Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-01
RECORDED MUSIC
BOON TO STATIONS
Advantages of New Method
of Entertainment With
Continuity Cited.
BY WALTER LENNON.

Early in the days of "one-man"
hroadcasting stations the combination
announcer, continuity man and control
operator was obliged to fall back on the
trusty studio monograph to fill in
artist diSappointments' and keep the
transmitter on the air.
The records played were usually OF
the standard titles to be found in every
home, often with a predominance OF
needle scratch, so no wonder that to the
average listener monograph canned"
programs became taboo
However, as a result OF the play Of
economic and natural forces there is
springing up a new boon to the indie
pendent and often large station in the
form of the completely recorded pro-
gram. Through the new use of this de-
vice an entire program with the an
nouncer's voice. continuity and musical
selections, can be ''unreeled" to the lis
tener through either q disk or flm
method.
Personal" Effect.
After all, does the listener at home
actually hear the concert orchestra at
the distant studio? No, not at all. The
minute the sound waves from the per
sonal" orchestra strike the microphone
disk they become inpersonal electrical
vibrations passing through the ampli-
fiers and transmitting system regard
less of their origin. The process from
the microphone disk to the loud speak
er in the listeners home is exactly the
same whether the vibrations are pro-
duced from the living voice or the re-
corded disk.
Therefore, In this art of electrical
entertainment" it might be interesting
to trace the effects of the growth Of
electrical transcription" programs on
the future economics of broadcasting.
From the sponsors point Of view, the
recorded programs offer great elasticity.
They can employ the fine type Of or
chestra as for a chain broadcast. The
program is recorded in its entirety and
sent out in advance to any area which
the sponsor desires to cover. In many
cases two or more stations in the same
locality can be used If the stations have
distinct individual appeals.
If the sales manager finds his sales
running along nicely in every territory
except. let us say, New England, he can
bolster up his advertising with a blan-
ket of radio programs in New England
alone. The recorded programs need not
force him to buy wasted circulation"
Time Value.
. rev degree of nexibility IS also pos
Sible in regard to timing" by means Of
rz7e recorded program. When stations
are lInKeQ by wire lines, the program
must be radiated simultaneously from
all points. This is fine for spot news"
events, but not always to the advantage
Of the sponsor.
Let us suppose a sponsor wishes to
put on a program Just after dinner at
1880 pm, New York time. This reaches
the listener at $3.50 pm. in Chicago, and
actually before dinner at $50 pm. IN
Denver and similar points.
The recorded program, on the other
hand. can be released In advance at q
specified time in each locality, 50 that
it reaches the listener at 7:3o pm. In
each Of the cities, New York, Chicago.
Denver, etc.
There is also further point which is
likely to become quite important when
this type Of rendition attainS further
standing In the broadcasting art. Once
singer or noted orchestra performs,
this program can only be repeated by q
second engagement Of the artist. In the
case of a recorded program, q program
can be repeated at another time. This
possibility Of preserving broadcast fea-
ture for all time becomes a subject
which Stirs the imagination.
Networks Have Advantages.
II may be concluded from the above
that recorded programs are intended to
supplement chain wire networks.
This Is far from the fact, for each
system has its own advantages and they
become supplementary. The recorded
program, however, Is likely to receive
an increasing degree Of attention during
the next few months when new heights
Of radio artistry are put forth through
this new medium.
Up to the present time a system Of
recording on a disk has been used.
However, experiments are now being
conducted with film recording similar
to the well known system used by the
talking pictures. This offers the posi-
bIity OF preserving long broadcast on
a single film and some new potential.
ties in clear recording which may even
fool the most axnerf YoiSieiap