Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-19
THOUGH they are little heard
of outside the territories

n CHey serve, TeBlOldl ncL-
works are assuming COM
handing place In radio which
even the better known national
networks cannot entirely dwarf.
Regional networks usually consist
Of anywhere from three to a
dozen broadcasting stations
linked together by telephone wires
to carry programs Of common
origin from a designated "key'
station.
While the N. B. c. and G. B. s.
together have a membership of
more than $50 stations there are
at least SO others which belong
to regional chains. In a few in
stances the regional chain men,
bers are also members of the ma
tional networks.
Recognizing the value of re-
gional coverage the national net
works from the start have tended
to split up into regional units.
Thus N. B. G. has its basic red"
and "blue" networks and it's Pa
cif1c Coast chain of nine stations,
to which 1t will add five North
western, five Southeastern, seven
South Central, seven Southwest
ern, two Mountain and two Cana
dian stations at the sponsors
bidding. Altogether, N. B. c. has
IA member stations.
With n member stations, G. B.
S. recently organized its Dixie
/ network of FL stations, and will
split its chain into almost any size
for sectional coverage. 1t also has
a farm network of seven Middle
Western stations.
New England boasts two re-
gional networks. The Yankee net
work consists of seven stations,
namely, WNAC, Boston, key;
WEAN, Providence; WORC, Wor-
cester; WDRC, Hartford; WICC,
Bridgeport; WLBZ, Bangor, and
WNBH, New Bedford. The other
is known as the New England
BroadcaSting System and COM
prises WEEP, Boston; WTAG,
| VOAOCOOCA1 "O011, Va I1d11u1 dIlO
WAR, Providence.
Three high-power stations have
long been operating as the Radio
Quality Group to give a scattered
but rather widespread coverage
They are WMAQ, Chicago; WLW,
Cincinnati, and WOR, Newark.
In New York City there is q
| group OF three relatively low
powered stations that calls itself
the Metropolitan Group and Of
ferS coverage of that area. Mem
bers are WOW, WEVD and WBNx.
The largest independent chain
Is the United Broadcasting Co.,
Ltd, with a network Of II sta
tions, all along the Pacific Coast.
Though It Is said to have backing
Of the Warner Brothers, motion
picture producers, this network Is
reported to be having business re-
verses lately and has discontinued
some Of its operations.
On the West Coast also is the
Don Lee System, consisting of
KFRC, San Francisco; XIII, Los
Angeles, and KIM, Fresno. Then
there is the Pickwick Broadcast
ing Corporation, which links to-
gether KIM, Los Angeles; KGB,
San Diego, and KIM, Oakland,
! Calf.
There are four other networks
that are practically intrastate in
scope. IN Texas there is the
Southwest Broadcasting Co., link
ing together eight stations. In
Montana there is the Montana
Radio Coverage Co., which links
KGIR, Butte; KGEZ, KaliSpell,
and KICK, Wolfe Point. To this
Montana network may be added
the following links: KGIQ, Twin
Falls, Idaho; KFJM, Grand Forks,
N. OAK; KLPM, Minot, N. OAK, and
KFPY, Spokane, Wash. In the
State Of washington there Is the
Northwest Broadcasting System,
Inc, consisting Of KJR, Seattle;
K0A, Spokane, and KEX, Port
land.
Indiana has q network known
as the Curtis Broadcasting Cor
poration, which consists of WKBF,
Indianapolis; WGBF, Evansville;
WIDOW, Terre Haute; WCMA, Gull
yer, and WJBL, Decatur, Ill.
Canada has two stations each
on the N. B. G. and C. B. s. net
works, but it also has its own
TranScanada Broadcasting Co.,
with 81 stations extending all the
way across the Dominion, and the
Canadian Broadcasting System,
with IA stations. The latter is split
up into q basic Eastern network
OF three stations, four supple
mentary stations that can be add
ed as desired to this Eastern net
work, q basic western network of
four stations and three supple
mentary stations that can be add
ed as desired to this western net
work.
= r. FRANKS, vice chairman Of
As the Federal Board for Voca-
tiona1 Education, Is still receiving
fan mail from his appearance
nearly a month ago In the Ma
tional Radio Forum arranged by
The Washington Star and broad
cast over a coast-to-coast Column
bia network.
Franks, who spoke on the
usually dry subject of vocational