Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-21
WIRED RADIO PLANS.
DISTRIBUTION SOON
Corporation Asks Commits
sion for Three Short
Wave Channels.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

Every local power company in the
United States and Canada is potential
distributor of wired radio" programs
under the plan of Nationwide opera
ton projected by Wired Radio Inc.
The scheme of directing radio programs
along electric light wires into the home
is being fostered actively by this Sl0,-
100000 concern, a 100 per cent SUD-
sidiary of the North American Co.,
operating public utilities in Ohio, Illi-
noiS, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michi-
gan and California
Through its president, c. w. Hough,
the Wired Radio, Inc, has asked the
Federal Radio Commission for three
short waves with which to transmit
programs from its New York City
studios to pickup stations established
at power stations throughout the coun-
try. These programs will be relayed
into homes over the local power lines
to be heard on receiving sets installed
by the local company for monthly
rental charge.
The short-wave Transmission is in
tended only as temporary expedient
until telephone lines can be obtained to
link the power stations with the studios
Three radio tranSmitters are to be stu
ated near New York City, broadcasting
three programs on each wave length
under three-phaSe transmitting Sys-
TEN devised by the company. High
power and directional beams are to be
employed.
Operation Due in May.
wired radio" was scheduled to make
nl11,% s,, -
the installation of the necessary appa-
ratuS there has been delayed. Mr..
Hough said it will probably be ready for
operation some time in May. The COM
panies that will first offer the service
naturally are expected to be those of the
North American group, which cover
700 communities. including such cities
as st. Louis, Milwaukee, Racine, San
Francisco and Oakland. This huge
power company also has substantial in
vestments in the plants at Detroit and
Washington, D. c.
According to Mr.. Hough, the cost of
using wired radio receiving set will
be So per month, chargeable to the
electric light bill If the subscriber
wants a receiver that will also be capa-
bic of tuning in space RADIO" this will
be available at SIS per month. A recent
patent exchange with the holster Radio
interests insures the production of at
least 1000 sets per month.
Three programs are to be available
for selection on any wired radio" set
One will be devoted to classical music,
one to popular music and the other to
educational features. such as lessons in
foreign languages and the like.
1t will be possible, Mr.. Hough told
the Radio Commission, to know exactly
Al 1icfo rf-taa iefn hat
program they tuned in, by means of
recording device in the set itself. In
this way there will be thorough check
Of listeners preferences.
Advertising Barred.
There will be no advertising in con-
nection with the programs. The power
companies will derive their revenue from
the rentals and from the current con-
Sumed in operating the sets. They are
not overlooking also the increased con-
sumption OF power when people stay at
home evenings or remain awake later
in ordertp listen to radio programs.
Mr.. Hough said he regarded all the
16,000,000 homes in the country that
are wired for electricity as potential
customers. The service will be offered
to power companies in South America
and in England, as well as throughout
North America, he said
The primary advantage claimed for
wired radio over ordinary broadcasting
is its freedom from static, fading, het-
erodyning and the many variables of
radio, although some of the ether may
be perfected in wired radio as long as
it employs the short wave relays rather
than confines its system entirely to
wires. Because the width of the trans
uniting band along the path of the
power lines is adequate, the wired radio
interests expect later to add television
services. &
Fortified with something like 1000
patents and tremendous capital the
wired radio interests have spent 81, $780,
600 and are prepared to spend as much
or more to get their system started,
according to Mr.. Hough.