Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-07
RECOGNITION GIVEN
RECORDS ON RADIO.
Commission DesignateS EIec.
tricaI Transcriptions in
New Category.
BY MARTIN CODEL.


OhiciaI recognition Is given for the
first time to programs recorded exclu-
sively for broadcasting purposes in
new general order promulgated by the
Federal Radio Commission.
Where a recording or transcript is
made on disks or otherwise and not
offered for sale to the general public,
the commission preScribes that 1t shall
be designated over the radio as follows:
This program is an electrical tran
scription made exclusively for broad
cast purposes"
The new category of electrical tran
scription" is made distinct from other
mechanical reproductions. largely as
the result of the recent Thanksgiving
day demonstration, in which two hours
of recorded continuitieS were broadcast
from stations throughout the country.
The program consisted of performances
by musical organizations of 10 European
countries, recorded abroad especially for
broadcasting in this country.
Same as Chain Program.
For all practical purposes it was iden-
tically the same as a chain program
The announcements we're made in the
same manner, with Deems Taylor's voice
heard from the records between the
musical renditions. Reports indicated
it was popularity received, and the pro-
moters of electrical transcription"
promise more such offerings from time
to time.
The commission specifies that such
transcriptions shall be interspersed with
announcements of station call letters at
least once every IS minutes. In the
case Of ordinary photograph records,
mechanical piano pieces and other me-
chanical reproducerS used in broadcast
ing studios the commission requires that
all broadcasting stations shall an
nounce clearly and distinctly the char
acter of all mechanical reproductions
broadcast by them, the announcement
to Immediately precede the broadcast
ing of each record"
This order is in the nature of an
amendment to the commissions old
canned music" order. which many sta
ton operators have avoided by various
ingenious circumlocutions designed to
create the impression among radio
listeners that the artists were actually
in the station studio.
Descriptions to BE Exact.
There will be no getting around the
new order, which reads as follows:
I'm such announcements each talk
ing machine, photograph or graphic
phone record used, whatever its char
acter, shall be described by the use of
the exact words, This is a talking ma
chine record or This is a photograph
record or This is a graphophone rec
ord Each player-piano selection used
shall be described as played by me
chanical piano-player. Every other
mechanical reproduction shall be SINH
larly described by the term generally
understood and used by the public and
meaning such mechanical reproduction. "
While the Federal Radio Commission
was passing on routine business. the
leaders in radio legislation in the House
were moving for early enactment of
Representative Wallace Whites bill to
extend the administrative life OF the
commission indefinitely. Action on the
bill is expected some time this month.
for the commissions duties otherwise
, revert to the Department of Commerce
December 81. In the Senate a similar
bill is being sponsored by Senator G. C.
Dill, who will seek its early enactment.
Senator Copeland of New York, who
opposed continuance OF the commission
at the last session of Congress. has in
troduced three amendments to the radio
act, which indicate that he has with
drawn his opposition. He proposes that
the commission shall take over all the
present radio duties of the Department
of Commerce; that the salaries of the
| commissioners be increased from sic, 000
| to $4,000 a year, and that the COM
mission be authorized to engage a chief
engineer at a salary of $4,000 year.
| Copyright, 1929, by North American News
| paper Aiiiance.)