Evening star., 1943-10-24
By E. l.. AImen.

lnQlVlQualS 10 gulQe lCS purlncatlOn
campaign. Slang, colloquial or
"Gaucho" expressions, and other
notifications of the national idiom
have been ruthlessly eliminated.
A number of~programs were aban-
doned when the government froWned
upon skits and dramatizations which
"disfigure the national idiom."
Soap opera, apparently considered
undignified and unworthy of Ar
gentina's artistic capabilities, has
suffered from the culture campaign,
too.
The government also has insisted
on good diction from announcers
and radio artists. One circular listed
so examples of words and phrases
which the government said were
commonly misused. Among them:
Exchange ideas" for discuss"
Chance" for opportunity "gaol'
for prison" and such obvious boners
as more better" for much better"
Gossip Is Criminal.
Networks have been instructed to
cease broadcasting dance music on
Saturdays and holidays, except in
the western territories. Hollywood
gossip is illegal. Movie critics must
stick to the technical and artistic
aspects of the cinema.
| Studio audiences are prohibited
because, the government explained,
they contribute unwelcome noises
which interfere with the broadcast
program.
! Argentina's radio musicians must
not swing the classics or put folk
music in modern dress. OrchestraS
are restricted TO two hours a day
on the air and must be approved
| by the government. Musicians must
have government issued cards certi-
flying to their good moral character.
The decree restricting the. employ
ment of foreign musicians set forth
| that "it is in the nations interest
that its sons, if they are capable,
should be the preferred interpreters
OF the arts produced by the radio"
The government has sought to
control both radios income and eX-
penditures. Broadcasters were
warned against charging "exag-
gerated rates"
By government order, radio COM
mercialS are limited to 100 words.
may not mention names of the
product and manufacturer more
than twice, and must be delivered
without sound effects. Radio en-
tertainers are prohibited from par
ticipating in the advertising portion
of their sponsors program.
Mysterious Pills.
A recent decree threatens to elimi-
nate pharmaceutical advertising
from the air by prohibiting any
mention of the use for which a
pharmaceutical product is designed
Listeners may not be told whether
aspirin tablets are for headache or
the gout. vitamin tablets for rickets
or rheumatism.
Some persons profess to see Ger
man influence behind the decree
They point out that German drug
interests. which had a virtual mo-
nopoly in South America before the
war, have found it increasingly diff
fcult to purchase radio time be-
cause broadcasters fear the black
list. Hence, these sources say, the
German interests are doing all pos
sible to hinder the introduction anc
E promotion of United States phar.
maceuticals, most of which are rel
atively unknown by their trad,
marks.
The SO commercial stations il
Argentina. including the three
chains-Radio Belgrano, Radio E
Mundo and Radio Splendid-hool
up with the governments station
nightly for the official news broad
cast. The government has taker
the choice evening spot of $50 pm
Commercial newscasts must rui
at least 5 minutes and contain q
least so per cent Argentine news
I The war, which furnishes the tol
, news of the world these days, get
third d-place billing on Argentin