The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-07-25
What Is Said by
Those Who Listen
Vast Radio Audience Tells
What 1t Thinks About
the Programs.
By William y. Easton.


II the radio audience could realize
some Of the problems that have to be
solved by those who are engaged in
preparing programs, they would, l am
sure, not only sympathize with them
but would wonder how they preserve
their sanity. No one before has ever
had to entertain a million or so peO-
pie every night; and consequently
those who have undertaken this simple
little task have had to stumble along
as best they could learning as they
go and prOfting wherever possible
ever, exceedingly fortunate in having
an audience that tells them frankly
just what 1t thinks about their eff
forts; and with the hundreds of let
tiers that reach them daily as a guide
they have been able to work with
some degree of certainty.
The first rule that the letters lay
down is: Give the radio public inf
mite variety. If you were to open
their mail some morning, the first let
ter would probably say: II enjoyed
your concert SO much last night.
That's right; give US more good music
and do away with those execrable pop
ular selections" Then the second
letter would say: "FOr the love Of
Mike, cut out the uprOar and give
US good old American jazz" Letter
number three would read as follows /;
Professor Simpkins' address on the
Color Of Cats" was the most inter
esting speech ! ever listened to-" and
letter number four would state:
"Why do you infiict your audience
with such stupid stuff as the talk on
'cats'7 I hung up my receiver in
disgust"
Difficult to Please Everybody.
With testimony like this 1t Is quite
evident that it is very difficult to sat
isfy everybody all the time The
only thing to be done is to draw from
the entire field Of music, literature,
science, politics, culture, hygiene and
religion, and thus please everyone at
least part Of the time. Consequently,
those who do not like jazz music must
bear In mind that many will listen to
nothing else; while those who do not
like speeches must remember that q
very large number Of radio listeners
are isolated or are Invalids, and absO
lutely depend upon radio for their
contact with the outside world.
The second point that the letters
prove is. there must be constant i'm,
prOvement in brOadcasting both tech
nically and artistically. No station
can maintain its programs on a dead
level and retain the interest of its au
dience. The complaints sOon begin t
come in. CuriOusly enough. they are al
to the effect that the programs are get
ting so poor. This is not the case. The
r just as good as ever; but thu
taste Of the audience has improved
1t is for this reason that KDKA Is ex
~perimenting so constantly In every di
rection. Its engineers are i%ncesgantl!
striving for better tone reproduction
and for the elimination Of unpleasant
noises. It's program staff Is incessant
ly working for better artistic effect
and for entirely new features. The,
began with the photograph; then in
troduced artists and speakers In pei
son; then went outside Of the studl,
for church services. important meet
ings, symphony concerts, operas. an,
sporting events; and recently estah
lished an orchestra so that incidenta
music could be rendered in the bes
possible tanner. Thus. in accOrdanc
with the well-known formula, Ever,
day in every way we are getting bet
ter and better" But no one realize
more fully how much more must b
done In order to continue to preserv
the good opinion of the radio audience
Must Eliminate interference.
The third important fact that dc
vRt.ES@%o2 tha corresDondence is. in