Evening star., 1934-01-14
|BR|TA|N'S PROGRAM
CHOICE is Limited
Two Radio Systems Of Eng.
land Often Duplicate
Br0adcasts.

~
nj trssting the broadcasting sys-
| " TENS Of England and the
United States II . favorits
pastime among listeners In
both countries. There are many Amer
leans who think with envy Of the
British system. But there are ~ many
Englishmen who long for the American
type Of radio program.
In general the two systems are fairly
Of the two countries.
Neither nation would be satisfied with
an exchange.
The fundamental structural differ
ence between the set-ups Is that all
stations In Great Britain are under q
single control, that Of the British
Broadcasting Corporation, which oper-
ates under license Of the British Post
ONCE, and is supported largely by a
tax levied against the owners Of re-
ceiving sets. Its only other revenue is
1t sells space for general advertising.
In 1888 these publications showed q net
profit Of $1,659, ,762.60.
In the United States, of course, sta
tions are privately owned, although they
operate under license of the Federal
Radio Commission, and they are sup
larger stations and many Of the smaller
ones are served either by the two net
works Of the National Broadcasting
Co or the one Of the Columbia Broad
casting System. These privately-owned
corporations supply their afiliated sta
tions with sustaining (non-commerciaD
programs for q regular fee, and act as
their agents in selling time for COM
mercial programs distributed through
the networks.
Many Independent
In addition to the stations with net
work afiliations. there are large num-
Der Of so-called Independent stations,
which broadcast only their own pro-
grams. Thus in almost any area in the
choose among half q dozen or more
different programs at any given time.
Quite different Is the situation In
England. The B. B. C. schedule lists
just two sets Of broadcasts for each
area-a national" program from the
big Daventry transmitter and q
regional" program. Listeners may tune
In either one or the other, although
frequently both are carrying the same
program.
The national transmitter often picks
up one Of the regional programs, and
vice versa, in which case obviously the
listeners In the region involved have
no choice whatsoever. Unless, of course,
they tune in some foreign continental
station. That they often do this, In
preference to listening to their own
programs, is proved by the fact that
certain continental stations carry Brit
ish advertising programs directed to
British listeners.
The best way to demonstrate the
difference In the breadth Of choice Of
programs offered listeners in the two
countries Is to give an example Of the
B. B. c. listings. which the reader may
compare with the listings in his own
newspaper. Following is the B. B. G.
listing for Monday. January IS. 1884,
for London listeners, who may tune in
either the Daventry National or the
London Regional.
Broadcasting starts through Daventry
at 10:15 am. with the Daily Service,
and shipping forecast and at 10:45 by
on Living in Scotland" for is min
utes. From IL until noon there Is moth
ing listed. During this entire morning
period the London Regional transmitter
has been sending out the same pro-
grams as the Daventry National, 90
listeners can hear the service, the ship
ping forecast and Mr.. Roberts. or turn
OF their sets.
Orchestra ". Band.
From noon until l7:45 the Plaxa
cinema organ Is listed for Daventry
and q ballad concert for the Regional
From 12:45 to 2 there are the West
Studio Orchestra and artist on Daven-
try and Haydn Heard and his band on
the Regional. Between 2 and Daven-
try offers Sir John Russell on Land
and Food" and Alex Macdonald on
The Fight for Empire" while Arthur
Salisbury and his orchestra play fol-
the Regional. From to Daventry
presents piano recordings, a talk on
Sports and Pastimes" and Early
Stages in German" by Herr Winter
The Midland Studio Orchestra is on
the Regional.
For the next two and q half hours
or from to $50, there Is no choice
as the Regional transmitter carries the
Daventry program. This period Is oc-
cupied by q sonata recital, the Scottish
Studio Orchestra. the children's hour
weather. news and the Farmers Bull
letin.
Now for the evening hours.
From $50 to Daventry offers talks
on Foundations Of Music" New
Books" Economies In Changing
World" and Scottish Character" The
Regional transmits the Scottish Studio
Orchestra and student songs. From {
to IL Daventry broadcasts Chambers
Dance Band, alternating with the Ac-
Gordon Band; time. weather and news;
q talk on the Far East, South Amer.
ican operetta and q reading