Evening star., 1927-04-23
SUMMER IS BEST
FOR RADIO TESTS
Experiments Will Center
About BroadCaSters Dur
ing LuII Season.

The flow and fluX of radio develop
ments in the next few months Will
center largely about the broadcaSters,
while serving largely TO confuse the
average radio listener. Summertime
broadCasting, however. presents the
ideal opportunity for the Federal Ra-
dio Commission to proceed with its
plans, for the reason that fewer rams
are sitting by their receiving sets,
and there are that many less critics
during the experimental stage. No
ITtoDia is promised. but heterodyne in
reference will be radically reduced
and a Government control authority
strictly welded under the licensing
procedure now contemplated bv the
commission
Four tests of priority and merit VIII
be applied to each station applying tor
a license-it is expected voluntary
suspensions viii reduce the total list
TO ZOO by next week-before 60day
Iicenses are granted to replace tenn
porary hroadcastng permits. The
shurt-tCrm licenses viii reallocate
waves and powers, and on their basis
the commission will determine by
actual practice the conditions upon
which final licenses viii be granted.
Public Service First Test.
Public service will be the first test,
the record Of each applicant station
being carefully scrutinized to see what
kind of program it has rendered in the
past and what it promises TO provide
i'm the future. Popularity Will he
no index. but "high type and well
rounded" programs will be the deter
mining factor.
Mechanical efficiency will be the
second test Stations that maintain
sheir power and frequencies with con
sistency and those that have not
jumped or "wobbled" on their wave
lengths viii set prior consideration
for the favored powers and waves.
Priority in the use of wave lengths
will be recognized by the commission.
particularly in cases where the rights
of old and established stations are
contested by newer and sometimes less
desirable stations.
Plan BLACK Marks"
Finally, amenability to control in
tie past and previous cooperation
with the authorities will be considered
an bart of the record of each station.
Thus citations made by radio super
vlsors in the field and officials in
Washington may serve as black
marks against certain stations
OF the 700 stations the commission
anticipates the good boys" whose
past records are unsullied, mechanical
efficiency high and future promise
best will number perhaps 450, large
and small. Many of the bad boys
will be relegated to the least desirable
waves near the 200meter lower limit
of the broadcast band. No iron-clad
classifications of stations and no def
mite penalties are contemplated, but
IL JTxySs1 NJ arn aN-.l
pected to reduce the congestion before
Autumn TO an absolute minimum.
WRC will devote the most impor-
tant period of its schedule tonight to
the observance of the birthday cele-
bration of William Shakespeare. From
to 10 o'clock, the Bard of Avon will
be eulogized. Scenes from some of
his most popular works, including
Macbeth" ''rhe Merchant of Venice"
and Romeo and Juliet" will be read
by Will Hutchins and Ann Ives. The
musical setting will be provided by
Phyllis Price, soprano, and Robert e.
Davidson, baritone.
The weekly session of the radio
class in 'Our Government" conducted
by David Lawrence, and another pro
gram by the Week Enders" are other
outstanding attractions scheduled by
WRC. A talk by LOUIS lkolHsCiiAIu'
director of Washington's Better Busi-
ness Bureau, will open the evening
program. A Bible talk By Page Nick.
Etchison and dinner concert by the
Burlington Orchestra, with Hazel Arth
as the guest soloist, viii follow.
Phil Hayden and Les Colvin, popu-
lar radio entertainers, return to the
air tonight through WMAL for a
Commute skit. Their program will be
made UP entirely of request numbers.
This station also has arranged num-
her of other features, among them
concert by the Blue and Gray Irou.
badors, talk by VIII p. Kennedy OF
The Star, a recital by Harry Angelica,
baritone, and a dance program ffom
the City Club.
The calm came after the storm. The
wave lengths last night were as tran
uuil and serene as a May morning,
save for the feeble rumblings of static,
there was nothing to mar reception.
Signals from all directions came
through with fair volume and clarity.
While somewhat annoying at times,
the atmospherics were far too weak
TO be destructive to the signals
Local Radio Entertainment