Radio Broadcasting Today (1948)

[Music] stand by please [Music] hello this is a nationwide radio survey were you listening to your radio just now no I am [Music] not were you listening to your radio just now well yes I am to what program are you listening please what program there must be some law I am the law why I'm listening to the radio [Music] theater of all the peoples of the world the Americans stand most in fear of a moment's silence for 82 out of every 100 US citizens radio provides each day in the year a sure and everpresent escapee from their own lives into an ether Universe of crackling news music costly entertainment and romantic [Music] adventure in recording us listening habits often strange and unpredictable CE Hooper has made a profitable business of reporting The public's likes and dislikes to the industry and to the public itself Hooper writings the findings of this Nationwide poll although their accuracy is sometimes questioned are accepted as convenient yard sticks for sponsors producers and performers alike the survey indicates that the public remains solidly faithful to the same radio performers year after year outstanding example of us listeners loyalty is Jack Benny among the first 15 since 1934 to 20 million Americans listening to the Benny Program is a Sunday evening ritual [Music] consistently high in the public favor Troopers fber McGee and Molly first brought their homespa numer to the air in 1927 Jo will attribute my air a warden's helmet Molly I would know where to look for it Deary oh I know where it is it's right here in the hall CL oh no no I got to straighten out that closet one of these days [Music] with Americans of all ages quick wited Bob Hope has built a solid reputation during the past 12 years as one of radio's top ranking entertainers the old comedy art of ventriloquism was brought to a new high level of popularity on the radio by Edgar Bergen whose assistants Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer snur have by now overshadowed their creator as radio personalities how how does the show look for Sunday Bergen well I have part of the script here yeah I'm explaining sound waves to you you are now when you throw a stone in a pool what do you see going in all directions H frogs no no you saw wave I don't tell me what I saw if they weren't frogs I hope to cro you saw waves I not only saw frogs but I eat them for dinner no no what do you think Bill well we might tighten it up a little yeah tighten it up yeah and then throw it [Music] out the only commentator regularly rated in the top 15 Walter Winchell dispenses Broadway gossip last minute Scoops and his own highly charged personal opinions on the Affairs of the world in a breathless mixture for Sunday night listeners [Music] one of the most adult of the top favorites veteran showman Fred Allen lampon any subject even radio itself tell me Mr Moody what are your feelings about the radio I don't hold with it bu displeases you I don't hold with furniture that talks well you you have a radio no I had one in the hen house yeah one day all the hen Nest would be empty next day every Nest would have two eggs into it you mean h listening to double or nothing yeah in Furnishing the American public Its listening Fair the 400 independent stations and the 1,000 Network Affiliated stations alike are able to exist for only one reason the advertising of commercial products spending an average $400 million yearly American industry sponsors more than half of all us radio programs in putting any program on the air it is difficult but still necessary to please many people say instead of that why don't we have the closet door push Shut by the cat the cat the sponsor would never go for that don't you know he's allergic to cats and dogs and canaries for that matter well how about having the girlfriend stick around till midnight and accidentally Push the door shut till midnight don't be silly the network wouldn't let us just have the guy and his girl alone in the house that late at night why they're not even [Music] engaged I think you'll like our CIS for the new show Mr Dunham if you don't mind I'd like to hear that commercial first certainly Mr Dunham with pleasure girls will you give us a new commercial and don't forget that uh tempo [Music] [Music] that sounds pretty good but uh could work in the name of the product just a little more the sponsor exerts virtually complete control over what the public hears having the power to select the program he wants to pick the hour for the broadcast and to eliminate whatever material he dislikes yet for every $2 the sponsor spends the listening public spends three on radio sets repairs and electric current [Music] and since the Airways are considered public property the Federal Communications Commission is charged with the responsibility of protecting the people's interest the FCC has the authority to Grant or refuse licenses for broadcasting stations based mainly on available wavelengths and each 3 years every us station must apply to the commission for license renewal but throughout its 13-year history the FCC rejected renewal applications only four times while flagrant cases of transgressions against good taste and program balance continued unchecked pointing out radio's failure to live up to its obligation to the public an FCC report indicates that most us stations heavily overload their airtime with commercials guilty of such excessive commercialism are the thousands of programs of recorded music which consume the bulk of Air Time on most small stations and are often sponsored by as many as 15 different products in an hour's broadcast and now let me tell you about Mavish skinless weenies so long so Pink So flavor rich with lots of tasty goodness ask for McTavish in the giant economy at your favorite Grocers tonight or tomorrow sure remember the name McTavish and now friends for our next number today depressed by radio's blatant commercialism and appalled by its listening fair is 74 year-old Dr Lee Deforest one of radio's inventors to the National