Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-03
THELISTENERS'
FORUM

Wants More Station Announcement.
Radio Editor:
A QUESTIONABLE submitted to thou
sands of radio fans is reported to have
developed the fact that of the replies
received something like only IS per
cent stated they still tried to tune-in
distant stations. Now, it seems to have
been the effort of certain class of in
ventors and would-be inventors and
their financial supporters to turn the
trend of radio more and more from the
romance of the air into channels OF
mechanical programs. Perhaps the
chief reason behind this effort is to
devise some means by which the public
can be and would be made to pay for
their entertainment. In such instances
they point to the results obtained in
QUESTIONABLE such as that I have just
mentioned. But what can they prove?
Consider the requirements asked Of a
radio by a new purchaser. The three
most important are Cd tone, 90 selec-
tivity and CD distance. Granting that
tone comes first with practically every
one there is yet the requirement that
the radio which we purchase must be a
distance-getter, with the necessary ac-
compartment, selectivity. Are not these
two qualities bait which all manufac
turers scatter daily through their ads
in newspapers and magazines? Has
any one ever seen an ad such as this:
mot distance-getter, but marvel for
toner" How many radios do you think
such an ad would sell? That is, just
how many people there are who do not
want to DIX. Is 1t conceivable that they
represent the other IS per cent OF the
radio public?
Naturally, all Of the radio fans do
not tune-in distant stations all of the
time. The reasons why they do not
l. T. 14-Nz go
be said chiefly to be, first, because OF
the impracticability to do so on account
of weather conditions or deficient radio
sets; second. because of non-desire to
do so on account of their interest in a
local program, and, third, because Of
the disgust occaSioned by the infre-
quency of station announcements. The
first instance cannot be helped; local
stations should be commended in the
second instance; but in the third in
stance it is reprehensible. 1t would
seem that radio manufacturers should
take a tumble to themselves and help
to solve the problem. Otherwise how
can they expect the public to continue
buying their 5000 and $500 receivers to
use for purposes that may be as well
accomplished by receivers costing only
few dollars?
have turned away from station after
station after waiting in vain for an
nouncement, and others tell me of their
having done the same thing. In one
instance the announcer reminded us to
write in or telephone, giving the street
address and telephone number, yet fall
ing to mention the name OF the town.
The radio public is not unreasonable.
They do not expect to have speaker
stop in the middle of an address to
have the station announced, nor to
have a play interrupted for that pur-
pose, but they seem to have the right
10 expect fair return for their invest
ment in high-grade receivers.
Now, here is a suggestion do not
thing unreasonable: The preferred hour
of radio is, from to 10 pm. After
that hour, or at least after IL pm, no
big feature is likely to be broadcast
Why, therefore, cannot the station be
announced after each selection, begin
ming at IL pm, using the standard
time governing the locality of each
station? That would be IL pm. East
ern standard time for the Eastern sta
tions, IL midnight Eastern standard
time for the central stations, l am.
Eastern standard time for the stations
in the mountain section and 2 am.
Eastern standard time for the Pacific
stations.
Using the "l5-minute" plan of an
nouncement, one must stand by his
modern radio set for hours before he
can hope TO receive as many stations as
he used to get in a few minutes with
his one-tube set when radio was radio.
Let's turn our pieces OF furniture into
real radio sets and bring back the ro-
nance and thrills which made radio.
WILLIAM E. KNORR.
"Amos N Andy" Too Late.
Radio Editor:
ANDY n Amos" are proving source
of enjoyment to many OF us of lower
grades of culture. Children stay up
untal II O'Clock and after to hear Andy's
"Sho-sho!" That is-the trouble. In
this age of depleted nerve energy chill
dreh need plenty of sleep. Parents find
1t Aard to deny occasional listening-in