Evening star., 1935-01-18
Radio Entertainment
For Young Listeners

To the Editor Of The Star:
have read with considerable in
terest your editorial, Entertainment
for Children" which appeared in
The Evening Star on January 16.
You are absolutely correct when you
state: The radio, with access to
practically every home, remains un-
corrected" Although it seems like
strange situation. 1t Is not hard to
explain. In an article In your Janu-
ary issue. Peter Dixon, in referring
to children's radio programs, states:
Il don't think the advertisers and
the program executives care an
awful lot about what parents-and
eaChers-approve." II Mr.. Dixon Is
correct, we have the real answer to
our problem. AS r. L. s. has ably
stated In an article. Dime Novels on
the Radio" which appeared In the
Christian Science Monitor of Decem-
Der 4, 1884: After all, why should
we let the 'Sawdust Oatsies' decide
| the kind OF things-culture, you
might call it-that comes into our
homes?"
The real difficulty, then. is that
advertisers control the radio programs
which are given between 1 and $40
pm, and, as Mr.. Dixon says. they
care little for what authorities In
the field Of child development think,
but mainly for their bank accounts.
"Broadcasting." one Of the trade pub
locations Of the industry, surprisingly
| enough editorialized along this line in
its January ! issue. calling attention
| to the fact that Greed for dollars,
even though they are there to be OBJ
| tained, must not be the impelling mo-
tive of the broadcasters, large or
small" 1t is evident that greed for
| broadcasters, or an editorial on this
subject would be unnecessary.
Perhaps the industry can regulate
itself. l must confess that / am
rather doubtful about it. The radio
is such a powerful means of inf1u-
encing Children's attitudes and ideals
and through them Of changing the
buying habits of their parents that
it is probably too much to expect for
them to arrive at the right solution
to the problem.
Radios principal function Is edu-
, cational, If one thinks OF education
| in the broadest sense. However, at
present too much of the radio pro-
gram content has negative educa-
tional value rather than positive. We
insist that our schools be divorced
entirely from commercial and po-
litical influence. The school, because
1t is such an important educational
agency, is controlled by the people
themselves. Should not the radio
be removed from the domination of
the eXploiter and turned over to the
people themselves? When that hap
pens it would be untrue for Hendrix
Willem Van Loon TO state, as he did
recently: The moment, however.
that a children's hour was announced
, the stuff became positively vicious.
Violence and kidnapping and muir
derous aSsault-and all done with .
very cunning understanding Of the
children's true mentality. but never
] an attempt to change that mentality
from its natural cruelty toward some
| thing higher or better"
When the parents of this country
become aware of the debts as well
as the credits which accrue TO the
American broadcasting practice they
will demand the removal of the
money changers" from this, the most
recent temple of learning-the radio.
TRACY F. TYLER,
! Secretary and research director, the
National Committee on Education
by Radio,