Montana labor news., 1937-07-08
WHO OWNS THE
RADIO!

tlOuS. lie also stated Iudt TIE coll-
troll of radio chains over super
power stations indicated "a very dis
tinct tendency toward monopoly"
Newspaper publishers by 1887 had
been licensed to operate or construct
1874 radio stations. In n year, 1886,
the Federal Communications Com
mission issued licenses to So pub
fishers and 102 other applications
were pending.
William Randolph Hearst has re-
Gently increased his radio chain
from six to 10 stations. He now
owns the following:
WINS-New York
WCAE-Pittsburgh
WBAL-Baltimore
WISN-Milwaukee
KYA-San Francisco
KEHE-Los Angeles
WACO-Waco
KOMA-Oklahoma City
KNOW-Austin
KTSA-San Antonio
1t is also reported that Hearst is
backing WSAY of Rochester and
has a special arrangement with 9TH
er stations, such as WNEX, Boston,
according to Ruth Brindze in her
recent book, mot to Be Broadcast"
Vanguard, $3.50.
But newspapers control over
broadcasting is only a small part of
the radio monopoly. Not by num-
Der of stations owned, but by con
troll over transmitting power and the
more desirable wave lengths, three
systems, National Broadcasting Co.,
Columbia Broadcasting System, and
Mutual Broadcasting System, dom
mate the radio industry in the
United States. In an article on
scandals concerning the Federal
Communications Commission in The
Nation (4-24-37), Paul Ward
charges that the F. C. C. permits, if
it does not foster, this monopoly
trend"
Total transmission power of all
b%roadcasting stations in the country
is 2,634,200 watts. Of these, NBC
Red and Blue networks control L.
$751; watts. The three chains to-
gether control 2,447, 500 watts, al
though only 249 stations out of the
total of 696 are affiliated to them.
The two major chains have 1874 per
cent of total transmitting power; the
three leading networks have 92.9
per cent.
National Broadcasting Co. owns 10
stations and operates five others. In
its Red and Blue networks are Ill
stations. Owned by Radio Corp. of
America, it has the strong financial
backing Of Morgan and Rockefeller
(see Rulers of America, by Anna
Rochester, of Labor Research Asso-
citation, now in its third edition. /.
Directors include Bertram Cutler,
personal representative of John D.
Rockefeller, and several Morgan
men, including Gen. James G.. Har-
bord, Newton D. Baker, legal adj
visor to Morgan utilities, and Cor
nelius Bliss, a director of Morgan's
Bankers Trust Co.
Columbia B~roadcasting System
owns eight stations and operates two
under leases. In its network there
are SO stations. CHS was under con-
troll of Paramount-Publix Corp. I'M
til 1892, and now is controlled
through stock ownership by a group
of capitalists including William S.
Paley and his family, and represent
atives Of Lehman Brothers and
Brown Bros, Hartman & Co. Paley
inherited the business of the Con-
gress Cigar Co. and made his for
tune from La Palma" cigars.
Mutual Br~oadcasting System is a
cooperative enterprise and owns
no stations. Started operation in
1994-35. Holds three clear channels.
Network includes WOR, Newark Il.
Bamberger & Co., controlled by R.
H. Macy & Coz; WGN, Chicago
(owned by Chicago Tribune); and
WLW, Cincinnati, most powerful
station in U. s., owned by Powell
Crosley, Jr., radio and refrigerator
manufacturer. Among Mutual's
sponsors is the semi-fascist organi-
zation, the Crusaders.