The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-22
STATIONS FORCE
ADS ON PUBLIC,
PUBLISHER SAYS
Using Methods Which Are
Banned for Newspapers
of Nation.
GAIN IN PROFITS HUGE
Exclusion of BroadCaSting
Programs From Columns
Is Proposed.
GAIN IN PROFITS HUGE

81 United Press
NEW YORK, April 22.-Radio, by
unfair" competition, according to
Elzey Roberts, st. Louis Star pub
Usher, Is making vast inroads on
the nations newspapers.
American publishers are "as
short-sighted in recognizing radio
competition as the railroad men
we're in recognizing bus and truck
competition ten years ago." he said.
Roberts said competition from ra-
do is so great that newspapers we'll
might discontinue exploiting Of
broadcasting programs in their
columns. Roberts is chairman of
the associations radio committee.
He quoted figures from survey
showing that, for the first three
months Of 1881, radio advertising
has increased to more than half the
total sum spent in newspaper ad-
vertising during the same period.
During 1890, he said, the ratio OF
radio advertising to newspaper adj
vertising was: Newspapers, 100;
radio, %.
The figures for the first quarter
Of this year were given as: News
papers, 100; radio, 592.
Growth Since 1925
And this growth, his survey shows,
has been accomplished since 1926,
when radio advertising virtually
was unknown.
The competition between radio and
newspapers does not end in the
advertising end, however, the COM
rnittee chairman said.
Radio completes with the press in
news, editorials, and features.
Flash, or bulletin news of excep-
tional Importance, is handled by the
radio today.
Descriptions Of important pre-
arranged events are carried on the
air.
Election returns are often broad
cast, as are market reports, weather
forecasts and temperature readings.
There is a striking similarity"
Roberts said, between newspaper
features and the different forms Of
broadcast entertainment. Amos n
Andy certainly can be likened to
daily comic strip"
Radio Editorial Cited
He cited, also, the rising popu-
larity Of the radio editorial" men
tioning in particular the regular
broadcasts Of H. V. Kaltenborn.
former newspaper editorial writer.
Radio, Roberts said, has brought
a new element into advertising.
Advertising is forced on the
public through radio, as it used to
be on the screen. And the Amer
lean people, he believes, crescent
having something forced on them,
whether they like it or not"
THAT is why, Roberts said, Amer
lean newspapers do not run adver-
tisements on their front pages. And
that is why, in the United States,
advertising is a greater force than
in any other country in the world.
THE mistake must have been, "
Roberts said, "in not recognizing
the power of the press to populariSe
radio even to the extent that it
would carry direct advertising"
High Tax in Britain
The committee pointed out that
such technical leaders in the field
of radio as DR.. Lee De Forest and
Mariconi are at odds with the COM
liberalization of radio, and also
called attention to the fact that in
Great Britain tax of about 50
on each radio receiver supplies
a sufficient fund to provide ample
entertainment of high standard.
The unfair" advantage radio has
over newspapers, according to
Roberts, lies, in part, in the gov
eminent regulation which forbids
certain forms Of advertising to be
printed in newspaper columns, yet
do not restrict such advertising on
the radio.
Advertising involving the sending
in OF carton tops to obtain free
merchandise, or guessing contests
with merchandise awards, would
come under the lottery law if APP
pearing in the press, yet such ad-
vertising frequently is carried on
the radio" he said.
Now Major Industry
During the early years" Roberts
said, when radio was a novel thing.
it was perhaps right to exploit it
and tell about it in every detail.
To-day, however, radio has taken
its place as a major industry, and
there is no more reason for news
papers to exploit it than for radio
to exploit newspapers.
THE radio does not announce
contents of the daily newspapers,
except, of course, in a few newspa-
per-owned stations, and there is no
reason for newspapers to do 1t fol
radio
"A large part OF the present diff
ficulties due to radio broadcasting
can be eliminated just as soon as
publishers drop their local competi-
tive difficulties and put radio and
the press on basis where they can
compete with fairness to each