The New York herald., 1922-04-02
EXPERT SEES RADIO
! INFLUENCING LIFE
Believes Press, Pulpit, Schools
and Theater Will
Benefit.
POSSIBILITIES UNKNOWN
Not Likely to Supplant Tele-
phone or Telegraph, Is
His Belief.
POSSIBILITIES UNKNOWN
by NJ. r. RICE.

Manager General Electric Radio Broad
casting Station.
Radio tclegraphy is more than twenty
present form. is a very recent product
of inventive genius.
A year ago there were hardly $4,000
radio receiving sets in the United States
According to a recent estimate there
are now more than 10000, and there
to cover the entire area under favor
able conditions. The aggregate number
OF those who listen in TO the evening
programs OF the broadcasting stations
probably approaches 1000 900, and the
audience reached by single station may
be 10000 or more.
A quarter of the population of the
United States is within the area reached
by "WGY,' and under favorable condi-
tions the broadcasting from this station
at Schenectady n. ". might extend
much further. When all the people have
access 10 receiving outfits speaker at
powerful broadcasting station might
address the entire population OF the
United States at one time.
Possibilities OF Radio.
The radio phone is therefore new
publicity agent which literally has
everybody "by the ears" 1t immedi-
ately takes its place with the telegraph,
telephone, post office. press. pulpit.
school and theater as a means OF reach
ing the public and its possibilities are
obviously so great that it cannot be re-
.arted as a plaything or passing rad
What is likely to be it's field of applI-
cation in the immediate future? IN
suggesting an answer to this question
we do not need to draw heavily on our
imagination Radio has already spurned
the limited creations Of imaginative
writer's and has again proved that TACT
Is stranger than fiction.
The telephone has not supplanted the
telegraph and radio is not likely 10
supplant either. 1t is already in general
use for transoceanic communication,
and this application will be eXtende J.
hut radio will not under present condi-
tions supersede the telegraph or teie-
phone for obvious reasons Broadcast-
Ing the morning order for groceries OF
chat with an intimate friend might
he more entertaining than practicable.
Real Field or tho Radio.
The great publicity field for radio s
the broadcasting of information or en-
tcrtainment designed 10 reach large
numbers. II the matter is of universal
interest and Importance 1t would be
radIatcd from few suitably located
stations OF great power Matter OF more
local interest would be broadcast from
less powerful stations, which would be
installed at suitable intervals through
out the land.
National news would be broadcast
from the few powerful stations and
local news from the numerous local sta
tons The President Of the United
states might address the entire popula-
ton from high powered central sta
tion, the Governor of New York might
address the people OF the State through
local station. The message in either
case would reach instantly localities
rot reached by telephone, Telegraph,
pest office or newspaper
The distribution OF music and other
forms of entertainment and ths broad
casting or educational and religious
programs will undoubtedly develop
along similar lines.
Radio broadcastng, which Is now be-
ing done largely by manufacturers a.
an experimental acc essory to the de-
velo.pment OF the art. win undoubtedly
be undertaken as public service, the
details OF which will have to be worked
out
Audiences of tho Radio.
Ten thousand individuals could prob
ably not be found who would be willing
to read consecutively every page of the
same newspa per or magazine, and IL IS
not reasonable 10 suppose that the radio
audience will all want the same pro-
gram at the same time. Therefors. an
assortment or wave lengths will be pro-
yidcd: one for market and weather re-
ports. one for financial reports and
others for local news, for advertising
for concert music, for dancing. for edu-
cational programs. for church services
and for theatrical productions.
Radio will exert a powerful Influence
on the press, ths pulpit. the schools and
the theater. but it will not supplant
them. Public taste will be educated ana
II VIII be more critical Ii will demand
higher standards. There will BE- a ben
eficial evolution OF press. pulpit. school
and theater in which the inferior and
the mediocre will be eliminated
Radio broadcasting carries with it re-
sponsiblity. 1t is to be hoped and ex-
pected that the power 10 say something
loud enough to be heard by thousands
viii give rise to desire to say some
thing worth while and TO say IL well.