Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05

frequently CIldk1 jazz AA4S
the so-called popular" songs dur.
| ing the first six months Of 1891
| according to a survey Of its pro-
| grams Just completed by the Co.
| lumbia BroadcaSting System.
. It was a close decision. The
exact ratios were calculated al
1914 per cent for the classics and
their melodic neighborS and 32S
per cent for dance and ballad
numbers.
Although figures for previous
years are not available, program
officials at Columbia believe that
popular" music heretofore has
held supremacy and declare that
the change Is in response to
more sophisticated. public taste
largely developed by radio broad
casting.
Total broadcasting time over
the Columbia network from jan
uary through June amounted to
3,407 hours, 80 minutes-an aver
rage Of $50 hours, 10 minutes
weekly. OF this total 2,458 hours,
80 minutes Cor 72.14 per cent of
the time) were devoted to musical
programs, and 949 hours Cor 27.86
per cent? to "talk"-which term
includes addresses, radio plays
and special events broadcastS.
A comparison between figures
for the months of January and
June show striking differences be-
tween amounts of time given to
various programs as dictated by
the change in the seasons.
In January, for instance, broad
casting Of classic, semi classic and
light music registered combined
total of Alt per cent of the
months broadcasting time as OPP
posed to 32.6 per cent for popular
music. With the coming Of Sum-
mer the ratio for dance music rose
to 48.8 per cent, while classic
music fell to 30.7 per cent.
The greatest increase in any
one type Of program was regis
tered by comedy acts and humor-
Gus monologues. The percentage
of 1.16 in January rose to 1877 in
May and June. Other types of
presentation occupied substan-
TALLY the same amount OF time
during the entire six months.
<ss
INEITHER the National Broad
casting Company nor the Co
lumbia BroadcaSting System is in
the market to purchase more
broadcasting stations. From M. H.
Aylesworth himself the Federal
Radio Commission has heard that
the N. B. G. intends to buy no
more stations. From authorita-
tive Columbia sources it is learned
that that network will buy no ad-
ditional stations unless "abso-
lutely necessary" in order to pro-
cure q needful outlet.
Though each of the chain
organizations serve well over 30
stations, they own only handful
in their own right. The N. B. c.
holds title to WEAF and WIZ
New York City, and WRC, Wash
ington, and has a leaSe-and
purchase arrangement for the
operation of WENR, Chicago, and
WTAM, Cleveland. In addition it
manages KOA, Denver, and KGO
Oakland, both owned by General
Electric. All but WRC are clear
channel stations.
The only other broadcasting
stations in the so-called radio
family" group are General Elec-
tries WGY, Schenectady. and
Westinghouse KDKA, Pittsburgh;
KYW, Chicago, and WBZ, Boston
Though efforts are known to have
been made to have N. B. c. take
over the management of these
stations, there is little likelihood
it will do SO in the near future.
Columbia owns outright Stations
WABC, New York City; WBBM,
Chicago, and WHIT, Charlotte, N. c.
It owns 81 per cent of the stock of
KNOX, st. Louis, and one-third
interest in WCCO, Minneapolis,
and has a leasehold on WPG, At
lantic City. All are clear-channel
stations. There is also a close cor
porate affiliation between Column
bia and WCAU, Philadelphia, also
on clear channel.
Actively. interested in broad
casting ventures personally is
Sam Pickard, Columbia vice presi-
dent land former Federal radio
commissioner. Pickard owns 10
per cent of the stock in WKRC,
Cincinnati and also holds minority
stock interests in WDRC, Hart
ford; WOKO, Albany, and WHIP,
Harrisburg, Pa. In addition Pickard
through his broth0IM-law has
an indirect interest in West,
Atlanta.
The market for broadcasting
stations is still bullish, present
owners asking huge prices predi-
Gated mostly on their license
rights. The result lately has been
a diminution in the number Of
stations changing hands. RumorS
that the N. B. C. will shortly pur-
chase WIS of the Prairie Farmer,
Chicago, which has half time on
the clear channel occupied by
WENR, which N. B. G. took over
from the insult interests, are
fatty denied by the management
of WIS. These rumors arose out
Of the recent resignation of Edgar
Bill, manager Of WIS, to take over
WMBD, Peoria.
According to c. v. Gregory, vice
president of WIS, the Prairie
Farmer has no intention whatever
to sell WIS. 1t is known that
N. B. C. made an offer for the
station, which was rejected. Later
an arrangement was made where
by WIS used the 50,000-watt
transmitter of WENR, but retained
it's own license privilege.