Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-07
BREAKING Of CHAIN
DOMINANCE LIKELY
Radio Listeners Unable to
Get Distant Stations I'm.
der Present Plan.

The fact that radio listeners. turning
their dials to various points on their
sets. often repeatedly bring in the
same program is leading to the con-
clusion here that there will be fur.
Their shake.up within the recently
established "non-heterodyning hand"
between 600 and 1.o0a kilocycles t4SS.1
TO 2S9.S metersl. in which IS channels
were cleared. with the object of inn
proving long.range reception.
Breakup of chain station predomi.
nance in this band is predicted in re.
liable quarters because SO many OF
then are hroadcaSting the same net
work prosrams on different wave
lengths II is evident that sentiment
of the Federal Radio Commission is
favorinr the removal of some of the
chain stations from III band and the
assigning of more high-class indepen'
dent stations therein.
Twenty-one chain stations are now
operating under their temporary H.
censes, effective until February !, in
the Notwithstanding band" occupy
in~ wave lengths which are tirely
or for all practical purposes cleared OF
interference. Seventeen of these be-
long TO the red" or blue" networks
Of til National Ri Dadcasting Co. ana
four to the Columbia Broadcastins
Systems chain. Their ownership rep
resents a wide variety of independent
interests. although five are directly
or closely affiliated with one large
radio concern.
Most of these stations purport to
cove local service areas only. but
supplement their local offerings with
several h RS of chain broadcasting
emanating from New York City stu
dos or from places where special
events are occurring. These undoubt-
edlv are among the finest types OF
programs presented to the radio
public d
The objection to the preponderance
of chain stations in the best part OF
the broadcast spectrum is based on
the reports that during some of the
best ''home listening hours" II is pos
sible TO tune in only the chain pro.
grams, with now and then scattered
offering of another kind from an iso-
lated station in another part OF the
broadcast band. This. it is stated,
has defeated the end sought by the
commission In clearing up these chan
nels, which was to afford listeners a
wide variety of clear programs each
evening on a substantial range OF
their diais.
That the commission has taken cog.
nizance of these objections is appar-
ent from the statement of Commis'
sioner Caldwell of New York to the
effect that certain stations may be
assigned to the cleared channels az
fast rs they develon their programs
to high enough quality to warrant
their operation on the plum" wave
lengths With IS channels already
cleared. the commission proposes TO
clear IL more within the same band
within short time.
The New York symphony Orchestra.
under the baton of Walter Damrosch.
will again provide the r. c. a. Hour
tonight, which shares the headline
honors with the Phiico Hour in
wRC's list OF musical attractions.
Victor Herbert's comic opera. THE
Pose of Algeria" viii be presented as
the Philco Hour.
Mr.. Damrosch has arranged an
ambitious program for his orchestra.
Memberships overture. a Midsum-
mer Nights Dream" will be played as
the opening selection. Among the
other numbers are "Schehtezade."
taken from the Tales of Arabian
Nights" and Josef Haydn's variations
on the Austrian national hvmn.
wRC's dinner music will be pro-
vided by the Mayfiower Orchestra,
while the Wardman Park Orchestra
will play the regular Saturday night
late dance music.
Dialect stories told by Paul +. Grove.
sr., will be one of the features OF the
urozram tonight Of WMAL. The
musical attractions include a supper
dance program by McWilliams' Or
chestra, and recitais by Frances
Gutelius and Helen v. Clark. pia nists'
Eiyina Neal Rowe. soprano. and Ridg'
way Tayler. baritone.
Besides its regular dinner concert
wRHF has scheduled this evening
half an hour program Of oid-ttme
reflections. which include MY Oid
Kentucky Home" Garry Ne Back 10
Old Virginny." silver Threads Among
the Gold" and when You and
Were Young. Maggie.