New-York tribune., 1922-05-28
Isles
Surrender to
Radio "Flu ''
Government, Through the
Posioffice Department,
Will Supervise Broad
casting of Entertainment
Isles Split Into 8 Areas
Each viii Have Broadcast
Station Operating on
Separate Wave Length
By Ware B. Wells


LONDON, May l2.-*Within two or
three weeks from now England should
be a nnd of radio. Even though
broadcasting has not yet begun. orders
tor receiving sets already are pouring
into tho manufacturers by She thou
sand. This country has been tate in
starting. but now that it has takon
tho plunge it looks as though it would
pass without any transi tional period
into nationwide use oe radio.
Is is conceded here that England is
fortunate in having the experience Of
the United States on which to base
Its radio policy. From the outset wise
regulation will enable this country 10
avoid the "jamming" due to indis-
crlminate broadcasting, which IS only
now being taken in hand across the
Atlantic Aside from this. In the opin-
ion Of Godfrey Isaacs, managing di-
rector Of tho Marconi Company. which
with its experience and equipment.
natnraliy will play q big part in de
Veloplng the new possibilities opened
up by the Postmaster Generals scheme.
TINS country will start with the advan-
tage OF better machine than that
commonly used in the United States
Country Divided Into Eight Areas
Under the governments scheme. this
country is to be divided into areas
ccnterlng upon London, Cardiff, Ply
mouth, Birmingham, Manchester and
Newcastle, with two more in Scotland
eight areas in all. In each of these
areas one or more broadcasting sta
tons will be allowed The broadcast
INC stations are to be under the control
OF tho manufacturers Of wireless sets.
Of whom there are less than half q
dozen in The country. They are to meet
IN a conference at the postoffice short
ly to work out the details.
The general idea underlying the
governments scheme is that, if the
system IS 80 wors5 properly, there
must be a scientific disposition of the
length for its appropriate radius. so
that there Is no Interference. The
position is, of course, smplifed here
by the very small number of COM
panies in the radio business. The post
office will have them all cooperate,
so that there shall be no monopoly
and yet no such mutual interference
as would destroy efficient working.
80 London Station to be First
ss. From ting vafice broadcasting cen
Gers, Of which the London one will
probably be the first to begin oper-
ating within two or three weeks, daily
programs Of music, speeches and news
of various kinds win be sent out be
tween and II every evening, and
without time limit on Sundays. The
radio services will not at present
carry market quotations, as the pre-
scribed hours practically lie outside
the scope of Stock Exchange activi-
ties; these hours. however. have been
chosen as the most suitable for broad
casting.
Due to the fact that there is not
to be found here the same dispersed
rural population as exists in the
United States or Canada, it is doubt
full whether radio here will ever enjoy
quite the same popularity. But its
use here certainly will be encouraged
by its cheapness. In the first place
the area arrangement will tend TO
keep down its cost. Had the country
not been mapped out into eight areas,
each Of them with at least one power
full broadcasting station. radio might
have been cheap in London and dear
IN Edinburgh. As it is, in this coun-
try o. short distances no receiver Will
be too far away. On the other hand,
it will be to the interest OF each com
pany operating station to do so eff
GENTLY and to use powerful appar
atus; otherwise the government may
withdraw its license.
Leasing Plan Abandoned
There is another reason why radio
will be cheap in this country. 1t is
the fact that the people who own
transmitting stations will also be sell
ing receiving sets. Consequently the
better programs they can promise, the
more people will want to buy their
and the others probably will follow its
example has now abandoned its orig
inal idea of leasing receiving sets in
stead Of selling them outright. 1t will
now consider the question of renting
only in the event of some much more
expensive and delicate instrument be-
ing developed.
There viii be three Kinds Of receiv-
ing sets, OF which the cheapest type
viii be sold fer about S27. This viii
have a radius Of about twenty-five to
thirty mies-quite adequate for most
purposes in this country. For this
inclusive price a purchaser will obtain
the machine with the entire equip
ment complete, and will also have the
full benefit of the broadcasting station
activities. The next will be a medium
quality machine with a radius Of about
fifty miles, and there will be a supe-
rior machine with Il radius OF about
according to style and equipment.
" . ar ri l,N coll