Evening star., 1933-11-26
| RE American listeners salts
\ fed with the existing radio

| ~ neQ Win Cne eXlSCln8 raQlo
1 \ scheme Of things? Appar-
emily they are, the usual
| criticisms against rampant COM
mercialism to the contrary not
withStanding. Or else they are
| apathetic to suggestions for re-
form and are willing to leave to
the authorities the task Of I'M
proving the present system. At
least, that is what James H. Han
ley, newest member Of the Federal
Radio Commission, concludes as
a result of the meager returns
he received from his recent widely
published appeal to the public to
"bring their kicks" to the Radio
| Commission.
Commissioner Hanley wanted
| to know listener reaction to pres
ent-day radio, particularly the
likes and diSlikeS of the public,
so that the commission might be
guided in its regulatory functions.
He asked for comments and
kicks" from the public at large.
This is what he said he got:
LESS than a hundred responses
came to the commission or to
myself. Those were from all Sec
tions of the country, and less than
Is had any serious criticism OF
our system. The conclusion can
we'll be drawn that the peple
generally throughout the United
States are pretty well satisfied
with radio reception"
But Mr.. Hanley himself is not
entirely satisfied, albeit he agrees
with Senator Dill, co-author Of
the radio law, that private in
itiative, private capital, and most
of all, American business methods
of popularizing and developing
radio have placed radio in this
country far ahead Of that OF any
other country in the world" Re-
spending to the numerous re-
quests from high schools and col
leges, which this Winter are de-
batting the question Of the Ameri-
can system of private competitive
initiative versus the British sys-
tenn of governmental monopoly
supported by radio set taxes, he
| finds:
THE chief counts against our
system are that there is too much
duplication of chain programs,
too much offensive sales talks,
too few educational programs, too
many programs tending to de-
velop religious agitation and too
much traff1cking in radio facili-
ties; also a tendency toward a
monopoly on the part Of certain
groups"
But the American system itself
he upholds Fundamentally in his
brief, which is being circulated
by the commission, along with
other references as to source
material for the debates, 70
thousands of students and teach
ers throughout the country. The
British system, he believes, is un-
workable in this country because
of its restrictions on free dis
course, particularly political. and
! because he thinks the American
people would not stand for a set
tax like the one of $3.50 per year
| levied in Great Britain.
While the British system es-
capeS commercialiSm, Mr.. Hanley
says, it has the weakness OF
monoponstic ''czarism,' which
gives the people what those IN
charge think they ought to have
rather than what they want.
Moreover, to set up a Govern
ment-operated radio system In
this country might cost the Fed
eral Treasury anywhere from
S5O,OOO,OO0 to $1O0,O00,000 to in
stall and as much each year to
maintain and operate.
The new commissioner from
Nebraska draws other compari-
sons. and he concludes that the
regulation of our network and
600 privately owned stations, prop
erly exercised by the Radio Com
mission, is sufficient to warrant
his conviction that "it would seem
that the best and most economical
thing for us to do would be to
strengthen the radio structures
we have erected through years CT
toll and experience, eliminating
offensive features and strength
enjOp weak Sn0tS