Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-11
STATIONS TO OFFER.
CANNED PROGRAMS.
Electrical Reproduction Over
Radio to Be Started Soon
by SO BroadcaSterS.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

About so broadcasting stations
throughout the United States and Can
ada are beginning this month to offer
continuous half-hour programs OF music
and dramatic sketches through a new
process of transcription of electrical
reproduction. The programs. with the
usual announcer's voice, are specially
imposed upon photograph records
which are automatically changed with
out perceptible interruption.
The process is known as "So-a-tone.
for its promoter. Raymond Scat OF Chi
cago. 1t was invented and patented
by Harold j. Smith, also of Chicago,
engineer for the company organized to
exploit it. Both men were in WASH
ington this week to demonstrate the
method to members of Congress and
the Federal Radio Commission. The
possibilities of the new method Of fur
nishing high-grade talent, particularly
to small and isolated broadCaStlng sta
tions. left deep impression.
The programs are utterly indlstin-
guishable from the usual run of chain
programs. The announcer's voice sounds
the same and the continuity Of speech
and song is worked out in the same
manner The sponsorship of those pro-
grams already being distributed for
broadcaSting this month is much like
that of the chain programs heard every
night from leading stations indirect
advertising being the commercial basis
of the offering
Eliminates Phone Calls.
The chief advantage claimed for
"So-a-tone" is that it eliminates the
highly expensive telephone toll lines
needed to link up chain broadcasting
stations with the key" station where
the program is originating. IL also
makes available to stations of any size
and situated anywhere high quality
of entertainment, for the Federal Radio
Commission has already recognized that
canned music can be transmitted
practically as we'll as studio music and
sometimes is superior in quality, by
virtue of the advantage of trial and
error in recording.
Full-length radio continuities broad
cast from records or from the film
talkies have been heralded for some
months, but the Scat project is the first
attempt to introduce them. The eff
fectS upon chain broadcasting are prob
lematical The question whether the
public will accept transcription by
electrical reproduction" is answered by
the promoters with statement that
only the best talent will be employed
they will become popular features of
the air.
The Federal Radio Commission about
two months ago took the onus out of
the so-called canned music order by
amending it to provide that where a
recording or electrical transcript is
made exclusively for broadcasting pur-
poses and is neither offered nor IN
tended to be offered for sale to the
public the words monograph record
may be replaced by any phrase which
accurately describes such transcription
and which is of such nature as not
to deceive or tend to deceive the public
concerning the character Of the repro
duction broadcast.
Stations Using Service.
Txe recorded continuities are pro-
dJ1ed by the Brunswick Bake -Collen-
aer Co. The apparatus is being in
stalled first in some of the country's
leading stations. They will get the first
runs" Later installation in the smaller
stations will bring to them the new re-
corded programs just as motion picture
houses get their film reels. The first
station to broadcast one of these pro-
grams was the pioneer transmitter at
Pittsburgh, KDKA. Station KYW,
Chicago, has also introduced it. j
Following is partial list of the sta
tons which have arranged for the
service: WBzA, Boston; WCAU, Phil
adelphia; WSYR, Syracuse; WMBO,
Auburn, N Y; WSCH. Portland. Me-:
WOBU, Charleston. w. Va; WTAR,
Norfolk, Va; WING, Asheville. N. c.;
WNOX, Knoxville; WFTW, Hopkins
vile, KY: WADE. Akron: WLW, Gin
cinnati: WKBH, Lacrosse. Wis; WJR.
Detroit; WHBF, Rock Island; webs,
Springfield. H.: WIDOW, Terre Haute,
Ind: WGBF. Evansville. Ind; WSPD,
Toledo; WOOD, Grand Rapids, Mich;
KMBC, Kansas City, Mo-: KFH,
Wichita; KTHS, Hot Springs. Ark;
WWL, New Orleans; WKY, Oklahoma
City; KOHL, Omaha; KLZ, Denver;
KFUM. Colorado Springs; WAC, Nor
folk, Nebr.; KFYR. Bismarck. N. Oak;
WCCO, Minneapolis; WBAP, Fort
Worth: KFAD, Phoenix. AriZ.; KEW,
Portland, Greg; KOMO. Seattle: KFRC,
San Francisco: xxx. Los Angeles;
KSL, Salt Lake City; KFSD, San Diego.
and CFCA, Toronto.
(Copyright, 1929. by North American
Newspaper Alliance.