Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-26
WORLD EXCHANGE
OF PROGRAMS NEAR
Day Approaches When Inter-
national Broadcasting Will
Be Established Fact.
ny MARTIN CODEL.

That the day is approaching when
any country In the world will be able 10
exchange It's feature radio programs
with any other country appears certain
from strides being made in interna-
tional broadcasting. What this means
to international relations can only pe
guessed.
Network broadcasting Is well estab-
lished in the United States and CANADA,
and even Cuba has been linked with
nationwide chain in the United States
for O program Of mutual interest: A
smattering Of British programs has been
established in both countries IN recent
months, the relay of the networks on
the North American continent being
accomplished via the short waves.
Coincident with the announcement
that the National Broadcasting co. Is
beginning experiments looking to an IN
terchange of programs with the German
broadcasting company, the lnterna-
tional Telephone & telegraph reports
that an international broadcasting serv-
Ice has been inaugurated between the
capitals Of Argentina and Uruguay.
This augurs expanded network broad
casting over more OF South America,
With the likelihood that these networks
viii some day be linked with the Amer
lean chains for interchanges OF pro-
grams.
Send Out Colon Operas.
The program Of the Colon Opera at
Ruenos Aires. which frequently Is
broadcast from local station, was sue
cessfully transmitted by telephone cir
cult to Montevideo, where the govern
ment broadcasting station OF Uruguay
could furnish 1t to the radio audience OF
that country Though the distance was
only 100 miles. the wire relay involved
some dificult technical problems.
The transmission was accomplished
via underground cable in Argentina and
IS miles Of subfluvial cable that passes
under the La Plata River. This sub
huvial cable was recently laid, and Is
especially designed for international
telephone service. Extraordinary facili-
ties had to be provided to transmit
music as well as voice over the subma.
rine cable. The operas "Rigoletto" and
Faust" were received and rebroadcast
flers were used at the Colon theatep and
at the long-distance exchange and cable
terminal.
AS international broadcasting services
Of this character expand in South
America-and 1t is fair to presume that
they will with the expansion and mod
ernization of international telephone
lines-it is very likely that demand
will be made for an exchange OF major
programs with the United States.
In fact, with this in view, the Pan
American Union has already procured
two international relay short waves by
order of former President Coolidge. Over
these it Is proposed to send programs
into South America to be rebroadcast
by the stations and chains Of that con-
tient. In like manner South American
pro9ramS would be received and re-
broadcast in this country.
Promise European Programs.
The lack Of short-wave broadcasting
equipment In other countries and GER
tain factors Of static and fading that
must be overcome have handicapped
such reception thus far. The British
broadcasting company Is now able to
transmit its programs on short waves
from its station at Chelmsford Simulta-
neouBly with Transmission on ordinary
waves to the audiences Of the British
Isles. The current experiments with
Germany have been made possible by
the erection Of q new short-wave trans
mitter 1T the high-powered station Of
the German broadcasting company, near
Berlin.
Both the Columbia Broadcasting Sys-
tenn and the National BroadcaSting Co.
programs in the near future. DR.. Leon
Levy, director Of Columbia, Is now in
Europe to make arrangements for pro-
gram interchanges with the broadcast
ing systems Of France, Germany and
Norway.
American programs have frequently
been heard In foreign countries because
OF the excellent short-wave facilities at
stations like KDKA, Pittsburgh, and
WGY, Schenectady. Nearly every part
Of the world where radio reception is
more or less commonplace has reported
receiving these stations via the short
waves. Very often In countries like
Great Britain, Australia and Germany,
where broadcasting is highly developed,
the programs have been rebroadcast by
local high-powered stations.
For example, when the Pauline
Sehmeling heavyweight prize fight took
place last June complete news bulletins
were broadcast in Germany over WXAF,
the Short-wave transmitter of WGY.
Gables were received soon after the fight
from Stuttgart, Cologne, Hamburg and
Berlin reporting that all Of Germany
was able to hear the reports.
Local stations picked them up and
rebroadcast on their own wave lengths,
30 that their normal audiences could
hear the Germanevoice directly from the
American station. Otherwise only per-
sons having short-wave receivers would
have heard the long-distance relay.
Copyright, 1929, by North American News
paper Alliance)
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