The Washington times., 1931-03-21
NEWS PICKED
FROM AIR
CHANNELS
By BROADCASTER

organ music we've had locally in
sometime is that played by "The
Master Of Melody" Otto F. Beck,
whose broadcasts from the Rialto
Theater are regular WRC fea-
lures.
It wasn't complete act,
though, as organ programs go,
until Arthur Godfrey, the an
nouncer, introduced the poetry
reading. A bit Of verse here and
there has always seemed an es-
sential accompaniment for organ
music. Arthur contributes the
vocal choruses, too.
We heard Ben Bernie, "The
Old Maestro" again last night.
He's one Of those personalities in
the entertainment world you are
forced either to strongly like or
strongly dislike. Personally, we
like him. His nonchalant drollery
is unmatched by any master of
ceremonies in radio. And Ben
Bernie has something else to offer
when comparing him with other
orchestra leaders - announcing
fineSse.
He is a better announcer than
any other band leader-origi-
nators of the Grooming" style
emphatically included.
Here's where We give the big
radio men something for nothing.
That is, if they don't already
know what We are about to sug-
gest. At any rate, here goes.
Word comes from Prague that the
Czechoslovakian gendarmerie and
police are doing their best to To-
cate a radio station that is said
to broadcast instructions to COM
munists for conducting their meet
ings, uprising and riots. It seems
the station is a going concern
every time the bulls get hot on
the trail they move the TRANSMIT
ter. The elusive broadcaSters are
still at large.
Our radio folk in this country
can't protect themselves forever
on the theory that listeners reserve
the right to turn them off. One OF.
these days when a program be-
comes distaSteful the great Amer
ican audience may become right
eouSly indignant. So if they de-
eide to mob the station, let the
ether authorities profit by the fire.
quently displayed inventive genius
of the CZechS.
Business conditions are improv-
ing and are on the upgrade, w. A.
BleeS, vice president in charge Of
sales of the Oakland Motor Car
Company, will tell the world over
the radio tonight, in a statement
in which he predicts 1882 will be
the most unusually prosperous
year for business. BleeS will sup.
port his statement with facts and
figures complied during a three
month tour of the United States.
The BleeS broadcast will be over
the Columbia radio chain from
Los Angeles at 6:15 o'clock.
Ted Lewis 13 broadcastS with
his Musical Clowns" will go out
to an N.B.C. network from WEAF
in New York, but only the three
final broadcasts will originate in
that studio. The man whose
clarinet introduced modern jazz
to this country will step before a
microphone in an extemporized
studio in a Jersey City vaudeville
theater tonight March 2D at
1880 pm. for the first of his half
hours in the Club Valspar, and
for his first national broadcast
series. The program will go on
between Ted'S appearances on the
stage.
The following Saturday Ted
will be playing at Loew'S Palace,
in Washington; April 4 and 11th
in Baltimore; from there he goes
on successive Saturday nights to
Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cleveland,
Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse,
returning to New York to ternin-
ate the series. While Ted is put
ting this additional mileage on
his famous high hat, which has
been travelling more or less con-
tinuously since he acquired it in
1917, N.B.C. technical staffs from
the stations on his itinerary will
arrange the facilities for picking
up his programs and transmitting
them to New York.
For . directory to desired services,