Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-28
COLUMBIA CHAIN
ACQUIRES WABC
Inevitable Expansion OF Big
Broadcast Units Seen in
Latest Deal.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

The inevitable expansion of chain
broadcasting is marked by the addition
of a leading New York station, WABC,
to the Columbia Broadcasting Systems
network. Though the chains have been
charged with monopoly of the air. their
place in the affections Of radio fans
has become firmly fixed by such aus
picious and far-fiung offerings as the
Tllnney- Eeeney prize fight of this week:
the national political conventions OF
recent memory, the past and forthcom-
ing Chicago civic opera broadcastS ana
the all-star presentations at the faoio
Industries banquet each September.
Station WABC. beginning SeptenoeF
2, will become an additional Key o.
kl,e Columbia network. Station WON,
Newark. the original key" VIII con-
time to serve the other 10 members
of the chain Monday. "Wednesday ana
Fri6av NIGHTS and on Sunday after
Moons while station WABCS stuoloS
viii furnish the Tuesday and THURSDAY
night programs.
Plans Further Expansion.
Columbia, stalking its reputation pri-
narily on its exceptional musical pro-
auctions. proposes to expand sun lur-
Their, according TO Its president; MAJ,
i
as A veteran radio announcer. Inc
uncertainty of the broadcaStlng Sltu2-
alton. particularly as TO ALLEGATIONS 10
he ordered BY the commission, mas oeen
retarding this development however
Nevertheless. the Columbias 20 sta
tions constitute the only rival iii the
network field of the National Broad
casting Co.'S system of 40 stations, ana
in aoprecate number of stations 1t now
EQUALS the largest unit in the Nb0,
namely. the 20 stations OF the Seo
network. -,
Another national network was prof.
ected about a year ago. out notIiiLis
came Of ii even though 1t was packed
by the combined management OF LoeM ?,
Inc and the Metro-Goldwyn-M Mayer
motion picture interests. They pro-
nnseo coast-to-coast fook-up OF oO
s+ations. Plans for another small chain
of stations in Middle Atlantic StaSes
also went awry last year.
The status of the networks has oeen
n subject of much discussion, partlc-
ularly in Congress. Charges nave oeeh
hurled freely to the effect that they
constitute monopoleS and that their
sta ions occupy the most desirable wave
,engthS and utilize the highest powers
The monopoly charge was quickly as
peIIed when it was proved that member
stations. with few exceptions. are pri-
vately owned and simply bought time
from the chain system IN mucn the
same manner that privately owned
newspapers obtain press association
news via land wires from central
source.
Synchronization Impracticabie.
The thought persisted, however, that
TIE same program was being broad
east ON too many wave lengths. syn
chronizatioll on identical wave lengths
of stations taking the same programs
was proposed. Leading engineers de-
eiared it impracticable in the present
state of the radio art. Stations objected
31cause few of them buy more than a
rev hours of chain programs, uevot-
ing the rest Of their time to individual
local offerings, which could not be
broadcast on the same wave length
without serious interference.
Neither of the two large chains has
been a profitable venture. according TO
trustworthy authorities. The National
Broadcasting Co in one year lost $780,
600. III. H Ayiesworth. It's president, told
q Senate committee last year. Owned
so per cent by the Radio Corporation OF
America. 30 per cent BY General Elec-
trio and 20 per cent by Westinghouse,
Its profits have been indirect in that
high quality programs have stimulated
the sale of radio sets and parts. Mr..
Ayleswortll said the Columbia system
has been losing venture for its pro-
meters from the start, but they, like the
National Broadcasting Co. see profits in
prospect.
The Columbia broadcasting systems
network viii comprise the following sta
tinns: WOR, Newark, ". j.: WABC, New
York City; WCAU. Philadelphia:
wEAC, Boston: WRdAF. South Dart
mouth, Mass: WEAN. Providence. r. l.;
WE'LL. Syracuse. NJ Y: WMAK, Buff
faio. NJ. Y: WCAO, Baltimore, Md:
WAS, Pittsburgh. Pa; WADE. Akron,
Ohio: wATU. Columbus Ohio: WSPD.
Toledo, Ohio: WKRC, Cincinnati. Ohio:
wGHP, Detroit, Mich: WMAQ. Chi
cage: WOWO. Fort Wayne, Ind; KOHL,
Council Bluffs, Iowa: KNOX, st. Louis,
Mo-; KMBC, Kansas City, Mo.
Copyright. 1928. by North American News
paper Alliance