Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-18
By the Radio Editor.

BY the RQdtO EdffOf.
- EMANDING a $3.50" break
for the more discriminating
portion of the radio audience,
- the Women's National Radio
Committee has issued the first Of
series Of monthly bulletins rating
various programs and designed 20
provide critique for the guidance Of
broadcasting impressarios. The bull
letin is published as an official organ
of the various clubwomens organize.
tons making up the committee. hich
earlier this year enlisted under the
banner of Chairman Aiming S. Prall
OF the Federal Communications Com
mission in his campaign to eliminate
the Objectionable and distasteful from
the air
Though it is planned to make it
national in scope, the bulletins first
ratings are confined largely to net
work and station programs heard in
the metropolitan New York area-the
presumption apparently being that at
least the network programs thus rated
are heard nationally. Specific pro-
grams are praised, family praised and
damned.
7 UELLA S. LAUDIN, editor of the
bulletin, devoteS two of its six
pages to an editorial which deplcres
the parade of vaudeville" which, she
asserts, is currently dominant on the
radio.
True" she writes. there are such
outstanding programs as the Phil
harmonic, Wallenstein's Sinfonietta
the Metropolitan Opera, Frank Blacks
Symphony, Howard Barlow's SYM
phony and few other symphony or
chestras scattered throughout the
country. This past year there has
been revival of interest in chamber
music which is heartening. Among
the lighter features, Jack Benny,
Burns and Allen. Paul Whiteman. One
Mans Family and a sprinkling of
others are worthy of special COM
mendation.
However, in proportion to the
many hours of broadcasting heard
daily on all stations, what a pitifully
small percentage of all programs is
really good!
Let us take music, for example.
According to NJ. H Aylesworth, presi-
dent Of the National BroadcaSting Co.,
more than two-thirds of all programs
are musical. This does not include
comedy hours which have musical
interludeS, or dramatic programs with
a musical background. What pro-
portion of these is outstanding?" The
bulletin gives the following ratings
based on reports of its listening
groups:
MOST popular of the lighter musical
programs-Cities Service Hour,
Palmoltve Beauty Box Hour, Julia
Sanderson and Frank Crumit and
Harold Sanford's light opera.
Most popular comedy feature
Burns g. Allen, first, while Jack
Benny's followers are in mourning fol-
lowing his desertion of the air waves
for q much-needed vacation"
Best dramatic program-One Mans
Family. despite its tiresome advertis-
ing which most listeners tune out"
N. B. C.'s Drama Guild is placed
close second.
A MOS M ANDY continue as "a
prime favorite," while the most
frequently complained about are the
advertising and beauty hints on all
cosmetic programs, with Lady Esther
ronping away with all honors for be-
ing the greatest bore" and Tasty
casts advertising" called "runner-up."
Lombardo Road is called Lovely
dance music" N. T. G. and his
Chorus Girls Is rated radio at its
worst" The Louis Prima Five of New
Orleans on the C. B. S. network is
called lust plain noise" which leave
Whiteman, Warning. Lombardo ct al.
safe with their laurels by comparison.
Lanny Ross State Fair Concert, sub
shutting for Benny, is rated as pleas
ing light music and Cornelia Otis
SINNERS quarter-hour is called de
lightful." The G-Men program by
Phillips Lord draws this comment:
This sissy version of the adventures