Evening star., 1934-10-28
BY THE RADIO EDITOR.

radio DrOadcaStlng Degan De-
tween four and five billion dol
i lars has been spent by the
American public for radio sets,
tubes and gadgets.
That is the rather amazing financial
report given to the Federal Com
munications Commission by Paul B.
Klugh, legislative chairman of the
Radio Manufacturers Association,
representing some 800 radio set and
tube manufacturers. This expendi-
ture has been made since 1922 for
more than 100000 receiving sets
now in use and for tubes, parts and
requirements.
A dozen years ago the radio industry
really started out as novelty propo-
sition, for no one knew whittier this
TOY" would go. Rather than manu-
facture complete SETS most of the
original companies simply sold the
parts and the radio fan puttered away
in attic or cellar assembling cat
whisker sets with their batteries and
other gadgetS.
Today the radio industry includes
some 300 manufacturers and gives
employment in manufacture and dis
There are 10000 radio dealers and
about $500 wholesale distributors.
The investment in the radio manu-
featuring business alone is estimated
at S250,00O,0OO.
Slumped in 1929.
In 1929 the radio-manufacturing
business, along with virtually all other
to the point where many of the old
line companies were forced out of
business and the market for higher
priced sets became virtually nom
existent. The following year the So
called midget" set made its bow as
a low-priced unit within the means
of the depression pocketbook, but it
sacrificed much of the tonal quality
of the conventional models. Unit sales
became larger, but the dollar return
remained meager.
This year, Mr.. Klugh reported, the
industry is experiencing a revival in
business reminiscent of the boom days,
but along with it has come a COM
plete uphcaval in production. This
he attributed to the Overwhelming
demand for short-Wave receivers, or
receivers that will receive foreign
broadcasts direct along with regular
broadcast programs.
The purpose of Mr.. Klugh's report
to the commission was to support the
maintenance of the broadcaSting in
dustry as at present constituted, and to
oppose proposals that portion of the
available broadcasting channels be al
located to educational, religious and
other non-proflt groups. Mr.. Klugh
contended that the public is salts
fed with present program service of
commercial broadcasters.
1T is obviously impossible to sup
ply programs which meet the ideas
and desires of all types of listeners"
Mr.. Klugh declared, but it is the
opinion of the Board of Directors of
our organization that, by and large,
present radio programs represent as
nearly perfect balance of program
variety as can be provided.
All Can't Be Satisfied.
"While listeners are more apt to
register their opinions of programs
directly with broadcasting stations, it
is, nevertheless. fact that, with 30,-
600 radio dealers, $500 wholesale dis
tributors and several hundred manu-
facturers of radio, the criticisms of
radio listeners find their way into the
Offices of manufacturers. 1t is obvi-
ously impossible for one type of pro-
gram to suit everybody. The SYM
phony orchestra enthusiast, as a rule,
dislikes dance music, and the youth
frequently enjoys dance music and
doesn't listen to the symphony Or
chestra. One deeply interested in
theology would naturally want to hear
more theology, rather than listen to
Amos n Andy. 1t gets down to a
matter of what the greatest number !
prefer and it is the satisfying of this
greater number that broadcasters,
performers, advertising agencies, those
who pay for the programs and others
spend their time in making deep
analyses of the subject. Broadcast
Ing programs, therefore, by and large,
represent to the best of the knowledge
and ability of these people what the
majority of the listening public wants
to receive
One of the best evidences of the
general satisfaction of radio pro-
grams, Mr.. Klugh declared, is the |
increasing and universal use of radio, |
as evidenced by set and tube sales in |
the past and at present.
X X
THE increasing value of radio in |
l. preventing crime and pursuing
criminals is demonstrated in a
current report of the Federal Com
munications Commission, showing |
that there are now 163 municipal po-
lice radio stations and "a State police
radio services in operation in nearly |