Evening star., 1927-05-09
81 STATIONS LOST
IN RADIO CHANGES.
681 Now Broadcast, Com
pared With 1872 Under
Old Regime.

There are today 6S1 broadcast sta.
tions on the air instead Of 1872, the
grand total under the old regime. This
means that 81 have disappeared in one
way or another,
The first list Of temporary permits
issued by the Federal Radio Commits
sion included CSC stations: since then
is more stations have been granted
permits. 10 old stations have an
nouIiced their intentions of quitting
the air, and 81 have failed TO file their
applications for renewal of broadcast
authority. This leaves a disCrepanCy
of nine stations believed to he former
portables which have failed to sig
Nifty their intentions to the commits
sion or the fixed station cases
still pending.
It looks now as If the maximum
number Of stations to be licensed
would not bt more than about 690
unless the commissioners decide TO
authorize numerous newcomers from
about 200 applications being held UP
until the old-timers are finally settled
into a more or less permanent status.
Almost every one will admit that 600
or even 6S1 stations are enough to
cover the whole country and please
every body. Literally, the fewer the
DFIt0l reception. oVb NpulNl SNtNN dhS
ouately. providing they were proper
" distributed over the country, but
il is feared this ideal can never he
achieved: the commission hesitates to
kill off stations without just reason.
However, it is unlikely that the sta
tions which have failed TO apply Will
he granted broadcasting permits at
this late date; moro than two months
since the signing of the radio law and
nearly three weeks since the dead
line" established by the law at April |
"A, was passed
Unserved Get Preference.
The only authorizations to start |
hroadCasting issued from now on will |
go to communities unserved by !
nearby broadcasting. if by any chance |
there are such open spaces LETT on |
the broadcast map. In other words, |
the commissioners are not gong 10 |
increase the total number on the air |
except where public service, interest |
or necessity demand new stations. |
On the contrary, they are discouEag- |
ing new applicants and are striving |
to persuade existing stations to com !
bine their efforts, money and pro- |
grams. Such consultations among |
stations would be welcomed far and !
near, it is believed. Joint operators |
could utilize the same transmitter and |
channel. operating separate studios II |
found desirable.
Other efforts of the commission to |
eliminate interference and clear up |
the ether include the recent order re- |
ducing the power of urban broadcast |
ers in congested areas 10 a maximum |
of 500 watts unless the transmitters |
are moved out of town; establishing |
the standard channels and separation |
between them, with wide separation |
between stations in cities: the require |
ment that the frequencies do not vary |
more than one-half a kilocycle, and !
the frequent announcement of fire. |
quency, call and oca.ion, so that sta !
tions may be checked officially and by |
listeners. A little patience on the |
part of the fans and good cooperation |
from the broadcasters will enable the |
commission to improve conditions in
the ether materially in short time.
PonchielIi's la Gioconda," the only
one of his operas that found its way
abroad, will be broadcast in tabloid
form by the National Grand Opera
Co. tonight through WRC and other
stations affiliated with the red net
work of the National Broadcasting
Co. The featured artists in the cast
are Frances Sebel, soprano; Devora
Nadworney, contralto; Giuseppe di
Benedetto, baritone, and Nino Ruisi,
bass.
The weekly programs of Roxy
and His Gang the A. & PIGypsies
and Hires Harvesters, are other
musical attractions scheduled by
WRC Florence, Mulholland, Ameri-
can contralto, viii be the individual
star of the Roxy" entertainment
She will be supported by the SYM
phony orchestra, the 100-voice mixed
chorus, the studio organ and the
cathedral chimes. Mexico will be the
objective of the Harvesters, who are
on a musical tour, while the Gypsies
will feature their offering with two
selections by Tschaikowsky, fThe
Sleeping Beauty Waltz" and Dance
Chinois," taken from the famous Nut
Cracker Suite.'
Aside from the play-by-play account
Of the Westinghouse. Louis base ball
game, WRC's late afternoon and early
evening program includes a new at
traction, the first of a series of talks
on Whats in the Center Market"
These talks will be prepared and de.
livered by Anita Hawkins.
A marked Improvement was noted
in radio reception conditions last
night. The wave lengths had shaken
themselves of static and most of the
eXtraneouS noises that have caused
serious interference for the last week,
and signals came through with fair
volume and clarity.
Stations in all sections East of the
Mississippi could not be tuned easily
Those in the North, however, seemed
TO have better signals and were not
so inclined TO fade. There was some
static in the atmosphere, but its dis
turbance was feeble and caused no
annoyance.