return from a trip around the world studying broadcasting in all countries, declared : "I have become an enthusiastic convert to the American idea, which as nearly approaches the ideal as I have encountered in my travels. I do not hesitate to say that the American programs are the most amusing, most varied, most interesting, the most diverting and the most educational of all. While the rest of the world has been practically at a standstill, America with characteristic foresight and action has pushed ahead, building up here, tearing down there, until they have achieved an approach to perfection which is a revelation and an inspiration." For those who have endeavored to make a political football of the educational phases of radio Captain Eckersley's comment is an effective answer. Sad satirical writers have elaborated on the superiority of the English system of broadcasting; others who use the networks when they can get a chance have waxed oratorical over the pitiful state of affairs in which "American broadcasting has gone to weeds." Oh that they could scissor out just 15 per cent of the ninety-six available wave-lengths allotted to this country with which to set up a bureau in Washington and use those wavelengths to carry education pure and simple into every home! No doubt many of those who advocate this plan are really sincere and think it feasible, but they are largely in the hands of schemers who really know that, as an engineering feat, the plans they contemplate are impossible. They should know, as a psychological fact, you cannot purvey education in the schoolroom academic manner over the radio. Captain Eckersley is right when he says : "I don't think you can teach people over the radio that twice one is two or that twice two is four. It simply doesn't work ; they don't take it. I think the service only to be intrinsically educative. People want to hear something new, I believe." Professional educators, unless they are familiar with the business of broadcast entertainment, should as a rule serve radio mainly as consultant experts, not as administrators. The broadcaster himself must go through a certain curriculum of training to know how to sell his program to the listener. He must know the art of appeal that holds the dial in the home on the spot he has created. For example one of the most successful organizations to engage in the educational phase of broadcasting is the National Advisory Council on Radio in Education, which for one line of achievement recently inaugurated a series, of Saturday night programs under the general head "The Economic World Today." The program comes from 8:30 to 9:30 — the very best period of the day — and goes to 45 stations over the NBC-WEAF hook-up. This organization has assisted in many other programs over both the major networks. "Great Moments in History" and "Roses and Drums," the former on NBC and the latter CBS are dramatized incidents of history and both have commerical sponsors. These programs hold young and old alike in the interest they create, and there is satisfaction on the part of the listener in knowing that the incident is based on fact. "The March of Time," is dramatization of current history over the Columbia network. These are worthy examples of what can be done in extending education by radio. JUST twelve years ago, KDKA the first regular broadcasting station in the world sent out its first program. A recent survey by R. G. Dun & Co. shows that today approximately $1,800,000,000 is invested in the radio industry in the United States. This investment is divided as follows: $150,000,000 in radio manufacture; $25,000,000 in broadcasting facilities; $25,000,000 in commercial radio stations, and $1,600,000,000 in receiving sets. Frank Arnold, in his book, "Broadcasting Advertising" estimates that the total amount of money paid out for sets during the twelve years of broadcasting has been $3,500,000,000. The gross receipts for American broadcasting stations last year was $77,758,048. The revenues of the two major companies rose from $10,252,497 in the year 1928 to $37,517,383 in 1931. In a recent report on broadcasting published in "The Index" of the The New York Trust Company this statement is made : "No other industry in the history of the United States has developed so rapidly as the radio broadcasting industry. . . . Few realized, twelve years ago, the tremendous possibilities of broadcasting or the enormous market that would develop for receiving sets, the manufacture of which has necessitated the employment of millions of dollars and thousands of men." And it's still an infant industry. RAY BILL.