BROADCASTING IN U.S.A.

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 14, 21 October 1927, Unnumbered Page

BROADCASTING IN U.S.A.

_---_--- AN AUSTRALIAN’S IMPRESSIONS WONDERFUL PROGRAMMIS. On his return from a trip through the United States, a Mr. George Sutherland, of Melbourne, was interviewed_by a representative of the ‘Listener In" on his impressions of broadcasting in America. He said:"My general impression of Americaand: by that I mean, of course, the U.S.A.-is that broadcasting has made enormous strides in the public favour since I made my previous trip to the States in 1924. . "This great increase in the popular‘ity of broadcasting is due to the. development of land lines for the transmission of better programmes, These land lines now link. up the whole of the United States, enabling people every~where to listen in to a New York programme. Best U.S.A, Programmes, "The best programmes in America are hroadcast from New York, but until quite lately the New York man was not yety particular whether he got distance, But to the mau-say, in New Orleans, distance was the all-important feature of,the radio, simply because it enabled him to'hear New York. ‘These land lines have changed all that. "Some of the programmes btroadcas

Se. would cost anything from £1000 to £2000 for a single performance, [’or instance, there may be opera with Metropolitan stars; concerts with artists like John McCormack, Lena Cavalleri, Kreisler, and the I‘lonzaley Quartet on the one programme. A programme like that is broadcast all over the U.S.A. on particular nights-say, once a weck. Nearly 500 Stations. "There were, until three or four months ago, 488 stations in America broadcasting, with the result that the air was overcrowded, and there was a state of chaos as far as the listener was concerned. Then Herbert Hoover, Secretary of State, took the matter in hand, ‘ithe Government drew up stringent regulations under which each State was allowed time only in accordance with the quality of the programme given to the public. The serious effect of this will be grasped when it is realised that 80 per cent. of the stations exist only by selling their time for advertising purposes, and that the musical items broadcast are solely for the purpose of Iuring listeners to listen to advertisements. "To illustrate the incidence of this: Station A might have contracted with an advertiser for 600 hours for the year. Under the new regulations Station A would find itself restricted to 200 hours only on the air for the year. The immediate result is that all the stations are striving frantically to show that they are giving the best service to the public, and are entitled, therefore, to more time than they are getting. Journalists, and Playwrights Combine. "The advertising matter for broadcasting is very skilfully arranged, and

the very best journalists, and occasionally playwrights, are employed in preparing the material. Usually the advertising firm occupies a quarter to half an hour, ‘This is the method: An announcer begins, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, — he Cornflake Corporation take this opportunity of presenting Signor Sapparini, who will sing Donna e Mobile,’ and so on through a good programme by front rank artists, ‘Then the announcer finishes up: "lhe Cornflake

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The Dempsey-Sharkey Fight. "T listened to the broadcasting of the Dempsey-Sharkey fight. T‘or days before the stations had been reminding listeners to have their batteries in good order for the great event, The excitement was intense. The feature of the event was the amazing broadcasting of the fight by Major White, who is considered to be the best anunouncer of sporting events in America. And that reminds me, He is English, and so are the majority of wireless speakers in America. "T never heard a more wonderful description of a fight. He detailed every move of the pugilists with lightning rapidity. Like this:- | "Sharkey is crouching down with his head between his arms. Dempsey uppercuts him the blow glancing off the chin. Sharkey comes in with a short left jab. Followed by a right straight from the shoulder. Dempsey retaliates with a short right jab and a swing with a left which just misses." — "Details of this description were clearly given with incredible speed during each round. Abont the fourth round another voice explained that the Major was momentarily exhausted and must have half a minute’s spell. It is impossible to convev an idea of this remarkable feat of broadcasting. "As to the quality of the ‘"broadcasting in America, it is no better than we are getting; Dut the programmes are naturally much more interesting on oceasion than ours, heceause they are able to employ world-famed artists,’*