Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-28

was not worthy, it has not been put
into effect.
Several wears ago, for insta nee, this
writer wrote personal letter to Roxie.
in New York. at the time there was
controversy between broadcastsrs
and certain publishers of popular
music. In this letter we suggested
| that the old light operas on which
copyrights had run out We're filled
with beautiful catchy music. and ths I
listeners would be but benefited by
the broadca sting of such melodies.
IT was not long after this that 81
selection from one OF the oldest ~
Victor lierberts operas WAS included
In the popular Sunday night concert,
and after that other old comic operas
were used Today the broadcasting
of The beautiful old light opera music.
written by composers of all nations,
is - regular feature from WEAF.
The number of talks over radio has
been noticeably lessened In the past
year, not because we have so advo.
Gated, but simply because many per
sons have so requested. Speakers who
were formerly allowed half an hour
have been cut to 10 minutes and
others to 10 minutes.
In making this change the broad
casters simply have recognized that
the power OF sustained attention re-
CURED in listening to a radio speech
Is possessed by only a c0mpa lively
few in the vast radio audience
This comes about beca use the audi.
ence is deprived Of the sight of the
speaker. There are no gestures no
frock-tailed coat no flowing hair. no
e-water pitcher, no nothing" to take
the tension off the poor listener in"
aaNnnA EnI0 q D,nu 81
dent Dawes once pointed out In radio
speech. broadcasting ia bringing in q
new type OF oratory, one In which a
direct appeal is made to the intellect
The "blah -blah" and nag waving" OF
old-time speech;making falls fiat over
the air.
Principally because of these two rea
sons-one In defense OF the listener,
the other In defense of the speaker
radio speaking is losing its place on
the programs.
We are not convinced, personally
lea strange as it may seem). that the
abolition of radio talks will be good
thing. however.
Letters such as that quoted are con
vincing US that there are many who
do like them. In addition. there In
ton of the limitations of radio.
Music and talk--these two consti.
tute the entire repertoire. The ph0no-
graph long ago practically eliminated
speech from the records. For every
talking record" struck off there are
literally millions of song and dance
discs. although In the beginning of the
business the talking" was the most
interesting feature.
Nothing is more uninteresting than
a talking record after one has heard
1t a few times. Now, this lis where
radio shines, for every speech it puts
out may be and usually is an entirely
new one, fresh from the mind and
mouth of the talker.
Radio should, then, in our opinion.
think twice before it abolishes the
talk, the play. the convention. the
grafton, the set speech. the current
events, the book talk rs these are fea
lures which the phonogra phs cannot
give. but which radio can.
Attention should be turned to select
ing speakers who have pleasant voices
and pleasant mannerisms, plays that
are clean, and 30 on. From the speak
err who spits into the microphone, good
Lord deliver us, We honestly believe
he is the fellow who soured US on
radio talks.