Evening Star Newspaper, May 26, 1929, Page 69

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., AY 26, 1929—PART 4.’ 23 USHING S BARRED AT STATON KWK “Mistah Will” Henderson Uses Only Pointed and Hot Talk. SHREVEPORT, La, (®) —Silver- tongued radio announcers who gush and flatter have no place in the studio of KWKH. “Mistah Will" Henderson, millionaire iron manufacturer, who owns and oper- ates KWKH, acts as his own station director. patter includes no_reference to “Dear unseen listeners.” Nor does he “Thank you, one and zll.” KWKH opens up with “Hello, ol' world. Don’ go 'way.” And KWKH signs off with “G'night, ol world, daw- gone yuh.” In between is a lot of fiery talk—attacks on competing stations, as- saults on the Federal Radio Commis- sion, criticism of men in public office. Hot and Pointed. “Mistah Will” says the fans like their talk hot and to the point. When he drawls “Shrevepo't on the air, Shreve- po't everywhere,” listeners pick up their ears. Sometimes he herates his fans, holding forth against sc-.ders of critical telegiams. The listeners like it. Many of the “sassy” messages sent to KWKH are prompted by a desire to draw the fire of Henderson. Radio is a_hobby with this worthy. He launched his station in 1923, a low- power affair, which since has grown to a 10,000-watt plant. It has six studios, four in Shreveport and two at Kennon- wood, his beautiful country place, 16 miles from.the town. Henderson's ruling thought is to give the people what they want. His library of phonograph records includes practi- cally every composition put on wax, and an army of employes can respond to a request number on a moment's notice. Conducted Campaign. Some of the KWKH fans still chide Henderson for his heated campaign on behalf of the Democratic candidate in the last presidential election. He shot considerable caustic comment on the air, but when he began referring to “Sir 'Erbert of Iowa,” messages would pour in, telling him to “Get away from the mike.” On these occasions “Mistah Will" would vacate, his place being taken by Mrs. Henderson, who supported Mr. Hoover as stanchly as her husband fought him. ‘The campaign cost him few friends apparently, for when the Radio Com- mission presented the question of KWKH retaining its wave length, 100,- 000 protests, sworn to before notary publics, were forwarded from Shreve- port for presentation to the commission. KWKH keeps things lively. Old-time orchestras, singing meets, barn dances and good music are on the program, the whole interlarded by the boss him- self, who seems able to stay up all night if the fans insist, as they often do. And next morning he drifts in to work at 7 o'clock. “It's a pretty good ol’ world,” he says. “Dawgone yul NEW ALLOCATION PLAN AFFECTS MANY SHIPS Distribution of Channels in Con- formity With International Radio Telegraph Convention. More than 2,000 ships, including ocean-going and Great Lakes vessels and scores of coastal stations, are af- fected by the new plan of allocation of marftime wave lengths adopted by the Federal Radio Commission. ‘The distribution of channels is made in conformity with the International Radio-Telegraph Convention, and tains to mobile service, such as p- to-shore and shore-to-ship communica- tior Point-to-point radio stations are not affected. ‘To carry out the plan it will be neces- sary to y existing ship and coastal station licenses which do not agree with the new allocations, and all new licenses must conform to the set-up. ‘The following frequencies are assigned for calling: Four hundred and ten kilo- cycles for use on the Great Lakes only, 500 kilocycles for use except on the Great Lakes, and 143, 5,525, 11,050, 16,575 and 22,100 kilocycles for general use. ‘The allocation does not_include maritime channels between 1,500 and 3,450 kilocycles, as these are reserved fof ‘eomparatively short-distance work be allocated to local communi- services. Mobile press frequencies to be used ®ommunication east of the Missis- River are 5,645, 6,643, 8,250, 11,260 6,500 kilocycles. For press com- mi ation west of the Mississippi the following will be used: 5,586, 6,530, 8,280, 11,170 and 16,460 kilocycles. Werking channels have been distrib- . as follows: Radio Marine Cor- tion of America, 58 channels; Mackay jo-Telegraph Co., 24; ‘Tropical Radio-Telegraph Co., 22; other companies, 18; ships, 30. Ships also may use the working fre- quencies of individual coastal stations when directed to do so by the short comtrol station. 