Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-03
NEW BROADCAST|NG
CHAIN IS GROWING
A. B. C. Adds Four Stations
to Network to Open
Next Year.

Pushing forward its plans for the
creation of new Nationwide broad
casting network by the first of next
year, the American Broadcasting Co.
has added Ito its Far Western chain
four additional Middle Western stations
and within the next few days hopes to
add two more.
In all, according to high official of
the company 13 stations west of the
Mississippi have been aligned, while
negotiations now are in process for as
many moro. The basic chain Of the
network comprises the five Pacific Coast
stations of Adolph F.. Linden, Pacific
Coast banker which, until late next
Fall, are contracted with the Columbia
Broadcasting System as its Pacific
Coast outlets.
The stations just added to the A. E.
c. network are WHO, Chicago; KFAB,
Lincoln. Nebr.; KTNT, MuScatine, Iowa,
and WILL, st. Louis; 1t was stated.
WRHM, Minneapolis, and WOO,
Kansas City, have committed them
selves, according to the official, and
will take the systems sustaining fea-
lures within the next week. The Pa
cif1c Coast stations, owned by Mr.
Linden are KJR, Seattle. key station:
KEX, Portland; KYA. San Francisco;
KGA, Spokane, and XMTR. Hollywood.
Early this year two Rocky Mountain
stations. KLZ, Denver, and KDYL,
Salt Lake City. were added.
The new chain promises for the
Nation programs originating primarily
on the Pacific Coast. Talent is plen-
ton of "talkies," and it is planned to
put on programs fea' uring the stars
performing in the talking movies. A
key" station in New York, Of course,
is projected, although the chain has
not yet acquired the station. It Is
known, however, that it has negotiated
for the purchase of three small sta
tons in Brooklyn, which it plans to
consolidate into one large station.
Likewise it is seeking to arrange with
Station WJSV, in Washington, for its
Capital City key" station.
According to the A. B. G. official,
the work of organization is proceeding
rapidly and that there is tremendous
interest throughout the country in the
project. Arrangements have been
made for the necessary telephone wire
connections with which to link the
stations subscribing for the networks
programs, it was said. This is one
of the most expensive of the multi
tude of items of organization that must
be cared for in the project. The
National BroadcaStlng Co, Tor exam
pie, paid wire tolls OF more than
50 900 900 to the American Telephone
& Telegraph Co. for carrying its pro-
grams by wire to subscribing stations.
Although the hackers of the new en-
terprise are optimistic. from the cold
business point of view the creation of a
broadcasting network is a risky PROPOSE
ton. Advertising contracts must be &C
quired, and they are not easily obtained.
A chain, before it gets the advertising,
must win over listener audience, and
that means months of constant plug
ging and tremendous expenditures.
Both of the existing chains, the N. B. C..
and the Columbia, went through their
lean periods, suffering heavy losses be-
fore they were able to get out Of red
ink
The listening audience will watch
with interest the development of the
new chain. 1t has but to sit back and
wait If the new programs are accept
able they will let the sponsors of them
know. but If they are not. the enterprise
Is doomed. The listener. broadcasters
have learned by sad experience, is fas-
tidious about his programs. He has been
accorded the very best there is to be
had in the entertainment field. and II a
new organization, trying to break into
the broadcasting picture, fails to achieve
the program quality of the existing sys-
TENS he will ignore it and tune in on
the old "standbys"
(Copyrisht, 1929, by the Consolidated Press).