Presto

PRESTO
October 11, 1924.
SHEET MUSIC AND RADIO
HOOVER ON RADIO PROBLEMS
Secretary of Commerce Suggests National System of
Radio Programs to Conference.
Organization of a national system of radio pro-
grams through a broadcasters' association, to give
service much as press associations do for newspapers,
was suggested by Secretary Hoover this week in an
address opening the third national radio conference
in Washington. In presenting his views, Secretary
Hoover reiterated his opposition to any attempt to
monopolize the air, asserting that local broadcasting
stations are of first importance, and must not be
driven from the field.
"My proposition," Mr. Hoover said, "is that the
local station must be able to bring to its listeners
every important national event and the greatest
music and entertainment of the nation. It must be
able to deliver important pronouncements of public
men, it must bring instantly to our people a hundred
and one matters of national interest. To this it must
add matters of local interest.
"I do not believe there is any practical method of
payment from the receivers. I wish to suggest for
consideration the possibility of mutual organization
by broadcasters of a service for themselves similar to
that which the newspapers have for their use in the
press associations, which would furnish programs of
national events and arrange for their transmission and
distribution of some sort of a financial basis just as
the press associations gather and distribute news."
RESULTS OF RADIO CENSUS
Figures for 1923 Compiled from Biennial Data
Gathered by Department of Commerce.
The Department of Commerce announces that, ac-
cording to the data collected at the biennial census
of manufactures, 1923, radio apparatus to the value
of $43,460,676 was manufactured during the year for
sale as such. This total includes 1,889,614 head sets,
valued at $5,352,441; 508,001 loud speakers, valued at
$5,620,961; 414,588 receiving sets of the tube type,
valued at $12,065,992; and 116,497 receiving sets of
the crystal type, valued at $550,201; together with
the other items shown in the table below.
The manufacture of 2,601,575 radio tubes, valued
at $4,572,251, was reported separately. A part of
these tubes were sold to manufacturers to complete
receiving sets (and their value is therefore included in
the total value of such sets, as given above) and the
remainder were sold to individual purchasers for use
in the construction of home-made sets.
The following table, giving the numbers and values
of the several classes of radio equipment reported as
manufactured in 1923, by 290 establishments, is pre-
liminary and subject to such correction as may be
found necessary upon further examination of the re-
turns:
Loud speakers, 508,001, valued at $5,620,961; head
sets, 1,889,614, valued at $5,352,441; receiving sets,
tube type, 414,588, value $12,065,992, crystal type,
116,497,- value $550,201; transmitting sets, 1,073, value,
$900,230; transformers, 1,700,024, value $3,773,213;
rheostats, 1,089,721, value $716,774, and lightning ar-
resters, 355,161, value $196,534.
Miscellaneous parts, not including tubes for sale as
such, were valued at $14,284,330.
Radio tubes, for sale as such, 2,601,575, value $4,-
572,251.
Under 5 watts, 2,559,206, $3,78\167; 5 to 50 watts,
15,167, $80,529; over 50 watts, 27,202, $703,555.
NEW WUNDERLICH RADIO STUDIO
Energetic Kansas City Firm Inaugurates Broadcast-
ing Activities with Fine Special Program.
The Wunderlich Piano Co., Kansas City, Mo., in-
augurated the opening of its new radio studio with
a special program given by prominent local and out-
of-town artists. It was an earnest of pleasure to
come and proved another excellent bit of publicity
which should go far towards bringing rewards in
sales to the energetic firm.
Among those on the program were the Ivanhoe
Masonic quartet, Thusnelda Biresak and Helen Tay-
lor, in piano duo; Helen Durr, piano-accordionist, and
Ella Van Huff, contralto. The feature of the pro-
gram was a half hour of popular songs by Will Col-
lins and Sammy Stept, song writers and radio sing-
ers of New York and Detroit.
In connection with the opening of the studio, a
demonstration of the new Brunswick Radiola with the
super-heterodyne was held before several local radio
enthusiasts. Four of the radiolas were placed in the
room, enabling the guests to hear clearly the conceits
being broadcast from the studio, two floors above.
FAVOR FOR REMICK SONOS
New Numbers Gain the Appreciation of the Song
Buyers but the Older Songs Sell Well.
A straw vote of song fans taken anywhere in the
United States would result in a majority for "Man-
dalay," the tuneful hit of J. H. Remick & Co. A
good "runner-up" is "Old Pal," which has taken a
big hold on the fancies of the Pacific Coast song
lovers. But despite the warm inquiries for the new
song, the older ones like "There's Yes, Yes in Your
Eyes" and "It Had to Be You," enjoy a steady de-
mand.
Merit in a song is judged as much by its continu-
ance in favor as by its ability to "catch on" quickly.
The belief is exemplified in the continuance in favor
of the Remick hit, "I Wonder Who's Dancing with
You Tonight," which was qualified as a "hit" from
the day of its publication. The song is the most fre-
quently heard on dance programs which is a tribute
by the dancing folk to its tunefulness and sentiment
of theme.
Excellent sales are being reported from all points
for the new Remick numbers: "That Lost Sweet-
heart of Mine," "Follow the Swallow," and "Dreamer
of Dreams."
ADVERTISING RADIOLAS
Bissell-Weisert Piano Co., Chicago, Carries Out Ex-
tensive Brunswick Advertising Campaign.
