Evening star., 1932-07-31

T%HAT infant of nduStries-radio-
contributes more than $500, ,000,-
900 annually to the national
Il wealth in this country as it
stages its big parade of progress
around the world with Uncle Sam In
the forefront.
Although the gold rush" stage ap-
parently has passed and the industry
has felt the sting of its first depression,
radio does not wane in popularity.
Some 100000 homes, scattered from
Maine to California, are equipped with
radios which pick up the programs OF
entertainment and instruction.
All this and other enlightening facts
have just been compiled by r. G. Dun
& Co., mercantile agency of New York,
from available trade data. The analysis
shows the strong position Of this in
dustry, despite its youth. 1t was less
| than dozen years ago that the first
| broadcasting station took the air on
regular schedule, and hardly Is years
have elapsed since radio was regarded
as anything at all industrially.
Operating Load Heavy.
Besides its contribution of $500 000,-
900 annually to the national wealth,
the industry now pays out each year
about $3.50, 100000 for operating ex-
penses in providing entertainment and
instruction for the public. 1t is eSti-
mated that this year some $40. 900. 900
will be spent for radio entertainers
alone.
The total investment in the indus
try is estimated at $1,000, 900 900, Of
which $150,00o,000 is held to represent
investments of radio manufacturers,
$3.50, 900 900 the investment in broad
casting, 81 1900, 100000 in listeners re-
ceiving sets and $25,000 900 in COM
mercial radio stations.
OF interest to the public is the opin-
ion of the mercantile company that re-
ceiving set being offered this year sur
pass in general value the products of
any previous season.
The industry, according to the sur
vey, now has settled down to the
planning and thinking stage. where
sales drives must be worked out and
production economies effected just as
in every industry that is to endure"
A drop in sales Of radio sets, tubes and
accessories in 1881 to 5000 .270, 900, or
38 per cent below the 1880 total Of
$500, ,951, 500, and a decrease Of SO per
cent from the $842 ,548,0 900 total in
1928, which was the record year, is re-
garded as "the natural sequence OF the
tumbling prices caused by the hectic
activity during 1923 and 1929, when
volume and volume alone was the aim
of the industry"
Many Failures Noted.
The members of the trade who are
conducting their establishments with
full regard for these elementary factors
are making a profit even If it is below
expectations, the survey states. How
ever, the mortality among manufac-
turers has been great with many we'll
known trade names on sets erased for
all time. In the past 80 months, SO
manufacturers have failed, with COM
bined liabilities Of $9,39l SOB. Although
the number of failures among manufac-
turers in 1881 totaled only 25, the
liabilities incurred increased by $566, ,045.
During the first half Of this year,
defaulting manufacturers nearly equaled
the 25 of 1881, but the liabilities were
lower.
Uncle Sam stands head and shoulders
above all other nations in radio develop
ment OF the 35 100000 sets in homes
throughout the world, almost half, or
100000 are in this country. During
the past year, it is estimated that the
number Of receivers in use has in
creased nearly Is per cent, with few
countries showing declines. OF the
l ,423 broadcasting stations in the world.
806 are foreign, operating in 10 different
countries, and GIT are in the United
States and its possessions.
Copyright. 1882, by the Consolidated Press).