Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
c. B. S. PRESIDENT
PRAISES FORUM.
Star Programs Type That
Stimulate Thought, Says
W. S. PaIey.

william $, Paley, president Of the
Columbia Brosdcastins System, who
testified yesterday before the Senate
Interstate Commerce committee, paid q
glowing tribute TO the National Radio
Forum, arranged by The Star and
broadcast weekly over coast forecast
network of Columbia stations.
Paley told the committee, which is
holding hearings on the CouSens bill
providing for the grouping of radio,
telephone, telegraph and cables under
the control of a new commission, that
the Stars forum IS the type Of program
that stimulates people to think"
Regular feature programs such IS
the National Radio Forum" Paley de-
clared have built vast radio audi
ences. This program emanates from
Washington and Is arranged by The
Washington Star. 1t is the type Of
program that stimulates people to think
The facilities of the Columbia network
thus have been made available in this
series to members of the legislative
executive and judicial branches OF the
Government One of the objects of
the forum is to bring before the public
the currently important legislative is
sues by members of Congress and other
Government Otacials.'
Outstandin Features.
Paley also called the committees at
tention to other outsta nding features
either already broadcast over the Co
lumbia network or to 60 on the air in
the near future. Two new features, he
said, are TO be the series of interna-
tional goodwill programs, in which
each Ambassador and Minister to the
mi aA GfnfA mill tab ark aNNA
resume Of the proceedings OF the Lon
don Naval Conference by Frederic VIII
liam Vile, veteran radio political an
alyst, both OF which are to begin Tues
day. Another new attraction. he said
will be the American School Of the
Air" to make Its debut February I.
Paley appeared before the commit
tee primarily to pledge cooperation to
improve broadcasting and urge that
,pany from continuing ON - sound
business basis"
Business for Pebble.
In stating the importance of Tadie,"
he said, Il do not wish to lead you into
believing that regard 1t as other than
q business. It Is the function Of en-
liGhtened business, however, to serve
the public, and In doing that We are
following In the footsteps of the great
est and most successful industries in
America. Happily, in the case of our
own industry. there are larger oppor-
tunities to be Of such service than may
be found perhaps IN any other line of
activity, with the possible exception OF
the public press.
AS preof that this is real policy
and not mere phrase, l am going to
leave with you today, If / may, brief
digest of our major activities aside from
sponsored programs during the last
six months of 1929 and an analysis OF
the current weeks division OF time over
our network. This shows that our held
has become almost as broad as that of
all human activity, and that on many
and varied occasions, in all parts Of the
Nation, Columbia has done its part In
serving the people. We are able to rem
der service in increasing measure be-
cause, as / wish now publicly to state
to you, we are absolutely independent
We serve no special interest. We
have no entangling alliances. We de-
pend for our earnings and our success
solely upon the sale OF time for spon-
sored programs, and the value OF spon-
sored nrograms, in turn, depends upon
the support which the public gives to Us
because of what we give to It,
In Q broad sense, the Columbia Sys-
power that regulates and chooses the
Cpngress-the people. Their applause,
their criticism, their suggestions con-
stitute the greatest and most effective
regulation. BY slight turn OF the
wrist millions of listeners may vote
tor or against the Columbia System.
Therefore, the day, the hour, the min
ute. and perhaps even the second THAT
hroadGasting system dtspleases the
public, 1t polls a negative vote which Is
quickly reflected and promptly needed.
Public Confidence Necessary.
Our position is the same as that OF
. great newspaper or periodical which,
while it frankly sells advertising, Is de-
pendent upon the confidence OF the peo-
pie who read its columns. We have
entire freedom from outside financial
control We have no secret or special
detectives to pursue. We nave nun IN
dependence in every respect:
"The winning principle Of American
business Is competition. Columbia mas
retained its position in Its field by rig
orously striving to excel This competi-
ton has been of almost inestimahle
benefit not only to network broadcast
ing but to every listener at American
tiresideS.
"As the head of Columbia, will be
the last man to oppose any broad, con-
structive legislation relating to broad
casting, which 1 feel is fraught with
public interest. / pledge the fullest as
sistance to bring about improvement.
The very genuine interest and careful
study your committee is giving TO this
subject Is an indication that no hasty OF
ill-advised legislation will be passed.
THE one thing hope above ell else
is that no legislation will be enacted
which will prevent us from continuing
on . sound business basis. In conduct
ing Columbia on what we consider 70
be sound business basis we must nee
essarily keep uppermost In our minds
the need Of rendering real public service,
which eonstrue as the keystone OF any
successful business enterprise. We have
found ourselves able to devote apprOxi-
mately IS per cent of our time on the
air to service, as contrastsd with Spop-
sored programs"