Evening star., 1933-03-19
ED WYNN'S CHAIN
SHORTLY TO BEGIN
First Units of New Network
to Be in Operation Before
Month Is Out.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

~ UT of the welter Of rumor and
conjecture about the proposed
formation Of a new Naticn-
~ wide broadcastirg network,
planned as a competitor OF the
two existing national systems. has come
definite announcement by Ed Wynn,
the popular radio and stage comedian.
that before the month is over the first
units Of such an enterprise will be in
operation
Called the Atlantic Seaboard Broad
casting Co, six-station hook-up ex-
tending from New York to Washington
is now being tested. This unit Is a
subsidiary Of the Amalgamated Broad
casting System, Inc, 551 Fifth avenue,
New York. Of which Mr.. Wynn is presi-
dent. The stations to be lined are
WCDA, New York, key station; WOAX.
Trenton; WPEM; Phliadelphia; WDEL;
Wilmington; WCBM, Baltimore, and
VOL, washington.
Other Stations Later.
Later it is proposed to add other
stations, N. Wynn announcing that he
has 81 stations south of Washington
and 40 between Chicago and Seattle
lined up for his network. All Of the
stations in the original group and most
of the others are in the lowpoWer
class, which means their coverage Is
confined largely to their immediate
local areas. There is no intention, Mr..
Wynn stated, to wean present members
away from the other two major net
works.
All eyes in the radio world naturally
are focused upon this new enterprise.
Earlier reports were to the effect that
Mr.. Wynn, whose real name is Israel
Edwin Leopold, intended to act as mas
ter of ceremonies throughout the en-
tire days schedule Of his network. It
is not regarded likely. however, that
at the outset the network will offer
more than one or two hours a day Of
Whether Wynn will sever his present
connection as featured star of a spon-
sored program on the N B. c. network
was not revealed at this writing.
Backers of the project remain undis-
closed, although Mr.. Wynn has stated
that he is putting 100000 Of his own
money into it and has also declared
that lone of the richest men in the
world is interested in this third chain"
His further statement that this man
does not like Jews and yet am Jew
has led to unverified reports that Henry
and Edsel Ford are in the picture.
Later Link in Michigan.
1t Is known that the Michigan State
network, headed by George Trendle,
operator Of WXYZ. Detroit. is intended
as later link in the network, and Mr.
Wynn has stated that one of the first
sponsors Of its programs will be the
George Fink. Mr.. Wynn has also
stated that he has several dozen con-
mercial concerns already committed i
buying time" on his net
Considerable interest is evidenced in
Mr.. Wynn's declaration that advertis-
ing will be confined to not more than
80 words at the beginning and end of
each program with none interspe-sed
Every program, he said. will be tied in
with newspaper advertising, to which
listeners will be referred. In announc-
ing the project, Mr.. Wynn asserted
that radio has taken much business
away from newspapers and magazines
and it is his intention to throw some
of the business back"
In radio circles the commercial as
poets of the project were looked upon
with question. For one thing, radio
broadcasting is facing at the present
time the severest depression in its six
or seven years as an advertising me-
dunn. Networks and stations alike
have been pulling in their horns lately
because OF the curtailment Of spon-
sored programs, especially acute now
because Of the announced intention of
leading cigarette sponsors to drop or
cut down their radio presentations dur
ing the tobacco price war.
Satisfactory Tests.
For another thing, it is known that
no contractual agreements have been
made with any stations In the pro-
posed network, although the amalga-
mated organization has stood the ex-
pense OF installing all network lines.
Tests have been conducted-and re-
ported as satisfactorily-on Western
Union leased wires in linking the sta
tlons. They must be specially engi-
neered. but are considerably less ex-
pensive than telephone company lines,
for which networks and stations
throughout the United States now
spend some $4,000 900 annually for
chain and remote control connections.
Wire charges are the largest item of
operating expense in the conduct of
any network.
Then there is the question whether
sponsors will be attracted to a group
OF stations OF powers ranging from 100
TO 800 watts, which necessarily have
limited service ranges. With a few
exceptions, the existing networks will
not join stations whose powers are un-
der 500 watts. The success of the
Wynn enterprise, however, NAV force
a change in the attitude of the two
big network organizations on this
score. possibly leading to a situation in
which the 300 or more local low power
stations will also be in demand by the