1 = . $5,000 Prize Song on l;;ognm. Bloom's composition, “Song of the Bayou,” which won a $5,000 prize, will be one of the highlights in the voice #f Columbia program on WABC and stations Thursday night. “Eleventh Hour” Next Drama. A four-act comedy drama, “The Eleventh Hour,” is to be the next play of Hank Simmon’s showboat over WOR and chain Wednesday night. The play has three villains. Summer Schedule to Begin. Effective June 3, WBAL will begin operating on its Summer schedule. Early afternoon programs will be dis- continued until Fall. Evening schedules will be practically unchanged. Other Radio News on Page 21. The ‘When he goes on the air his| Behind the XCESSIVE advertising in some of the radio programs sponsored by commercial interests is causing grave concern in the radio industry, where, it is feared, public disap- proval may eventually react upon the radio set manufacturer and dealer. The Radio Manufacturers’ Asso- ciation, one of the first groups to give serious consideration to the problem, showed its position very clearly by adopting resolutions deploring the apparent tendency to “overload” programs with ad- vertising, and pledging its support to broadcasting stations which at- tempt to reduce the excessive commercialism. In the interest of the listening public, the commer- cial advertisers, better broadcast- ing and the radio industry gener- ally, the resolutions urged that commercial broadcasters confine their announcements to the names of sponsors and brief state- ments only of the products mar- keted without details of other ad- vertising matter. With a feeling apparently that they were not getting their money’s worth from the mere an- nouncement of their sponsorship, a number of radio advertisers re- cently incorporated in their pro- grams frequent dissertations or testimonials on their products. In the case of one company advertis- ing cigarettes, the matter broad- cast proved offensive not only to another industry which alleged it was being unfairly attacked, but to a number of organizations, with the result that the Federal Radio Commission was urged to revoke the licenses of stations broadcast- ing the program. Leading advertising men admit that there is a danger of over- doing radio publicity, and point out that the likes and dislikes of the public must be considered in planning any advertising cam- paign. Any form of advertising which arouses the antagonism of the public or any material part of it defeats its own purpose, ac- cording to the advertising men, and people who might otherwise become customers for a product may be alienated by the form its advertising takes. In the case of radio, this an- tagonism may take the form of a refusal to listen to the programs which are distasteful, and any great increase in the number of such programs, eventually might drive many people off the air en- tirely. % kg Two outstanding events are on the radio calendar this week. For sports devotees, the broadcast of the 500-mile international motor race at Indianapolis on Memorial day is the most important. Music lovers, however, will look upon the broadcast tomorrow night of the first world premiere by radio of a grand opera as the principal event. ‘WRC along with a coast to coast network of other National Broad- casting Co. stations will broad- cast the motor classic, with Graham McNamee at the micro- phone. The opera, Cesare Sodero’s “Russian Shadows,” also is sched- uled by WRC. - Sodero is the maestro of the Na- tional Grand Co. His “Russian Shadows” is a romantic tragedy of anoffs. A notable cast will sing the opera, under the personal di- rection of the composer. * % X % Prominent Government officials and United States Senators, espe- cially those most noted for their prowess as orators, are the men most likely to become frightened before the microphone, according to Russell Arundel, executive sec- retary of the Senate broadcasting committee. “I have found that these vet- erans of the political and legisla- tive wars feel the merciless sea- sickness of the broadcasting studio,” said Mr. Arundel. “It has been my privilege in the past few months to present members of the cabinet and some 20 leading Sena- tors 'to the people of the United States, and the experience has been both amusing and amazing.” Mr. Arundel said that Secretary of Interior Wilbur showed the least concern of all of those he has introduced. Mr. Wilbur, he added, talked without a manu- script and kept his composure perfectly. Secretary of War_Good, how- ever, according to Mr. Arundel, appeared a trifle nervous when he made a recent radio address, but this was probably due to the fact that he spoke under great