Evening star., 1934-12-30
FOUNDING Of FEC.
WAS 'A-FEATURE
New Seven-Man Agency Is
Awaiting Congress to
Be Confirmed.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

"A modern broadcastlng began
L \ and only the eighth since
Uncle Sam undertook to reg
ulate the ethereal wave lengths in
the interests of efficient reception.
The slowness of government in
keeping pace with scientific and in
dustrial progress was particularly
marked in the general communica-
tions field during 1884, for it was not
until last Summer that the Federal
Government also organized itself to
regulate the long established tele-
phone and telegraph systems along
with radio.
The year 1894, in fact, will 60 down
in the history of wire and wireless
communications primarily for the
fact that it saw the establishment
by the Roosevelt administration of the
Federal Communications Commission
to replace the Federal Radio Com
mission on July l. AS 1885 begins.
the new seven-man agency of control
is awaiting a Congress whose Senate
must confirm its members and to
whom it must, after only six months
of functioning, render its first re-
ports.
Teleyision Still Far Away.
Otherwise, there were few if any
startling innovations during the year.
In the radio field, television still re-
mains far away from that elusive
corner. Some competent authorities
insist that visual broadcasting is tech
nically feasible as a result of advances
made during the last few years, but
it is generally agreed that it is
economically impossible at this juno
ture. 1t would require financing run
ming possibly into billions-and the
money simply isn't available.
Just when the corner will be turned
is still anybody's guess. That tele-
vision ultimately will come, offering
motion pictures in the home accom-
panied by sound, is the only aSsur-
ance that can be given the radio pub
lie. To introduce it. however, means
a complete overhauling, if not scrap
ping, Of the existing broadcasting
plant and perhaps q complete new
system of reception.
On the economic side, 1t is evident
at this writing that the radio manu-
featuring industry will have enjoyed
its best distribution year since the
billion-dolla peak year of 1929. 1t
is estimated by Dun & Bradstreet that
5,350,000 radios will have been sold
during 1884, 40 per cent gain over
1888. 1t is elsewhere estimated that
about $4,000 tubes were sold dur
ing the year. Gross retail revenues
will amount to about 100000 900, but
hn az nrd <r,h cfil1
crying out against cut-throat COM
petition, which they claim has mar
rowed profits down to a negligible
margin for themselves.
In the broadcaSting field there were
few great changes during the year.
Higher powers, particularly during
daytime hours, were being granted
widely by the F. C. C. broadcast divi-
sion toward the end of the year, and
the super-power WLW, Cincinnati,
whose 100000 watts rank 1t as the
most powerful station in the world. be-
gan operating with undoubtedly the
widest listening range of any American
station.
Score Of Stations Added.
Something more than a score Of
new stations were added to the broad
casting wave lengths during the year,
though most of them were still un-
der construction as 1884 drew to
close. They were largely 100-watt
outlets in localities deemed by the
F. C. C. to need them. The pioneer
KYW, Chicago, was moved into Phil
adelphia, while Dayton, Ohio. Sc
cured new 1,000-watt N. B. c. outlet
by moving station from Erie, Pa.
The trend toward newspaper own
ership of broadcasting stations was
particularly manifest during 1884.
The year ended with exactly LOG radio
stations out of the 600 odd in the
United States owned or controlled by
newspapers. In Canada the trend
was similar, Is of its 20 stations
being owned by newspapers.
If there were any notable departures
in broadcast programs they were the
introduction Of more symphony con-
certs and classical artists. Where
formerly the stations and networks
had to present these as sustaining
programs, the public demand-often
said to reflect better musical appre-
ciation-impelled sponsors to under
take to present programs featuring
classical music. Comedy and dance
music, of course, continued dominant
in American radio, also reflection Of
nlIblic demand