Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-15
CHECK BEING KEPT
ON CANNED MUSIC"
Radio /: Commission Hears
Many Complaints of Record
t'tts's Programs.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

His recent observations in the West
and more recent complaints from lis
teners have convinced Harold A. La
dount, a member of the Federal Radio
Commission, that too much camouf1age
still surrounds the broadcasttng OF
canned music" Many inquiries have
been made to the commission lately
about the rule covering the broadcast
ing of programs that are reproduced
mechanically from monographs, player
pianos and. the like.
Stations that broadcast mechanical
reproductions without describing them
clearly as such, as required by Federal
regulation, perpetrate frauds upon their
audience and take unfair advantage
over stations seeking to maintain high
class programs by bringing actual talent
before the microphone, according to
Mr.. Lafount
Ingenious and subtle methods are
often employed by broadcaSters," said
Mr.. Lafount Ito hide the fact that
mechanical reproductions are being
used, but the most alarming feature
of the situation is the fact that sta
tionS using monograph record programs
sponsored by advertisers are able to
quote such low prices for time that
other stations using original material
cannot compete with them.
Cut Advertising Prices.
1.-The result is a decided drift of ad-
Nertising to the stations offering low
advertising prices because they use pho
nograph records. There is grave danger
that the present high-grade original
programs of certain stations not con-
nected with chains but reluctant to
stage mechanical reproductions will be
seriously hampered for lack of sponsors.
Because of the fixed Government
policy not to tax listeners, broadcaSting
in this country depends to a large ex-
tent upon the revenue from advertisers.
If the advertiser feels he cannot get
fair results from a small outlay for
sponsoring advertising record programs,
then he is not likely to sponsor an
original program with high educational
and entertainment value. Unless the
situation is remedied, broadcasting will
rapidly deteriorate in this country
Commissioner Lafount does not share
an apparently prevailing prejudice
against canned music" Photograph
records and player pianos often produce
very desirable programs, and must
= necessarily be used by stations in COM
1nunitieS where talent is not readily
available. But more and more mechan-
1cal continuities are being used by GER
: tain large stations, with the result that
they place less emphasis on their orig
inal programs
Defrauding the Public.
THE basic reason back of the general
order Of the commission requiring the
. clear announcement of mechanical re-
production" said Commissioner La
: fount, lis the fact that the public in
: large cities can readily purchase and
:. play at its leisure photograph records
= of the ordinary commercial type.
THE station which devotes the main
: portion Of its hours of operation to
: broadcasting such photograph records
: Is not giving the public anything it
Z cannot get elsewhere. II the station is
. located in city where there are large
. resources in program material, the con-
{ tinued operation of that station means