Evening star., 1948-12-26
News of Video and Radio
Rise in Television's Popularity Most
Sensational Broadcasting News of l948
By Harry Macarthur

Macarthur
i is emphasized further by the plain
fact that Mr.. Bergen-and this is
no reflection on his talent-will not
be missed in video-equipped homes.
1t is sad fact-Sad for the sup
porters and performers of AM ra-
dio-that almost nothing sensational
that radio could offer can compete
even with some of the least enter
tanning offerings of television.
There are experts who claim that
40 per cent of the listeners must
forever remain without television
service because Of technical diff
culties. Thirty years ago, of course,
100 per cent of the people were
without radio service because of
technical difficulties" Whistling
at the graveyard gate will not halt
television's advance.
! This hold of the new medium on
televiewers is something that con-
tinues after the novelty effect of
talking pictures in the living room
at the flick of switch has worn
of. 1t is a demanding thing and
presents television with set of
responsibilities the like of which
radio never had. Video not only
competes with the movies and
sports, but completes also with books,
conversation, hobbies and all the
other things that used to occupy
mans time.
Television burst forth in 1948 as
the years biggest news story in
the communications field. NoA and
in the years to come it remains to
be seen whether it can offer worth
While substitutes for all the things
1t would replace. 1t could lose
some of its present avid viewers
unless it makes good try in this
direction, but it also could achieve
wonders.
| There were two other newsworthv
aspects Of radios year 1948. One
was the amazing rise in popularity
OF the -get-it-we're-l loaded give
away shows and the other was the
sudden raid by the Columbia Broad
casting System on the National
Broadcastnig Co.'S talent roster.
Ralph Edwards "Mr. Hush" and
Mrs. Hush" contests pointed the
way to the giveaways, but it was an
American Broadcasting Co. sustainer
called Stop the Music" that really
started them rolling. Name a we'll
known song and win chance at the
jackpot. Name the mystery melody
and they bring the loot to you by
the vanload. Shortly after that
took to the air, the boys were off to
the races.
Certain people viewed all this with
alarm, and not merely Fred Allen.
The Federal Communications Com
mission entered the giveaway picture
and the word lottery" was tossed
around bit. Broadcasters retorted
that the giveaways weren't lotteries
and if they were it was none of the
FCC's business but that of the JUS
tice Department. Hearings were
held. At the time of writing nothing
more has been heard about that.
The giveaways 60 on. If their
completely ludicrous aspects don't
get them laughed out of business,
it's hard to say what will stop them
The CHS raid was most surprising
to the radio industry because the
network had long practiced building
up its own shows cArthur God
frey's Talent Scouts" My Friend
Irma," etc.. Amos n Andy" came
first, with an eye-popping capital
gains deal that must have started
every entertainer in radio thinking
along those lines.
CHS wasn't through there, though.
Not long ago it shook sturdy old NBC
to its foundations by latching onto
Jack Benny and the entertainment
enterprise he controls. Quite a bat
tie ensued before that was accom-
plished, apparently, but next Sunday
night Mr.. Benny takes to Columbia's
/ air.
| 1t is doubtful, Of course, if all of
/ this will mean much to the radio
listener, beyond causing him to break
a habit and twist the dial to a new
spot at o'clock on Sunday evening
1t is not likely that Mr.. Benny will
come forth with a new formal or
with something startling that will
work to the betterment of all listen
/ ing merely because he has changed
networks. And, if you think NBC is
likely to do anything like that, you
have only to know that Horace
Heidt's talent-hunt show has been
selected to give Mr.. Benny compe-
tition.
1t is possible that Phil Harris will
be the man most affected by the
Benny move. He used to pick up
quite a sizable Hooper to show his
sponsor, with that large, coasting
audience that had listened to Benny
and was waiting for Bergen.
1t is possible, too, that this may
have been one of radios last big
news stories, television having come
so healthily through its year of
adolescence.
n ~ @