Association of broadcasters New York City gentlemen what have you done to my child the radio broadcast he was conceived as a potent instrumentality for culture Fine Music the uplifting of America's Mass intelligence you have debased this child dressed him in rags of rag time tatters of Jive and Boogie wogie while admitting that there is considerable need for improvement the industry itself replies that it still the public many noteworthy programs which are too often overlooked in the general criticism of radio the broadcasters Point proudly to their news programs most popular of any type of radio presentation allotted 20% of all time on the air and no other country in the world gives its listeners such complete radio coverage of sports events I'm meeting tonight from New York City what should we do about Germany now Mee t as an example of radio's commendable features the broadcasters refer to their discussion program where serious controversial subjects are openly debated before a nationwide audience first of all however Mr Arnold you're making me say something that I never dreamed of saying you're saying that I'm trying under the old leadership to reestablish German industry my god I've been under living under the Nazis so long that I think I'm a little more alergic to them than you are Jud hn wants to get in on thisn I don't think Mr lner that you realize that you're setting up Germany under the old leadership but that's the tragedy of it that is what you're doing the public represented by the studio audience can have an active voice in the discussion my question is directed to uh Mr Shyer Mr shy how can the world be be assured of a peaceful Germany I think one of our principal problems now in handling the German question is to carry out ruthlessly and honestly our dentification [Applause] [Music] policy the networks are proud that they have enabled radio Pioneers like Norman Cen to present experimental programs in new dramatic forms the documentary technique has been applied effectively in offering striking broadcasts on subjects of widespread [Music] interest such documentary coverage from the Library of Congress permitted the public to hear a broadcast at the unsealing of a collection of Lincoln's papers by the foremost Lincoln Scholars and Mr Sandberg in our specific problems of the present time what do you think would have been Mr Lincoln's policy and attitudes we can speculate guess surmise on someone dominant quality I'd say that if today he sat as a counselor of the United Nations he'd stress above all the quality of patience all shifts of events and changes of circumstance [Music] patience truly great musical Talent is available to the US public via radio although a relatively small percentage of listeners tune in on classical music the networks have spent millions of dollars to present artists like Arturo tasini who have been a considerable influence in improving America's musical tape [Music] [Music] [Music] I just can't understand it I don't know what to do John promised he'd come right home from work today oh no wedding anniversary among the most articulate of radio's critics is the New York Herald tribunes John Crosby whose thoughtful column reflects a tolerant concern for radio's future there are more violent extremes of good and bad in radio than any other popular art the best of it is wonderful the worst of it is morani trouble is the bad programs outnumber the good ones about 20 to one as long as the adviser runs the show it'll always be that way the broadcasters don't own their own Souls there's little hope for radio until they do oh well radio is only 27 years old if it doesn't improve within the next 27 years it'll be time for all of us to get really [Music] angry typical of entertainment which most critics of radio deplore but the the public enjoys are the many types of audience participation shows now if you answer this question correctly Madam you win $50 so try hard who was the father of our country could you repeat the question please why certainly who was the father of our country what is the capital of the United States Washington right give that lady those 50 crisp dollar [Applause] bills high in the public favor are the elaborate clam bakes in which studio visitors competing for expensive prizes are encouraged to make fools of themselves listen carefully for the animals now many queer sounds I heard on a farm from the barn comes the sound of contented cows w quite a W Mrs D to Harald the day in his usual way you'll hear the old roer say they miss him still doing his best to outdo the rest the Shaggy old dog yels not to be outdone when he sees the Sun the cute little duck goes to top off the den all the pigs chime in O and the clear Miss well Mrs Granite you failed to get him four out of five times so men who is the better half of the granite's family congratulations Mr grat the title of the better half of the family goes to you and along with it that beautiful big radio phonograph combination and for being such a good sport Mrs Granit we'd like you to accept this brand new electric washing [Applause] machine most criticized of any type of program on the air today is the soap opera which eats up 48% of daylight airtime to all critics the radio industry replies that 20 million Housewives can't be wrong Irene that's the way it is but John How Could You deceive me like this doesn't our marriage mean anything to you it's hard for me to say this Irene but Elena and I love each other you should know Mrs black that love matters more than anything else don't talk to me about love you vampire Irene we're but straws in the wind I shall leave you two to talk this all I'm sorry Mrs black there's no use talking you must give him up you dare to talk to me like that you love Thief get out of my house I don't give up this easily and don't forget it will iene succeed in recapturing Jon's love will Jon go back to his job and return to his wife and children for the answer to these human problems listen in tomorrow same time same station Time Marches On [Music] a