Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-20

Il.
~ monotonous, largely through
constant repetition, and the i'm
patient dialer deserts the local
station and starts on an ethereal
exploration for something new,
along comes an announcement
that restimulateS that fading in
tereSt and treasures us that the
program makers are not inactive,
Such was the case last week.
First and foremost was the dis
closure that Paul Whiteman, the
symphonic jazz impreSario. and
his famous orchestra, are to pre-
sent series of at least nine week
ly concerts over the Columbia
Broadcasting System network, be-
ginning early in February. Then
came the National BroadcaSting
Co., with revelation of its plans
for a unique tour of the theaters
in the Keith Orpheum circuit, in
which the stars of the vaudeville
stage will present their acts before
the microphone.
/ * y X X
| The cigarette smokers of the
Nation will pay the cost of the
Whiteman concerts, which, we are
told, is to add about $3.50, 900 to the
sponsors 1929 outlay for radio adj
vertising. This firms appropria-
ton for radio advertising alone for
1929 and 1880 totals 81 100000.
Who is to bear the burden of the
expense of the vaudeville attrac-
| tions is a question that is puzZling
some of the best interpreters OF
radio announcements in Washing
ton. There is a strong suspicion,
however, that the Radio Corpora
ton of America, which recently
took over the Keith Orpheum cir
cult, will pay the broadcaSting fee,
which, of course, will not reach
the proportions of the Whiteman
broadcastS, but large enough to
make one wonder why it is being
done. One guess is as good as an
other, and ours is that an effort
will be made to use radio as the
vehicle to revive the one-time
popularity of vaudeville.
At any rate, Whiteman's de-
cision to place his orchestra be-
fore the microphone under the
banner of a cigarette manufac-
turer is indeed noteworthy. The
jolly, rotund "jazz king" has long
f1irted with the air, and actually
has broadcast on two or three
notable occasions, but hitherto he
has WithStood all Establishments
toward undertaking a regular ano
extended radio program.
y x X
The Whiteman and Keith-Or
pheum programs will come tt
Washington through WMAL anc
WRC, respectively, and VOL, not
to be outdone by these stellar new
features, also announces an addec
attraction that will give it's listen
ers a daily outpouring of the
humor and pathos of two famous
radio and photograph characters
described as Amos and Andy
who are known in everyday life al
Charlie Correll and Freeman Cos
den. For three years this pair has
been broadcaSting In Chicago anc
vicinity with ever-growing popu-
larity, and for the last year they
have broadcast regularly al
| WMAQ.
Amos and Andy" will not APP
pear in person before VOLS
n1icrophone, but clever and new
| ly developed electrical reproduc-
ton process which has recorded
their humorous dialogue on rec
ordS especially for broadcastine
purposes will be used. Thus VOL
along with so other radio stations
in the country, will distribute
their chatter in all sections.
The initial presentation Of
amos and Andy" will be at TIL
o'clock tomorrow evening. Their
dialogue has to do with a taxicat
business and their daily affairs
Amos takes the part of a worker
and Andy that of a bully and a
loafer. ~...
Some interesting statistics show
ing the growth of the radio in
dustry in 1928 have Just been COM
piled by Radio Retailing, official
organ of the radio dealers of the
United States, who, above all
others, should be in position tc
produce accurate information or
the subject.
The year, according to the pub
LEGATION, broke all records in radio
history, showing huge gains in the
items of total sales, number oil
sets sold and in growth of the
listening public. Sales for the r.
month period, it said, totaleo
$3.50, $685. 900.
The radio audience in America
using the publication figures, in
creased from 100000 in 1927 tt
IS 100000 last year. Compared
with 1922, the first year for which
complete statistics of the industry
are available, the 35,O00,000 cal
culation represents an increase OF
more than 100000, or a gain OF
nearly 100000 year.
In the matter of homes with
radio sets of all types, the maya
zine puts the total at $500, 900. al
compared with 100000 sets of all
types in 1927. In 1922, it said
there were 10000 sets in home use
1.-THE year 1929 will show further
huge gains in radio sales, broad
casting and reception" the publ
cation predicts. Final figures
warrant the prediction that the
1929 radio. audience will reach a
total of 40,000,000 and that 9,OO0,-
900 homes will be equipped with
receiving apparatus"
| Radio Retailing based it's figures
on Nationwide survey, which Is
said shows that 2,550,000 factory
hIilt Sntc itacli1dinn nnnrnlnr n,aA