New Britain herald., 1929-08-12

and are not accused of having been negligent in giving due notice of radio appearances of local artists. After all, that is more important in stimulating interest in such a broad cast than a write-up later, especially if there is criticism involved. For it is fact that has become self-evident to those identified with such mat honest criticism. That holds good whether following a formal concert or a broadcast. Nothing in a story of a concert or a broadcast, however, has the interest of well-aimed and reasonable criticism. AS nothing Is perfect, there is always room for criticism. But the artists say it is all right so long as the other fellow gets it. This loneliness about valid appraisal can have no other effect than stimulating no great desire to be critical. nor even 10 take undue notice of an event.
 The big-time professionals may be just as touchy, but they could scarcely find time to bother about every dart flung at them in the pub- lie press. Besides, any big time celebrity has had plenty of oppor- tunity to become acclimated to a percentage of unfavorable criticism, and it serves to aid him, in trying to avoid having bad days on the stage. For a radio editor to opine that Buck and Wing dealt in nothing but stale jokes the night before may be true statement and well de- served; out let the same critic say Jim Jones of around the corner did not set the studio on fire when he broadcasted the previous evening and something would burn up right in town.
 The metropolitan papers employ music critics who during the winter season are hard put to attend all the events scheduled almost nightly. We have yet to find any of them de- voting the same effort to reviews of radio broadcasts, no matter who the artist or the orchestra. And out standing novelties performed over the air-which happens occasionally Likewise receive no critical atten- ton. This attitude may change if the radio ever becomes more enterpris- ing than the concert stage. But at present, if new symphony of im- portance were to have its premiere over the air instead of in Carnegie Hall, there probably would be no | critical notice taken of it until it re- ceived a conventional stage presenta- ton. The same rule holds good all down the line.
 So long as local artists receive sufficient attention before the event | they have no cause for complaint, in our estimation. After all, it is the | publiC's reaction that counts No pro- fessional critic has ever been able to put anything over in the face of a hostile reception by the public, and no critic has been able to cry down an artist in the face of favorable reception by the majority of the pub lie. When Bill Jones from around the corner broadcasts all his towns men able to listen in are well able | to judge whether it was good or bad or medium, and what somebody on the newspaper. says may not amount to much. ~ It may be nice to see honeyed words in print, but they dc no good to the reader if he thinks otherwise. Besides, radio is not a perfect medium so long as weather conditions and various sorts of inter- ference have way of marrlng a broadcast. A performance may De twice as good as it sounds from the receiving set, or 1t may be worse than 1t sounds due to mechanica
 manipulation of the machinery by
 the studio experts Maybe this is why
 the professional critics on the metro
 politan dailics carefully avoid riskine
 their reputation with the vagaries ot