The Washington times., 1924-04-25
|ROrnping Around
the
Radio Dial
BY Listner-In-

OaVlu SarnO1, VINO maze ms way
up from a penniless lad on the East
Side of, New York to the director
ship of. the Radio Corporation Of
America, has spoken his views on
the future Of broaIcasting.
And the little wizard Of the radio
boom has never gone wrong in his
predictions, as far as the pIblic
knows.
Mr.. Sarnoff foresees a transconti-
mental system Of a comparatively
few great and powerful broadcasting
stations, employing perfected
method of rebroadcasting and trans
hitting programs provided by the
manufacturers of radio supplies.
The plan, we understand, mas not
been entered for the $500 prize
offered for the best solution OF the
broadcasting puzz:e. but in our
judgment an entry which closely
resembles the Sarnoff plan win be
returned the winner.
In the Melting Pot.
In the broadcasting melting pot,
at present, are numerous mgre-
dents = schools and universities,
stores, chambers OF comme.ce and
boards of trade, clubs, churches.
and newspapers, and the fifteen or
twenty stations owned and operated
by the radio manufacturers
= Financing of the stations other
than those OF the manufacturers is
being arranged from advertising
funds, public donations, and specific
appropriations. The keynote of
nearly all of these is advertising.
But If we take the experiences of
Washington istener-in for ex-
ample, we find the average multi
tube set receiving principally the
following stations, WCAP, WRC,
KDKA, WGY, WBZ, WGN, WDAP,
WTAM, WLW, WSAI, WHAS,
KYW, WOO and WEAF.
OF these fourteen stations. nine
are those of manufacturers of radio
supplies, considering the two Am.
erican Telephone and Telegraph
Company stations as those of the
Western Electric Company which is
a subsidiary Of the A. T. and T.
One of the other five stations,
WGN, is the joint plant Of a hotel,
a newspaper, and a radio manu-
facturer. The other four are those
of newspaper, two business firms
and a board Of trade.
Strength In Unity.
The radio manufacturers stations
undoubtedly are those most listened
to. WGN, WSAI and WHAS pro-
vide excellent radio entertainment,
but the fourth of the outsiders,
WDAP, has been issuing recently
the most tiresome form Of adver-
Using, namely contests In which
any firm DESTROYS Of getting Its
name on the air may do SO by
applying to WDAP.
Should an agreement be arrived
at between all the manufacturers
Of radio parts and accessories where
under a. common fund for the up
keep of the broadcasting system
and the employment Of the best of
nations artists and speakers is
provided and whereunder all direct
or almost. direct advertising is
barred, we feel, that both the
listener-in and the radio business
would profit.
Sarnoff, we believe, has led the
way.
Station VIC.
At least two local radio dealers
have solved the problem of how to
demonstrate radio reception when
there are no programs being broad.
cast.
Merely. by placing a set in the
window and starting a monograph,
the effect Of radio reception is OBJ.
tanned.
The greatst difficulty is in provid.
ing the announcements. The other
day we saw a crowd on r street
waiting fifteen minutes for phono!
graph to sign off, so they might
know what station they were hear.
ing. The same thing has occurred
on Eleventh street.
There was a speaker giving a DO.
litical address last night from wBZ
who scorned the fnicrophone in
front of him and ratified off his un.
ineligible words at the rate of
about a hundred minute. II
sounded, too, as though it might
have been a good speech.
But we were rs inconsiderate ms
he was. and tuned out the station.