Evening star., 1937-07-25
Br Chris UQfhiSen.

AUGUST !, 1928, Radio
I Corporation of America
opened the studios of Sta
~ ton WRC IN the Riggs Bank
Tonpkins Building. at Fourteenth
street. and Park road In 1925 Mar
tin A. Leese put WA1AL on the alr,
To-day, the two stations. local outlets
for the red and blue networks,
respectively, Of the National Broad
casting Co., are operating under the
same root that Of the TranS-LuX
Building. occupying a block frontage
on Fourteenth street, between H and
New York avenue.
Unmistakab ble and often startling
evidences of rnadCastng's coming
of-age have been incorporated into
reV Offices. studios and technical IA
oilltles. The year 1928 does not
seem SO far behind, 1925 has receded
less into the past. but the carl)eted.
air-Condjtioned ELEGANCE Of the Trans
Lux Buildings third floor is the cli-
max Of progress from walled
studios. "tln-can" m.crophones and
all the Other appanages Of those ear
lIer days. Then it was a difficult
problem to prepare a DAYS program.
Local talent was recruited wherever
It could be found; all performers were
Obliged to come 10 the studios. as
there were no airingS from outside
points Now. il is national networks.
name performers facing micro
phones in all principal cities, re
mote pick-us'
Occuving the entire floor the new
combined WRC-WMAL facilities rep
resent the ultlnate in studio design
and appointments There are seven
broadcaSting rooms. the largest meas
urlng 80 by 10 feet. Il is two stories
high. with an elevated observation
booth for the accommodation of per-
sons viewing program In addi-
ton, monitoring room for engineers
engaged in controlling teleyision pres
entatiOns has been built into the
plan, 1nSUring prompt Inauguration
Of service here vlen that entertain
ment form reaches a higher degree of
practiCability There are two smaller
program studios, "a by q feet: two
speakers studios and pair of tran
scrlptlOn rooms. A new touch has
been injected into the studios which
are to De used for addresses. In
stead of the usual table and chair
nothing elsa living room atmos-
phere has been achieved. The rooms
are small, tastefully decorated, sup
Piled with several pieces OF comfort
able furniture upholstered in leather
This is expected to add to the assur-
ance of speakers, increasing the pleas
ure Of their date" with the micro
phone. Those facing the instrument
for the first time should be less sus-
ceptlole to mike fright" in these
home-like surroundings, reasons N.
B. c.
PARTICULARLY important to the
quality of broadcast is the ac-
tual construction of studios, which
has been accorded complete atten-
ton in "Li1le Radio City" as the
new quarters might be named. Each
hroadcasting room is an isolated unit,
referred to as floating studio"
hanging independently in the frame
work of the building. supported on
nlountings which are both sound
proof and shockproof. Extraneous
noise and vibration thereby are elm
mated, removing what has been
source Of unending difficulty in radio.
This is not the only precaution against
disturbance, however Between the
walls Of the studios are layers of rock
wool and other sound-absorbing ma
terlals. An inch or more of vacuum
space has been left between the walls.
Entrance is gained through doors five