diffi- | culties. “On this particular occasion,” said Mr. Arundel, “the Secretary had another engagement, which conflicted with his broadcasting. He was the guest of honor at a military reception being held at the Willard Hotel. Broadcasting apparatus was installed in a room just outside of the main ballroom of the hotel. Several minutes be- fore the appointed time for broad- casting, Secretary Good left the receiving line of the ball and went before the microphone. He fumbled nervously with his papers at first certain voice. In a few minutes, however, he regained his com- New CROSLEY RADIOS NOW ON DEMONSTRATION AT CHAS. M. STIEFF 1340 G STREET N.W. the Russia of the deposed Rom- | program: and opened his address in an un-| Microphone BY THE RADIO EDITOR. posure and made a splendid ad- dress.” i “I only wish,” Mr. Arundel said, “that, the radio public could hear and see the programs as they take lace in the studio. “There is a uman side to these public servants that flares out. They are men just like the rest of us—sub- ject to the same emotions, the same fears and the same vain pride.” * X ok X Her face is her fortune they used to say of the chorus girl. Now they talk of the radio announcer and remark that his voice is his fortune. And both the radio announcer and the chorus girl take their for- tunes seriously. Almost any an- nouncer of any chorus girl will discuss the voice in one case and the face in the other. But before Milton J. Cross, announcer award- ed the medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters for perfect diction over the air, the announcers had a hard time find- ing an audience away from the microphone. “The radio announcer,” said Cross, “is as painstaking in his at- tention to intonation, phrasing, placing of the voice and breathing as a prima donna. In fact, you might say that a musical educa- tion and vocal training are pre- requisites for the successful an- nouncer. In the days of radio’s infancy an announcer was often forced to ‘double in brass'—if an artist or orchestra failed to show up at the proper time—the an- nouncer had to sing.” Cross does not believe that be- cause announcers today most al- ways read what some one else has written it makes their task easier. He recommends that all persons who think so should read from a strange book aloud. “Those in radio will readily ad- mit that it lies in the announcer’s power to make or break a pro- gram,” Cross added. “A colorless voice, a mispronunciation, a pro- vincial accent, the wrong intona- tion, or indifferent phrasing will gre]udlce the listener and fail to old his attention.” e ENGINEERS PREDICT RELAY AIR PERIODS Rebroadcasts of Foreign Programs to Bring Reas- signment of Channels. Division of time on the air among relay broadcasting stations which are planning the interchange of programs with foreign broadcasters is foreseen by e;-mneerx of the Federal Radio Commis- sion. ‘The growing demand for the limited number of wave lengths available for rebroadcasting will necessitate a shar- ing of channels by various stations similar to that now required on several frequencies in the regular broadcast band, the engineers say. The division of time could be made either on a basis of so many days a week or so many hours a day to each station. ‘Wonld Afford Variety. ‘This arrangement, the engineers point out, would afford a variety of foreign s for listeners throughout the world. In this country, for example, the fan would be able to hear an orchestra in Berlin on Monday, a speech in Lon- don on Tuesday, melodies from Madrid or Buenos Aires on Wednesday, and the description_of an international tennis match in France on Thursday. Under regulations of the Interna- tional Radio-Telegraph Convention, 35 channels are assigned for relay broad- casting. About 20 of these channels have been assigned by the Radio Com- mission to’ American companies. Amo) these are the Radlo Corporation of America and WGY, Schenectady, and KDKA, Pittsburgh, which have been rebroadcasting programs to all parts of the world for some time. Reach Colonies. Relay channels also are used by Brit- ish stations for transmitting programs to Australia, Canada, Africa and other of the empire, and by Dutch sta- East Indies. Applicants say each station must have several frequencies in order to in- sure the programs being heard under all kinds of conditions. Children “Slick up” " After Announcer Tells of Failings CHICAGO (&) —Everett Mitch- ell, chief announcer at WENR, has solved the wash-behind-the- ears problem. During the “air juniors” pro- gram at the station Mitchell