Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-14
EDUCATORS MAKE
WIDE USE OF AIR
One Hour in Every Eight Is
Devoted to Radio
instruction.

With commercial broadcasting sta
tons solidly entrenched in the most
favorable positions in the radio spec
trum, American educators are finding
that they must turn to such stations
for outlets for their Institutional pro-
grams.
Only n broadcasting stations in the
United States, or about one-eighth of
the total number are owned and oper-
ated by educational institutions, ac-
cordtng to q survey just completed by
the Advisory Committee on Radio Edu-
cation, appointed last Autumn by Secre-
tary of the Interior Wilbur.
The committee estimates that only
about is per cent of the broadcaSting
programs in this country may be CLASH
fed as educational 1t further esti-
mates. on the basis of reports from
nearly 800 commercial stations, that
approximately one radio hour in every
eight is devoted to education, as distin-
guished from entertainment and other
matter.
Serve Local Areas Only.
Most of the n stations are owned by
State universities and colleges, espe.
cially by agricultural and chronological
schools, which built their own equip
ment In the early days of broadcasting.
With few exceptions, they are of low
powers and serve local or regional areas
only few hours each day.
Eighty colleges and universities that
have no stations of their own have
access to the facilities of the commercial
broadcasters for periodical educational
programs, the committee reported. For
the most part, the commercial stations
cooperate willingly with the educa-
tional institutions in allotting them
time on the air for courses, lectures and
the like.
Probably the outstanding examples of
educational radio broadcasting on a
regular basis are furnished in Ohio and
Massachusetts,. The Ohio School Of the
Air, now in its second year, provides
programs directed to the schools of the
State for one hour each day. The two
national networks also have certain fea-
lures which are broadcast weekly or
semi-weekly for reception in the class
room.
Guard Against Propaganda.
The educators are extremely vigilant
In guarding against reception in the
| schools OF programs having advertising,
commercial or propaganda aspects. Dur
ing the convention of the National Edu-
cation Association at Atlantic City last
month a resolution was adopted which
stated:
We ICCOBkllle III the IdQlO new
and powerful instrument of education
of far-reaching Importance We view
with deep interest the experiments now
being made to develop programs which
shall enrich and supplement the work
OF the schools in many directions.
If these programs are to be accepted
by teachers and school officials, they
must, however, be free from all adver-
Using. commercial and propaganda fea-
lures. They must successfully meet the
same impartial tests as text books. being
wholly in the interest of public welfare
and with the approval of responsible
school authorities. Moreover, they must
be related to the regular programs of
class room instruction.
In order that these ends may be
met. radio instruction must be devel-
oped and directed By school oficials
working IN cooperation with local and
national broadcasting companies and
with State and Government aRenciei
providing such service for the schools
(Copyrtght, 1880. by North american Newt
paper Alliance)