Sleepers Awakened

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 12, 5 October 1928, Page 31

Sleepers Awakened

Protest in America. A SPECIAL message to the "New "York Times" from Washington, dated August 6, says: "Complaints against early morning and late night broadcasting because it interferes with the sleep of persons who do not like their radio at such times, and because in the summer they are forced to keep widows open and consequently are harassed by the neighbour’s radio, are being received by the Federal Radio Commission. That body, however, has

no authority to curtail such broadcasting. . "Three letters have been’ received from residents of Brooklyn, and the bulk are from the eastern zone and from other urban areas where apart. ment houses predominate and where ‘loudspeaker radios can be heard clearly by neighbours. "M. Fields of Brooklyn appealed to Commissioner Caldwell to prevent musical programmes after 11 p.m., with the possible exception of Saturday nights. "T ask this out of consideration for those who would like peace after that time, so that they may enjoy a resiful sleep," he said. "This matter may seem humorous in a way, but it is detrimental to the general public health if radio stations are permitted to broadeast jazz music until 12 midnight or 1 a.m., as some of them do. It is comparable to a jazz band standing outside one’s door and playing till that hour every night." O. H. Sandman and P. H. Henckel, both of Brooklyn, also objected to the present time schedules. Criticising "calisthenics and breakfast entertainments," Mr. Sandman said that for every person "benefited" there are many whose rest and comfort are disturbed, particularly in apartment houses during the "open window" season. "Not everybody wants to be awakened at 6.45 a.m.," he wrote. Jazz was characterised as a "publie nuisance of the worst kind" by Mr. Henckel, and he expressed surprise that "the police department does not stop it." He lives on a block where a radio store, he says, broadcasts from 11 a.m. to 11.30 p.m.