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NEW 1939 WINTER PROGRAM LOCATOR. AEA87BDC254T31 Resolulion No. 1001 RADIQY~ A New Friend Among our New Year resolves is We talk a great deal about the that of saying a few kind words for average listener's problems, but the new spirit we encounter every­ DOUBLES YOUR RADIO ENJOYMENT one problem which we have never where in connection with education discussed is that of the awful swift­ 731 PLYMOUTH COURT, CHICAGO, ILL by radio. We listeners spent so ness with which good radio pro­ many years shying away from long­ grams and good radio talks perish. haired professors who wanted to Have you ever thought of it? A tell u.s what was good for us that it fine program reaches our ears once is hard for us to realize that the and is gone with the wind, leaving educational program of today isn't no echo. A printed story can be what it used to be. read and reread. A published treat­ In the early thirties, for instance. ise can be put away and brought we recall a dogged determination out for further enlightenment. on the part of many high-minded But a radio show is gone forever, educators to force into our ears This awful waste of material both all sorts of facts and theories and perplexed and challenged us. As dry-as-dust details of their lecture­ we pondered the situation we heard hall programs. We stayed away people say of a broadcast, "There from such programs in droves. Our is something I should like to keep." return to the loudspeaker com­ Some broadcasters recognized this menced when educators removed desire, notably the Town Hall their horn-rimmed spectacles, put Forum, the Ford Sunday Evening on a sword and buckler and Hour, and the University Round learned to swagger. Table, and published their broad­ Educational programs today, for casts in pamphlet form. But still the most part. are fun. If you are much was lost after one airing. still gun-shy and never take the New MAGAZINE: trouble to tune in anything that Two years ago we started to we list on our "Listening to Learn" study this problem with a view page, you are missing a 101 of good of publishing a magazine which programs. Many of them are as would preserve the great enter. lively as a Lux Radio Theater pres­ tainments, the great talks, the great entation, or as heartening as a plays. This January we offer that W. 1. Cameron talk. Try exposing magazine to you as Radjo Djgest, yourself again some lime and see with a slogan and policy of "The if we aren't right. Best Broadcasts in Brief." For months our editors have been ex­ Nole 10 FOR amining hundreds of broadcast Dear Mr. President: scripts, searching for good mate­ We've just heard that the beau­ rial worthy of being condensed and tiful new cabinet in your second· reprinted. We have found a treas­ floor reception·room at the White suspense would be terrible and Mr. President. We'd take five min­ ury of knowledge and inspiration. House is a television receiver that you are so busy. utes to make sure that nobody or Radio Digest can be ordered was installed free of charge by a But now you know. no business concern could adver· through any newsdealer. Those nice, kind television-set manufac­ Sincerely, tise or sell any set or any stock on who have been purchasing RADIO turing concern. For your use and RADIo GUIDE the assertion that its set was in use GUIDE at a newsstand can ask for the use of your family, too. P. S.-Tell you what we'd do, at the White House. it at the same place. We are anx­ But, Mr. President. hasn't anyone ious for you to see our first few told you that there aren't any tele­ numbers. We are extremely eager vision programs on the air? Or that for you to tell us what you think of there isn't a television station even CONTENTS them, and further, what spe<:ific planning to give Washington, D. c., William Green Thinks The Radio Tattler 13 broadcasts you would like to see About Radio 1 Ustenlng to Learn 14 reprinted. As regular listeners, you service at any early date? Far be Gateway to Hollywood 2 Radio Guide's lnltant it from us to suggest that you look Highlights of This Week 4 Program Locator 15 are unusually well qualified to help a gift·horse in the mouth, but we Playbill: "The Road of Life" 6 Records of the Week 17 us choose our articles. As RADIO The March of Music 8 Crossword Punle, think you ought to know about Eddie Cantor'. Sideline 10 Birthdays 19 GUIDE readers, we trust you will these things, you being so busy Airialto Lowdown 11 This Week's Program. 20-35 help us to bring Radio Digest to Hollywood Showdown 12 On Short Wavel 36 and all, and if you need the space its own full usefulness not only as Cover by GENE LESTER just go ahead and move that set a record of the fine programs on the air or as a reference volume into a storeroom, bzcause you M. L. ANNEN BERG. Publisher won't miss a thing for quite a few for vital facts and opinions but as CURTIS MITCHELL, Editor seasons. Television isn't here and delightful and informative reading. it isn't even around the comer from Vol. 8. No. 13 January 14, 1939 Ln Us KNOW Washington, Mr. President. and we For broadcasts you want to hear are writing tbis note because we again, for broadcasts you want to just couldn't bear the thought of keep, and for broadcasts you have your sitting there with Eleanor missed, try Radio Djgest-the best waiting for the pictures to come on broadcasts in brief - and let us and their not coming on at all. The know what you think. l/lS ~ , THINK ABOUT RADIO WHAT I THINK B~ WILLIAM GREEN PRESIDENT AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR Radio has elected a president. It has pre­ vented a World War. Its power is mighty and awe-inspiring. How shall Ihis power be controlled and directed for man's own benefit? RADIO GUID£ has asked several American leaders of thought to think about broadcasting. Their guest editorials will ap­ pear in this space each week.-TH£ EDITOR. ADIQ broadcasting may be an infant industry in because people believe the wrillen word more than the Rpoint of years, but it has proved itself an infant spoken word. But the weakness of the newspapers in prodigy in point of wisdom. this country today is their partisanship. It is rare indeed We need only look at the stunted growth of radio in that all sides of any public question are presented fully, other lands-its perversion to partisan uses, its sub· fairly and impartially in both the news and editorial col­ servience to special interests-to congratulate ourselves umns of our newspapers. As a maUer of fact, most news­ on our better fortune. papers do not even pretend to be impartial in their edi· We owe an everlasting debt to the leaders of the torials. They consider it their function to take sides. Such American radio industry for having developed technical may be their function. But whenever a newspaper takes efficiency in broadcasting to the highest point known in sides, its value as an impartial contributor to public the world, for having made reception available to the information is thereby limited. poorest classes of our people, and for having provided On the other hand, radio has ~riven against tre­ us with a high order of entertaining and educational mendous odds and powerful pressure 10 maintain an programs. even balance. When radio presents facts, it excludes But we owe an even greater debt to the leaders 01 opinion so far as is humanly possible. When it pre­ the radio industry and to the leaders of our Federal sents opinion, it tries to offer opinions of all sides on any Government for their deep wisdom in having main· given subject. In this way the listener is permitted to tained, at aU costs and above all considerations, the free­ form his own judgment from the facts and from various dom of the air in this country. opinions. • I am not especially qualified to judge the quality of Recently radio has tried to ape the newspaper col­ entertainment and education provided by the daily radio umnists by presenting more and more news commenta­ programs. There are some programs I like a great deal; tors. I do not think this vogue should be encouraged others I don't care for. But I recognize that it would be too far. Some newspaper columnists make a practise 01 impossible to please everyone all the time and that the airing personal hates and prejudices. Some of them broadcasting companies are doing a fine job in trying to indulge in sensational gOSSip. They do this cleverly in please most of their listeners most of the time. order to get a following and command greater compen· What particularly interests me in radio is its function sation. The danger in this sort of competitive struggle is as a medium of public information. Beyond all question that these writers may forget their guiding prinCiple it is the greatest medium of that kind in our modem should be 10 provide tmtMul and factual information. world. I am glad to say that radio commentators have Today Government, political parties, organized labor shown more consciousness of this responsibility than and many other groups are dependent upon radio in an newspaper columnists.

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