Radio today (Sept 1935-Dec 1936)

THE WAR AGAINST RADIO Newspaper attacks threaten livelihood of entire radio industry • AFTER seething behind the scenes for many months, the attack of the organized newspapers on radio broadcasting has finally been brought out in the open. In the headlines of newspapers all over the country, bitter charges are hurled against radio. Does this mean war? Does this mean a long and bitter fight between two of America's great industries? Does it mean that America's two greatest mediums of public service and communication will lock horns in a battle royal, from which one or the. other must emerge dominated and suppressed? Does it mean prolonged hostilities between the 2,000 daily newspapers in the United States, and the 600 broadcasting stations ? Those are the questions everybody in the newspaper and radio worlds is asking today, after the publication of the latest blast against radio broadcasting by the American Newspaper Publishers Association, the organization that claims the membership of practically every large newspaper publisher. While the newspapers' attack is aimed primarily at broadcasters, to discredit radio as an advertising medium, its eventual and insidious effects must be felt by everybody in radio — manufacturers, distributors, dealers and service men alike. Stab in the heart For broadcasting is the very lifeblood of the whole radio business. Broadcasting sells radio sets. Broadcasting is the foundation of the business of every radio set-maker, jobber, retailer and repairman. If newspapers' attempt to discredit and weaken broadcasting succeeds, the direct effects will be felt all the way down the line. In every home of every man in radio. Destroy the present high standards and necessary incomes of broadcasters — and radio factories will be empty, jobbers might as well call in their salesmen, dealers close up their stores, and radio service men get themselves jobs as office-boys with their local newspapers. "Grass will grow in the streets of our industry" — perhaps. Looked at from any angle — that of the public or that of the radio industry — this well-organized attempt to discredit broadcasting is serious. For it is nothing short of a widespread effort to have the finest programs now on the air withdrawn — the public deprived of its most popular and economical form of entertainment — chief contact with the outside worid taken away from millions of city and rural homes. Press conflict old Conflict of interests between press and radio is nothing new. Tears ago, far-sighted broadcasters saw the opportunity for radio to bring the people of America a fast-moving news service that would inform them of important news events all over the world, almost as soon as these happened; no need for waiting several hours for newspapers to be published and bought in the streets. In fact, the birth of broadcasting itself, as every radio man remembers, actually occurred through a news broadcast — the election returns from KDKA at Pittsburgh in 1920. For more than ten years — while newspapers saw circulation-building values in radio for themselves — radio and press co-operated in the public interest. Newspapers, somewhat unwillingly, gave publicity to radio program listings and even furnished news to broadcasting stations. But a few years ago, a sharp change in the attitude of newspapers toward radio began to be apparent. Newspapers saw their advertising revenues decreasing rapidly, while radio advertising made great strides forward as a new form of reaching the public with a sales message. Newspapers began to fear this new force, both as a news service .to the public and as an advertising medium for large national advertisers. One big press association is reported to have a standing order to its staff that even the word "radio" must not go out in its dispatches. So newspaper publishers began definitely to turn against radio. Sniping began as early as 1930 and before, when some newspapers discontinued publication of radio programs. But even that unpopular move made dramatically apparent the strong hold that radio had obtained on public opinion. People turned from those program-less newspapers to the wiser newspapers which did carry the program listings. Radio had won its first press skirmish by sheer force of public interest. Flash news Hostile attitude of the press by now was such that broadcasters, feeling the growing antagonism of the newspapers, made preparations to set up their own news-gathering facilities. The Columbia Broadcasting System, in 1933, actually started and operated a widespread news service for the benefit of its listeners. The National Broadcasting Company made similar plans and had its organization ready to start full blast when and if the newspapers refused further co-operation. But a quick move on the part of the newspaper interests prevented full operation of such plans. Press associations and newspapers moved swiftly to force broadcasters out of the news service field. Under implications of a threatened newspaper campaign to destroy radio broadcasting, and in order to prevent open warfare between the press and radio, the broadcasters agreed to formation of the Press-Radio Bureau early in 1934. It was an agreement signed literally with a gun pointed at the Heads of the broadcasters. It was an agreement which irked the radio men who assented to it, and brought down on their heads bitter condemnation from the whole radio industry when the unsatisfactory results to radio listeners were revealed. Nets up, 416% N^S2Slr Advertising 1928 $230,000,000 1929 260,000,000 1930 230,000,000 1931 205,000,000 1932 160,000,000 1933 145,000,000 1934 163,000,000 Tear to Tear Radio Tear to Tear Ratio Network Ratio (1928 = 100) Advertising (1928=100) 100 $10,252,497 100 113 18,729,571 182 100 26,815,746 261 89 35.791.S99 348 70 39,106.776 381 63 31,516,298 307 71 42,659,461 416 10 Radio Today