The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1922-05-12
THE FUTURE OF
RADIOPHONE

Many people are raising the ques-
ton as to who will maintain radio
phone broadcasting stations In the
future. Most of the present stations
are maintained by manufacturers or
dealers as means for stimulating
the sale Of radio receiving sets, or by
newspapers as means OF sensa-
tional publicity. As the expense OF
installation and maintenance is rela-
lively high and as there Is no pres
ent practical method of charging for
this service to the public, there Is
likelihood that the manufacturers and
dealers will be compelled to discon-
tinue this service when the market
becomes saturated, and there Is a
possibility that the newspapers like
wise may cease broadcasting as the
novelty wears of.
The answer is found in the recon-
mendation OF the Washington Radio
Conference that radio communica-
ton is a public utility" and in the
fact that definite bands Of wave
lengths have been set aside for broad
casting from government stations and
public institutions. The broadcasting
of information of all kinds will soon
become as much Of public neces-
sity as are good roads. The inaugu-
raj address of the next president Of
the United States will undoubtedly be
heard by the people of the country
by radiophone. The Borough OF
Queens. New York City, is consider
ing the installation of a municipal
station. On every hand there are
signs to show that the broadcasting
OF the future will be conducted as a
governmental function or at least as
governmentally regulated monop-
oily
American has gone insane over
radio. Its fascination and wonderful
possibilities have fred the popular
Imagination and created an over
whefming demand for any old thing
that will receive radiophone speech
and music. Overnight, boys toy
and q laboratory instrument has be-
come a necessity for every real home
Radios rapid rise TO popularity is
as unprecedented as it was unexpect-
ed. The manufacturer. jobber and
dealer were unprepared for the on
slaught OF orders with which they
have been bombarded. Dealers
shelves are empty. jobbers are six
months behind In deliveries and man.
ufacturers have doubled, trebled and
quadrupled production facilities In a
frantic effort to meet the demand.
Newspapers all over the country have
started radio pages and broadcasting
stations. Department. drug, clothing
and delicatessen stores are selling
radio apparatus.
Such a time OF wild. crazy enthu-
siasm calls for cool heads and words
OF caution. The radiophone is a new
and unprotected piece OF apparatus.
II has been developing In the short
period since the war. 1t Is still q
crude and inefficient device compar-
ed to what 1t will ultimately be. The
few men who really know something
about 1t are hard at work making
improvements In transmitters and re-
ceptors that will soon make the pres
ent apparatus as obsolete as the
Chinese junk. Meantime, men who
know little or nothing about radio
are busily making Chinese copies OF
old stun to be sold to an unsuspect-
ing public at fabulous prices.
These are disagreeable facts; but
they are true. When the disiliusioned
public learns that 1t is being bunk
ed with junk there Is likelihood OF a
reaction and refusal to buy until the
radio art catches up with the stand
ard OF Its possibilities.
Much of the responsibility for this
condition rests upon the daily news
papers which sensationally paint the
future as an accomplished fact Radio
is too wonderful and useful as 1t is
to require the playing up OF any false
ideas as to what II is accomplishing.
1t is also a highly technical subject
which calls for thorough under
StduulnB Vi tltcttiCdf ptiuCipico AZ
order to get the best results. But
Its very completely gives 1t the at
traction that always attaches to tho
unknown and its very mysteries In
spire the desire to solve them.
The mass OF gross misinformation
on radio that is being printed by the
daily press is as dangerous as II is
deplorable. Some fool is going to try
to hook up" radio set to an elec-
trio power wire 80 as to take ad-
vantage Of the newspaper accounts
Of General Squier's able development
of wired wireless" Other ambitious
youths will spend much time and
money In the erection Of the ineffi-
cient aerials and in the installation
Of the discredited hook-ups now ap-
pearing In many radio pages. Others
will waste hours OF valuable time
reading articles written by men who
know nothing about what they are
writing. 1t is difficult enough for the
technical editor to discriminate be-
tween the good and the bad without
passing the burden on to the unin-
formed reporter who has been draft
ed to the service because no one else
was available. This structure does
not apply to all the papers, for some
are publishing worth whilo fpforu,a