Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-25
MORE SETTLED ERA.
/. IN RADIO INDUSTRY
Markets and Other Factors
Indicate Better Trade
Status in Future.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
CLEVELAND, July 26.-Indications
that the radio industry is emerging
from the leap frog" period of its de-
velopment into q more settled era both
in the matter of markets and in tech
biological changes are found by the
Union Trust Co. in q survey Of the
industry.
For years the manufacturers Of radio
sets were INDUCING in q race, each one
trying to overleap the other with some
new chronological improvement, accord
ing to the bank With each new ad-
vance the development of few months
before became obsolete and so the game
went on until today degree of per-
lection apparently has been reached
which is resulting in a marked slowing
down In the rate of change.
This years list prices are about
at the range Of last years distress
prices" says the bank in its magazine,
Trade Winds. "The industry has def
nitely recognized the necessity for low
prices and met that necessity by tax
ing advantage Of lower material costs
and improved processes Of manufac-
ture, plus the midget set. with less
cabinet material and much less over
head burden, to put list prices at q
new level.
Stability Still Lacking.
1.-THE questions which naturally arise,
considering the hectic career OF the
radio industry during the last decade,
are whether it has at last settled down
into any definite course, and If 50,
what that course will be for the near
future.
Wise observers In the industry do
not believe that there IS yet any def
mite assurance Of stability or that any
body can predict, with any reasonable
degree Of certainty, just what is likely
TO happen. There are indications, how
process Of sterilization. One OF these
is founded on the slowing of the pace
in change and improvement. the other
Is a more or less definite arrange
ment Of radio markets
indicative of the slowing up Of the
process of chronological Improvement
is the fact that makers of radio re-
ceiving sets are. in the main, paying
more attention to fidelity of reproduc-
ton and tone quality than to the
capacity Of sets for extreme distance.
For this trend in the industry the de-
velopment of broadcasting networks is
largely responsible. 1t does the indi-
vidual set owner little good to be able
to get San Francisco If the program
he brings In from a station out there
Is another rendering of the chain
broadcast which his local station is at
that moment putting on the air"
Another Obstacle in Way.
Regarding television. usually regarded
as a fairly imminent development of
radio, Trade Winds says there are two
big obstacles still to be overcome. One
of these is the providing OF the tele-
vision programs. The other obstacles
Is described by the bank:
There is another obstacle which
stands in the way of tslevision and that
is the question of public acceptance.
1t must be remembered that when
family installs a television set it will
have to have the undivided attention
Of everybody when it is used.
When televiSion set is used, how
ever, the lights will have to 90 out
| and activity must stop. Mother does
| not take her embroidery or father the
| sport page to the talking pictures, and
the living room, when a television set
Is in use, will be a home talking picture
theeter. II all the members of the
average American family can agree on
what sort of television program they
want. it will be the first time in mod
ern history that they have managed to
agree On form Of entertainment.