Evening star., 1932-01-10
OOKING forward to an active
new year in broadcasting,
various leaders in the radio

various leaders in the radio
N industry and in public life
point to the favorable, the faulty
and the hopeful in American
radio and with real candor ex-
press their hopes and fears in the
current issue of Broadcasting,
professional organ of the broad
casters, published in Washington.
Though men like President M.
H. Aylesworth of the National
Broadcasting Co. and President
William S. Paley of Columbia
Broadcasting System find condi-
tions improving, especially on the
program side, radio is not spared
from open and vigorous criticism
by DR.. Lee De Forest, noted in
ventor, and others. DR.. De Forest
Is known as the father of modern
radio for his invention of the
vacuum tube.
Allusion is made by several
authorities to the use of radio
as a political campaigning me-
dium, especially during this presi-
Dental year. The influence of
politics upon radio as a govern
mentally regulated utility is not
overlooked. That politics and ad-
miniStration will play important
parts in the advancement or re-
tardation of the art and industry
this year is a foregone certainty.
Public interest in broadcast
ing" says Mr.. Aylesworth, "has
shifted from the novelty appeal
of few years ago to the program
appeal of today. Occasional
statements to the contrary, more
people are listening to more pro-
grams for more hours each day
than ever before" This obServa-
ton appears to be borne out by
the fact that 3,723,325 homes
added radios since the Federal
radio census of April, 1890, which
showed that 12,073,345 homes had
radios then; the total at the be-
ginning of this year is thus well
nigh 100000 homes with
radios, or better than one radio
in every second home.
Radio broadcasters In 1882"
states Mr.. Paley, will give in
creased evidence that they realize
their responsibility to the public.
The men who run the stations
and the chains have happily
Sensed this with the result that
if there has not been a dwindling
amount of criticism, it has at
least come from fewer sources,
while on the other hand, we know
in a hundred different ways that
the general public is better and
better pleased"
Judge E. o. Sykes, member of
the Federal Radio Commission
since it's inception, observes: 81
believe the public generally is we'll
satisfied with broadcast advertiS-
ing and I predict an increase
rather than a diminution of radio
for that purpose" Commissioner
Ira E. Robinson declares his be-
lief that the broadcasters will
greatly improve the art by putting
on advertising in more subtle,
attractive and respectable way
adding: Good judgment and
good ethics in the interest of the
public who listen should be ap-
piled by all licensees of broad
casting stations"
From DR.. Lee De Forest comes
the assertion that it seems highly
probable that 1882 will see some
constructive and possibly radical
step toward the betterment of
American broadcasting resulting
from the earnest and ever-in-
creasing protests which it's ode
filed conlmercialism" has at last
brought down upon it.
"The sad state of the radio in
duStry today" DR.. De Forest says,
"iS more due to the miserable
quality of radio programs than to