Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-16
ESTAT|ON ACCUSED
OF AIR MONOPOLY
Commission Hears Charges
of Pulpit Association
Against WIZ.

As the broadcast ALLEGATIONS went
into effect, the Federal Radio Com.
mission vas confronted with an at.
tack upon one Of the leading broad
casters in the United States, Station
VIZ, owned by the Radio Corporation
OF America. with its studio in New
York and its high-powered transmit
ter at Bound Brook, y. J This is
one OF the key stations Of thu Ma
tional Broadcas sting Co nationwide
network
Tie charges involved allegations Of
great radio monopoly which was
selling al the most favorable wave
channels, ard we're made BY the PEG
pies Pulpit Association, owners of
Station WBEP, Rossvilie. n. Y, and
WORD. Batavia. Ill Station WBBR
had obtained a hearing to dispute the
assignment Of a frequency Of $50 kilo-
cycles 4543 meters) to WIZ, and
through its spokesman, Judge J. F.
Rutherford. successor to the once IA.
nous Pastor Russell. sought prece-
deace on that frequency in lieu Of its
specified assignment Of 10 kllocycles
(256.3 meters
Insisting they were noa-religious,
but carried = heavenly message, the
owners of V'BBR declared their pro
grams Of biblical lectures sacred rlu-
sic and educational talks were far
more important than the laz5 type Of
program which they said character.
ized WV
Before taking the case under ad.
visepArt, it also heard from Merlin
Hall AylesWorth, president Of the Ma
tioraI Broadcasting Co; DR.. E. /.
Goldsmith, its technical adviser, and
others, Who told Of the past record
and Of the large-scale plans for WIZ,
involving programs that range, as the
testimony indicated, all the way from
Jazz to religion, broadcast over far
flung area S and reaching into homes
In all corners Of the land
There were. Of course, commercial
aspects to both stations, for the one
sells millions Of volumes Of inspira-
tioral literature indirectly via the
ether and the other palpably is an
Indirect advertising medium for radio
sales, besides selling time outright.
The question the commission is TO
decide IS whether the formers reli-
glous type Of program IS more in the
public interest than the latters di-
verse programs, which, extending
from the broadcasting Of grand opera
directly from the stage to the more
recent Lindbergn receptions. are IN
doubtedIy something the public at
least wants.
the hands of the commission, Station
WBBR, like most Of the stations in
the country, was obliged to make the
shift.
Local radio artists, whose appear
arces on WRC'5 programs Of late
have been few ard far between, have
a prominent place on the schedule
tonight. Ruth Parker Dove. soprano;
Jack Nesbit, baritone, and the Costello
Minstrel Troupe. have been assigned
an hour from 8 TO 10 o'clock, while
the Kilt hour Of music, to be broad
cast from 10 $50, will feature
Marguerite Clark Cromwell, soprano,
and George Dixon Thompson, pianist.
AL are we'll known in Washingtons
musical centers. and some Of them
have faced the naicyophone before.
The clicquot Club Eskinaos and an.
other Of the series Of Half Hours
With Great Composers are the two
features which WRC will import from
New York via WEAF. Other attrac-
tons include dinner concert by the
Raleigh Orchestra and e. dance pro.
gram by the lie Paradis Band.
The Army Band concert on the
East Plaza Of the Capitol and the
weekly program by Dorsch's Dough
Boys are the principal attractions
tonight OF wMAL.
The station also has scheduled
Joint recital by Lucille Thomas,
soprano, Of Annapolis, Nd; Ambrose
Durkin. baritone, and Adolf Torovsky.
concert pianist.