Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15
LISTENING TO RADIO ABROAD
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

European radio listeners have an ad-
vantage over Americans when 1t comes
to variety in programs. 1t is all a mat
ter of distances. The magnificent dis
tances Of the United States are spread
over one great country Of q largely
homogeneous people and the Amsri-
can radio chains reach every corner OF
it. Not so in Europe.
A twist of the dial here brings TO the
nearer in the National Capital the pro-
grams of New York, Cincinnati, New
Orleans, Los Angeles. Denver or San
Francisco-cities of the same country.
similar twist, involving no greater II
as great distances. in Europe, brings in
dozen different nations, employing
different languages and Enthusiastically
different types of music.
Probably the most active radio or
ganiZation in Europe Is the famous B,
B. C. These initials stand for the
British Broadcasting Co. The British,
who employ more slang than any other
nation on earth, have weakness for
initials. They contract every possible
name and phrase into initials If the
name or phrase lends itself to such
treatment and moreover, usually pro-
nounee the initials as q word. An ex-
ample Is furnished by the Defense of
the Realm act, the initials for which
are D. o. r. A. This law Is always
referred to as Dora. No one ever refers
to the British Broadcasting Co. 1t Is
simply B. B. O., pronounced 80 rapidly
that 1t sounds like q word.
The President can turn his radio dial
to take in q radius Of, say, 600 miles.
He will hear New York, Cleveland,
Chicago, Atlanta and various other sta
tons, but familiar sounding voices will
come to him over the air. Let the King
of England do the same at London and
strains of opera from La Scala Opera
House at Milan will reach him. He will
hear Strauss waltZes from Vienna and
Hungarian dances and rhapsodies from
Budapest, where one Of the largest
European stations In located.
He need not take in so great q dis
lance to hear Paris. q favorite station
among British listeners because an
nouncementS are made IN English as
well as French.
The experience which comes to
Americans in London bringing the
greatest sense of surprise Is the BURST
ing forth from the loud speaker Of
voices speaking variety Of languages.
The station at Rome is among the
most powerful in. Europe, operating on
rs kilowatts and a wave length of AL
meters. The voice of Radio Roma" Is
South Italian voice and the an
nouncements are made in that Ian
guage.
AnnOuneers Are Usually Women.
Radio announcers at European sta
tons are chiefly women. On much the
same theory that the prima donna usu-
ally Is the most popular figure in an
opera and the leading lady the most
popular in q play, European radio sta
tons have made a practice of selecting
women with dulcet voices to make radio
announcements. 1t enhances the art,
they explain. Some of the voices are
those Of sopranos, but it appears that
the best-liked Adio-announcing voices
are contraltoS. Their vibrant, feminine
cadences watt through the air all over
the Continent of Europe every night.
The stations at Roma and Milano
are heard through the medium of the
soft, infected italian tongue. Then
one gets the great station at Barcelona.
Barcelona Is laxative, musical num-
bers being usually preceded by long
winded announcements, in Spanish, Of
course, delivered with the impressive