Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-14
CHAIN STATION
FREEDOM CITED
Caldwell Answers Criticism
for Alleged Favoritism
to Broadcasters.

Manifest independence of the prin-
cipal chain stations Is emphasized in a
letter from o. III. Caldwell of the Fed
eral Radio Commission to Senator
Copeland of New York. in response to
criticisms Of the commission before a
Senate committee recently for alleged
favoritism to network broadcasting in
the assignment of wave lengths. The
letter specifically replies to the testi.
mony of ID. w. May of WTRL, Mid
land Park, n. j., charging the com
mission with discriminating against
the small independent broadcaster and
opposing Senate confirmation of Com
miSSioners Caldwell and Pickard.
First stating that WTRL came on
the air during the breakdown of the
old radio law and "pirated' channel
1870 kiiocycles esq., meters). only to
he sent down to $50 kilocycles t206.S
meters) when the Radio Commission
came into being. Commissioner Caid-
well disclaims any prejudices against
the station. declaring that 10 stations
in the congested New York and New
Jersey area had come on the tir be-
fore WTRL. He adds also that to
have acceded to Mr.. Mays requests
for better channel. in view or the
overcrowtiing already existing on the
limited channels available. would have
been detrimental to other older sta
tons throughout the country.
Letter Is Defense.
Since Mr.. Caldwell failed TO obtain
A hearing before the adjournment of tflt
Senate committees hearing. this letter
is intended as a defense against the
attack on his confirmation. The most
significant feature Of the letter. inso-
far as the country at large is con-
cerned, however. is the portion where
IN he states that "the commission
makes no apology for the stations
which IL has placed on the channels
from 600 to ! 200 kilocycles" or within
the recently cleared band of % wave
lengths.
Most Of these are chain stations.
which We're under attack as represent
ing a monopoly of the air. Mr.. Cald-
we'll asserts that with only few ex-
ceptions all of these stations are indie
pendently owned or controlled and
that they merely purchase their few
hours of daily chain programs from a
common purveyer OF chain programs
known as chain service.
These stations" he writes. ''are
nearly all independently owned and
operated and are distinctly the mos,
popular stations in their respective
communities, for they are invariably
the stations having the best appa-
ratus. the broadcast programs and
the widest interest. and the best indi-
vidual records of faithful observance
of radios rules of the air.
THE supply of two hours of daily
programs from a common source of
program material certainly has no
more relation to the Independent char
acter of the station than the supply
ing OF two columns of syndicated mat.
ter 10 the leading newspapers in 90
cities from a central news bureau
would have on the independent con.
troll. character or policy of those pa.
pers.
Duplication Is Hit.
AT present the time occupied by
these chain programs averages less
than two hours per day for each sta.
ton. making such chain duplication
ofnegligible importance. Later. If
this purely chain time increases. or as
better individual programs are de-
veloped by other stations now below
1000 kilocycles, such stations have re.
course to contest with the present oc.
cupants the right TO these distance
channels. And they will be assigned
these channels II IL can be shown that
such reassignments would. from the
standpoint of Investigation of pro.
grams. be in the greater interest OF
distant as well as local listeners"
Victor Herbert's musical comedy.
The Amer" and the weekly con.
cert Of the New York Symphony Or
chestra. under the direction Of Walter
Damrosch. are the principal offerings
tonight CT WRC. The musical comedy
will he given as the Philco hour and
the concert az the X. G.. A. hour.
Louis Rothschild, director of the
Washington Better Business Bureau,
will continue his crusade over the air
tonight against fraudulent stock pro
meters and their ilk by broadcasiing
through WNAL "a talk on Sales
Fake and Otherwise This stations
program includes another talk by Dor
sey w. Hyde. jr.. secretary Of the
Washington Cha mber Of Commerce. on
the forthcoming annual industrial ex.
position.