Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1924-02-21
"NARROWCAsTING"
By Guy Flenner


"Broadcasting" has become
familiar word because of the use OF
radio 1t means that sounds are
sent out into the air to be collected
at various distances in certain ap-
paratus, usually in the home, and
directed into the ear by means OF
other apparatus. 1t is broad" in
the broadcast sense, for none may
know how far it reaches.
"Narrowcasting" is newer word.
1t means the opposite of the other.
1t is CONSTRUCTED in motive, often
malicious.
But 'narrowcasting" goes as far
in this country as broadccasting. III
reaches the uttermost ear and II
that deceptacle cannot interpret the
clamorous sounds, it might enter
tain them in the calm delusion it
was getting something worth while.
Broadcasting gives us sweet music,
inspirational talks, education, real
information.
Narrowcasting gives us inharmon-
ious 'sour" notes, ugly sentiments,
twisted appeals to the supposedly ig-
norant.
There are things to be cleaned up
in Washington, d. c. There is no
question about that. The legiti-
mate cleaners have been broadcast
ing the facts for public information.
Then along come the narrowcasters
with their suspicious and rumors
and groundless accusations and polit-
ical subletly.
There's always room in the air, so
they get in. They narrowcast with
vengence. Their noises come over
with a sizzling spitefulness and a
horrible bowling
Those who tune in will soon dis
tinguish noise from news, fake from
fact, static sounds from true toned
statesmanship-and the sooner they
do so the more sound and satisfac-
tory will be their mental receiving
set
Maybe we are all too prone to
listen in on narrow-casting. There
seems to be something tingling in
the racket and we imagine we are
getting worth while entertainment.
We hear loud noises about this con-
Germ and that, in an effort to gain
notoriety and tear down Industrial
activity. Everything is wrong but
the narrowcaster. He's the only
genuine friend of the people, but af-
ter while he fades OUT, as all false
alarms do, and those who have been
misled into listening to him feel a |
sense of disgust and turn again to
the substantial, constructive, up
building agencies that furnish oppor- |
Lunities for us ALL
The writer looks upon Mr.. Vander-l
lp OF New York as narrowcaster of /
he village gossip variety. The man
Ter in which he cast aspersions upon
he late President Harding, without
he facts about personal business
which he later admitted, /
seems to justify that conclusion.
We hope no narrowcaster gets in
'front.' of a national microphone to
intimate there was something
crooked about it because Roosevelt
when president wrote for a maya
zine, that there was something sus-
'1c1ous in the fact that Cleveland |
vas prudent enough to have some
)ryate interests or that it seems
'ather strange that Woodrow Wilson
alked peace at both ends of a war
With some profiteering in the mid
lie.
Mr.. McAdoo may have been sprink-
ed with unholy oil, but he claims
he right and who can deny it?) to
accept employment as an attorney,
ifter he left office, from oil inter
9sts; yet the narrowcaster charges
he air with the suggestion that he,
90, is a crook.
Secretary DENLY may be guilty of
but the senate narrow
casters did not wait for all the evil
renee or to give him day in court
instead they narrowcasted a demand
nat the president ask for his resig-
lation.
Thank God we had man in the
chair big enough to
lultely but firmly tell the senate
larrowcasters he was making thor.
ugh inquiry and would act on the
alone, WITHOUT fear or
avor