The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-04-06

viii Produce Evolution of
Press, Schools, and The
aters, He Thinks.

Radio telegraphy Is more than
twenty years old. but radio tele-
phony, in its present form. Is q very
recent product Of inventive genius"
So says M. p. Rice. manager o.
the General. Electric Radio Broad
casting Station in New York and
recognized az an authority on radio
matters.
4 "a year ago there were hardly
80, 900 radio receiving sets in the
United States. According to q fe-
cent estimate there are low more
than SOC, 900, and there are sending
stations of sufhcient power TO cover
the entire area under favorable con.
ditions. The aggregate number OF
those who listen in to the evening
programs Of the broadcasting sta
tons probably approaches 1.ooO,ooo'
and the audience reached by a SIN
gle station may be 10000 or more.
THE radio phone is new pub
lfcity agent which literally has-every-
body by the ears II Immediately
takes its place with the telegraph
telephone, postoffice, press. pulpit.
school and theater as means OF
reaching the public and its possibiii-
ties are obviously so great that II
cannot be regarded as a plaything
or a passing fad.
What Is likely to be its field OF
application. In the immediate future?
In suggesting an answer to this ques-
ton we do not need to draw heavily
on our imagination. Radio has al
ready spurned the limited creations
Of imaginative writer's and has again
proved that fact is stranger than
fiction. ~
"The telephone, has not Ssupplanted
the teiegraphsand radioSsis mot likely
to suppiant either. It is already
In general use for stransoceanic com.
munication. and this application will
be extended. but radio will not under
present conditions supersede the tele-
graph or telephone for Obvious rea-
sons. BroadcastiRg the morning or
der for groceries or a chat with an
intimate friend might be more en-
pertaining than practicable.
THE great publicity field for radio
Is the broadcasting of information
or entertainment designed to reach
large numbers. II the matter Is OF
universal interest and Importance II
would be radiated from o. few suit
ably located stations Of great power.
Matter Of more local. interest would
be broadcast from less powerful sta
tons. which would be installed at
suitable intervals throughout the
land ~
National news would be broad
cast from .he few powerful sta
tons and local news from the nu-
merous local stations. The Presi-
dent Of the United States mfEht ad
dress the entire population from a
high-powered central station: the
governor Of State might address
the people of the State through q
local station. The message in either
case would reach instantly locali-
ties not reached by telephone. tele-
graph. postoff1ce or newspaper.
1.-THE distribution of music and
other forms Of entertainment and the
broadcasting Of educational and re-
ligicus programs will undoubtedly de.
velop along similar lines.
Radio broadcasting, which is now
being done largely by manufacturer
as an experimental accessory to thu
development Oh the art. will undoubt.
eddy be undertaken as a public serv-
ice. the details Of which will have
to be worked out.
Radio will exert a powerful in.
fuence on the press, the pulpit, the
schools and the theater. but II will
not supplant them. Public taste will
be educated and 1t will be more crit.
icai. It will demand higher stand
ards. There will be a beneficial evo.
luton Of press. public school and
theater in which the inferior and
the mediocre will be eliminated.
Radio broadcasting carries with
II responsibility. 1t Is to be hoped
and expected that the power to sa,
something loud enough 20 be heard
ny thousands will give rise to a de.
sire to say something worth while
and to say II well"