Evening star., 1934-09-02

Indications that something of a
"neW DEAL in radio is coming have
been cleaned from many sources.
Most significant, however, have been
two recent program surveys, one deal
ing with the showmanship aspect and
the other with the fidelity of radio
reception in the home. mainly in so
far as high-class music is concerned.
Both analyses, conducted independ-
emily, were based on questionnaires
sent to leaders in these respective en-
tertainment fields. In both cases the
results were Overwhelmingly in favor
of stimulating the movements to
fruition.
1t was Dr. Sigmund Spaetn, music
critic and commentator. and known
to millions in the radio audience as
the Tune Detective" who conducted
the survey for what he terms an
authentic new art form" for radio.
The results, he declared, show a pop
ular demand for the radio musical
comedy" and kindred productions,
and he predicted that this new devel-
opment would not be long in coming.
Ilc SuI NCy SONCAAAA5 1oAAO ANPAO
duction in the home was made by
Pitts Sanborn, New York music critic,
and covered such noted musical fig
ures as Walter Damrosch, Adolph
Lewisohn, Ossip Gabrilowitsch and
Josef Lhevinne, among more than 100
in the musical realm. The consensus
of this symposium, Mr.. Sanborn de-
clared, was that American science
and invention should essay to make
drastic improvements" in present.
day radio instruments, so that radio
will become as important a musical
influence in American life as it is
a disseminator of ideas with respect
to education and social and political
opinion.
Shows Leaders Concur.
DR.. Spaeth said his study showed
that leaders in the entertainment
field concurred in the view that the
greatest contemporary writers, COM
posers and artists in musical COM
edy should be enlisted at once to
create new works solely for radio.
"a new art form, analogous to mu-
sical comedy of the stage" he de-
clared, will be developed. Men Of
the type of Irving Berlin, George
Gershwin, Arthur Schwartz, Jerome
Kern, Howard Dietz and Noel Cow
ard, and lyricists and writers of equal
standing. will certainly be engaged in
this new art form"
Among those who participated in
the Spaeth inquiry were M. H. Ayles-
worth, N. B. c. president; william S.
Paley, Columbia president, and such
radio and concert artists as Carmela
Ponselle, George Gershwin. Eddie Can
tor, Emo Rapee and host of other
artists, writers, musicians, newspaper
men and publishers.
The Sanborn survey was designed
10 obtain from acknowledged leaders
in music their reaction to the quality
of radio reproduction. In radios
early days, many noted critics con-
demned radio as canned music" and
as obnoxious.to the ear of the trained
musician. There has been steady i'm
provement in both transmission and
reception, however, and the condemna-
ton has been much less severe in
recent years.
Instrument Still Imperfect.
Even with this improvement, ac-
cording to the Sanborn study, the
consensus was that radio is still i'm
perfect as a musical instrument" and
that steps should be taken for i'm
mediate improvement. The upshot
is the call issued by Mr.. Sanborn to
American science and invention" to
remedy this situation, and produce
receivers that will reproduce the en-
tire audible musical scale for the
listener, rather than chop of the
high and low notes.
AS a matter of fact, laboratory re-
searches have been progressing for
many months on high fidelity re-
ceivers of the character the Sanborn
study apparently envisages. One
large manufacturer only a fortnight
ago announced the development OF
retail models of high fidelity" re-
ceivers, and others are said to con-
template similar lines. These sets
costing somewhat more than the con.
ventional receiver, are called preci-
sion instruments that surpass in per-
formance any stock models yet pro-
duced.
HENRY ADAMS BELLOWS, legis-
j i lative war-ho-se of the Nations
brcadcasters, who has been on the
fighting line in every conflict involv-
ing radio since the industry was a
newborn infant a dozen years ago