has co-operation of a number of chil- dren, ranging in age from 2 to 15 years. When he sees one not slicked up, he calls attention to the fact by announcing over the air that “Sammy Smith, who is here in the studio, looks unusual- ly nice today with his polished shoes and clean hands.” Sammy fidgets and says noth- ing. But next time he comes to the studio he's immaculate. Now all and mama have pap: to do is get a broadcasting studio! For SCREEN GRID and ALL OTHER A-C Sets SENATE TO PROBE NAVY-R. C. A. BOND War Branch Not Inclined to Fight for Patents, 1. C. C. Body Told. ‘The intricate radio patent situation, in large measure cornered by the Radio Corporation of America and for years past inquired into by the Federal Gov- ernment and by courts, will be delved into by the Senate. The interstate commerce committee of that body will endeavor to learn whether the Navy has been lax in its efforts to uphold its radio patent rights against the Ra- dio Corporation of America, notably as to the much-controverted Alexanderson patents for radio frequency amplifica- tion, one of the basic devices in all radio receiving apparatus, including broad- casting sets. A frank admission before the commit- tee by Capt. S. C. Hooper, director of naval communications, that the Navy is “friendly” with the Radio Corpora- tion of America, because it was organ- ized during the war at the Navy's sug- gestion and with the assistance of the Government, and for that reason is not inclined to fight the company, precipi- tated the inquiry. Chairman Couzens immediately ordered an inquiry to de- termine who is responsible for this policy, and Lieut. Comdr. Harold Dodd of the Judge Advocate General's office, which handles Navy patents, has been called to be first witness. The specific question surrounds the Alexanderson patents, owned by the General Electric Co., but controlled by the Radio Corporation of America, and the Schemmel von Bronck patents, seiged by the United States from Ger- many at the outbreak of the war and turned over to the Navy. These de- vices perform the same basic functions. Recently a high Canadian court held the Von Bronck patents had priority over the Alexanderson devices, but dis- trict courts in this country have held the Alexanderson patents good. Senator Dill (Democrat) of Washing- ton brought out that only last Winter, when a suit involving these patents was in progress in California, he had .asked the Navy to intervene on behalf of the Von Bronck patents and against the Alexanderson, but nothing had been done about it. He asked Capt. Hooper if it was the Navy's policy not to fight the Radio Corporation of America on patent litigation, and the response was substantially in the affirmative. In another quarter before the Radio Commission the Radio Corporation of America was preparing to relaunch its fight for continental short-wave fre- quencies with which to establish a do- mestic radio-telegraph system to be set up in competition with the land tele- graph companies and for use as a feeder for its far-flung transoceanic system, entering 32 foreign countries. Twenty-nine cities would be aligned in the Radio Corporation of America's continental network, with the number of channels to be employed as yet not definitely presented. The Radio Cor- poration of America once before pre- sented its case to the commission, but rehearings on all applications now are in progress before the commission takes further action with respect to propo- sals to create additional radio-telegraph message networks similar to the one now being formed by the Universal Wireless Communications Co. of Buffalo. This company was awarded 40 chan- nels with which to interconnect 110 cities last December, while the applica- tions of the Radio Corporation of Amer- ica, Mackay and other companies were passed over. The award Was provoca- tive of much hubbub and even an in- vestigation into the grant by the House merchant marine committee. BOSTON CONTRIBUTES WOMAN TO C. B. S. STAFF ‘“Jean Sargent” Becomes Assistant to Ida Bailey Allen in New York. BOSTON (#)—Station WNAC of Boston contributed a feminine recruit to the staff of the Columbia Broadcast- ing system in New York. WNAC Is the Boston member of the system. ‘The recruit was known to Boston listeners only as “Jean Sargent,” but she went to New York as Mrs. Vella C. Reeve, her real name. ‘“Jean Sargent” is_copyrighted by the Boston station. Her departure for New York was three years and oné day after her first cay with the staff of WNAC, May 10, 1926. 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