The Washington times., 1932-06-17
Advertising

Advertising
GILBERT sELDEs The more spectacular of the two
new developments is the radio, about which | want to
take long view, backward without reference to ndi
vduals single programs. What the basic things
in todays radio? First coorng everything else, is
an advertising medium 1t is the only form of adver
tsng which the American people have countenanced in
connection with their fun. (They have approved of it
in connection with their news their fiction and their
rides abroad but in the first two the advertising never
interfered with their peasure) The attempt to put
over advertising traier in the movies has made
much headway; and you have to far to find an ad
theater curtain. 1t seems the American belief
that advertising should be printed with the cast of
characters and not injected into the lines of the play
Combining-Not Inventing
The second point is that far, radio has hardly in
vented new kind of entertainment 1t has used de-
veoped and combined several old FORMS music the dra
matte SKETCH oratory (once favore outdoor sport in
America and the chatter of the end man and the inter-
locutor in minstrel shows.
Achievements
In what fields has radio actually distinguished itself?
Above ALL in the broadcasts of serious music. Beginning
with programs played for subscribers in concert hail.
radio has gone to special performances primarily
meant for listeners. In both these divisions it has
listed it's most distinguished personnel and particularly
under Leopold Stokowski it has improved the art of
broadcasting ITSELF
Next to this radio has done we'll in spreading news, in
which remains adjunct of the newspaper because
news-gatherng agency radio hardly exists The best it
do is to give running description of event which
planned beforehand football game parade Some
times item of news comes first to the radio but these
occurrences.
their headlines of tomorrow send flash to the radio
which interrupts program, the effect is startng 1t
would be less startling the rest of the radio programs
closer to life
Where Success Comes
The next item of credit is in the introduction of i'm
portant men and women itte-not much-of Alfred
E. Smith and Bernard Shaw through the airwaves
Finally there is the stunvaue of the radio: hearing
Bow Bells the Vatican choir The mere annihation of
space still pleases
The success of the radio computing all the items is
80 cent due to programs the radio did not invent Ihe
bands good to dance to, and prevent people from
thinking too much the rapidly disappearing crooners
were godsend to coumnistS; the radio, merely as
thing to be turned on, and is something to have
around the house. But the imagination of it's sponsors
has been limited to making combinations of the old
elements
Debit Side
The debit side is serious and the radio people ought
face it. They have huge investment to protect and
although Government has given them the air with
prodga hand, the investment will not unless the
programs keep people interested in the long (Of
course if televson rapidly and the people
get hold of it, this won't count the takes saved the
movies teevision will radio, and the old faults
will be forgiven for the thrill)
Chaos and Cheapness
On the debit side the two chief items are chaos and
cheapness. By chaos | mean the tumble of programs,
each repeating the other 1t appears that central
bureau exists to that the four five principal sta
tons make programs each night which complement but
do not repeat, the programs of the others. This has
grown worse naturally, with the disappearance of full
hours and the breaking up of programs into quarters
When you hear the same rather vapid song three
times an hour station and hear it five times
more on two other stations within the next thirty
utes feel that something of intelligence is missing
The other count against the radio is that it has not
raised but often lowered the standard of the very arts
from which it has borrowed. Briefly: radio snging is
not good as vaudeville singing; Amos m Andy are
not as good good minstrel show. And so on.