Evening star., 1924-10-26

dio Conference last week Secretary
Hoover has received some compli-
mentary letters on his decision to
permit experimentation in higher
power broadcasting. The announce
ment that the Radio Corporation was
planning to erect super-power
broadcasting station outside New
York City brought protests by the
score, but since the actual plans of
granting development licenses have
been made clear many fans, chiefly
DIX listeners, have begun to see some
point in the project. Many now real
ize the benefits to be derived by the
average small set owner, who has
never been able to get anything but
local programs.
Among about 80 listeners who have
expressed pleasure at the proposed
higher powered and consequently
longer range stations are fans in New
York. South Carolina, Minnesota, Ala
bama, Oklahoma, Indiana, Nebraska
Ohio. Rhode Island, Tennessee, Flor
ida, Virginia and Kentucky. Even
few of the Il. G. LIS in Illinois, where
excitement arose almost to the inten-
sity of a riot following the predic-
| who anticipated an end to independ-
| ent broadcasting if higher power and
| a monopoly were permitted, have been
heard from. This, it is believed
shows they are quieting down. The
assurance of Hoover that no trust or
monopoly would seize the air and the
explanation that, in the Interests of
radio development and service to the
listeners themselves, experiments in
longer range broadcasting must be
permitted, should have allayed their
worries.
Stations which go on the air and
literally throw a scare" into the
ranks of the fans by dragging out the
old trust skeleton do so to their own
detriment, in the opinion of the
writer. 1t is the old story of the lad
who continued to cry Wolff" Mis-
information dispensed over the air is
not desirable. Broadcastcrs cannot
continue to stir up the people over
boogies and at the same time retain
their popularity.
But as Mr.. Hoover pointed out in
his answer to Senator La Toilette,
who complained of a monopoly of
the air when station WHO refused to
broadcast his political speech, broad
casting stations are all independent
and have the right to determine what
they will broadcast, just as a news
paper reserves the right to determine
what it will publish. The Department
of Commerce does not and cannot or
der stations what to broadcast. That
would be violation of our free
speech and end in Government CEN
sorship, which will never come under
Mr.. Hoover's regime, if ever.
The fans who are beginning to see
| the possibilities in higher power
broadcasting stations realize that in
stead of a handicap they viii un-
doubtedly become a boon TO the iso-
lated fans and small set owners.
Expressions included in some of the
optimistic letters now coming to the
Commerce Department show that, in
the Summer at least, higher powered
stations which can cut through the
static will be appreciated. Some
writer's anticipate better and stronger
broadcasting. One letter from Ohio
says, High power is the joy of radio"
Another recommends a trial such as
the department plans, while others
simply indorse the move, as many
fans did when the first Glass B sta
tions went on the air.
Appreciative of the fact that the
conference and Secretary Hoover re-
fused to open the door wide to super
power plans, number of corre-
SpondentS acclaim the attitude taken
that is. the granting of temporary.
experimental licenses in specified To-
calities, for broadcast experiments
under the strict regulation and su-
pervision by the radio inspectors.
OF course, these few plaudits which
have come to the Secretary do not
stack up very high against the piles
of letters and kilograms he received
when "the call of the wild" went on
the air from Illinois, urging him to
prevent the trusts and high power
from ruling the air. Which, in
| cidentally, he has promised to do
There were about 5000 such COM
| munications received and answered
by Mr.. Hoover. Recently he had to
dictate d new form letter thanking
these optimsts for their confidence
in him and commencing their far
sightedness. Undoubtedly more such
letters are en- route. The modern
radioist is certainly more tolerant
today than even yesterday with re-
gard to broadcasting development,
which in the past three years has
meant so much to the urbon and
suburban citizens.