The Brunswick-Radiola is being advertised in a
most vigorous manner by the Bissell-Weisert Piano
Co., 36 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, who has
displayed the combination instrument and its fine
musical qualities on numerous billboards in and
around Chicago.
The billboard display glows with color with the
Brunswick-Radiola in the center and standing out
conspicuously. The product is described as the new
instrument which offers the best in the most popular
combination of the day in the phonograph and radio.
Both products have attained a prestige in its own
field and the combining of the two has made a great
instrument of unlimited entertaining qualities.
The advertising campaign of the Bissell-Weisert
Co. is at present the largest and most elaborate of
any of the progressive Chicago music houses. The
company has located its billboards with care and all
are on avenues of heavy traffic, attractive signs ex-
ploiting the new instrument.
THE CHANGED RADIO BUYER.
There is a marked change in the radio buyer today,
according to the Chicago Herald and Examiner,
which says: Newspapers and radio magazines have
taught him the essentials of radio and he knows the
difference between good and inferior apparatus. The
old signs in some of the early radio days, "No Radio
Goods Replaced After Sale," or "All Sales Final,"
have disappeared. In other words, the "caveat emp-
tor" has left the radio game, because consumer,
dealer, jobber and manufacturer know their w T ants
and apparatus, and there is no need to take a chance
with standard apparatus.
CHICAGO'S RADIO PICNIC.
Details of Chicago's free radio picnic in the Grant
Park Stadium today, Saturday, Oct. 11, created gen-
eral interest in the affair. A program of events was
arranged with six of the Chicago broadcasting sta-
tions to do announcing of artists and even the
orchestras on hand to take part. The broadcasting
station right on the grounds
the portable
WJAZ which the Zenith Company has had touring
the outlying districts for some time in search of the
best location for a permanent station in Chicago.
RADIO INCORPORATIONS.
Radio Owners, Manhattan, 2,000,000 shares pre-
ferred stock, $1 each; 1,000 common, no par value;
E. L. Barnes, E. B. Kelly, F. R. Mather. Attorney,
J. I. Goodstein, 220 West Forty-second street, New
York.
Maxum Radio and Electric Corp., Philadelphia,
manufacture apparatus; $500,000. Corp. Guarantee &
Trust Co., Philadelphia, Pa.
RADIO CUSTOMERS
Most Effective Way to Sales Is Through the
Music Stores and Wise Radio Manufac-
turers Acknowledge that Fact in
Most Convincing Way.
MUSIC STORE ADVANTAGES
Stable Character of Music Merchant in Commu-
nity and His Ab-lity to Solve Credit Problems
of Radio Distribution Conceded.
From the beginning of the radio industry the man-
ufacturers have been studying the way to the best
selling channels. So it is not surprising that the
music industry is favored to a large extent as a
means to marketing the radio sets and accessories.
And strange as it may appear the phonograph manu-
facturer and dealer have been chosen by the radio
manufacturers for special activity in the selling of
radio.
A great many observant men in both the radio and
the phonograph industries do not consider the radio
and phonograph antagonistic. On the contrary they
consider them mutually helpful. While radio does
not compete in tone quality or reliability with the
phonograph there is a fascination in the constantly
changing programs of radio that is an urge to sales.
Both instruments have a permanent place in the
home and the combined radio and phonograph is a
recognition of that fact.
A Natural Choice.
When the radio manufacturers were confronted
with the cabinet problem it was natural for them to
seek the help of the phonograph manufacturers. The
phonograph manufacturers had arrived at a high
degree of artistic excellence in the designing of cabi-
nets, and in the installation of radio in phonographs
little or no change was necessary in the cabinets in
use.
In short radio has been associated with the
phonograph from the beginning of the former and
the place of radio in the phonograph store is not in
the nature of a distraction from the phonographs.
The Piano-Phonograph Dealer.
And as most stores formerly recognized as piano
stores have in recent years added phonographs,, the
piano-phonograph dealer seems to be the most effi-
cient means to hand for marketing the radio. There
will always be radio specialty stores where electrical
goods and radio parts will be handled. But they are
not as well equipped as the music stores for the pres-
entation of radio sets. The music stores have stand-
ing in their communities. They are stable and their
methods of customer-finding have been developed and
improved through successive eras of organ, piano
and phonograph selling. The prospect list of the
music dealer is potent for radio sales and the well
established methods of "following up" and closing
sales in the shortest possible time are invaluable for
the achievement of a big radio business.
Opportunities for Sales.
The opportunities for sales of radio in the music
store are great and of the continuous kind that should
interest the radio manufacturer. A great many with
phonographs are probable customers for radio. The
family which appreciates its phonograph is easily
interested in radio as a companion provider of music.
And where the radio set can be used in conjunction
with the phonograph, thereby decreasing the cost of
the radio set, a strong inducement to buy is found.
The radio manufacturer also considers the amount
of credit facilities made available by marketing his
products through the music trade.
The music-
dealer has had long experience in the credit phases
of his business and methods of safety in selling on
time payments have been developed to a satisfactory
degree. That is an important phase of the selling oi
radio through the music store that the radio manu-
facturers recognize.
HITS ADVERTISING BY RADIO.
"I believe the quickest way to kill broadcasting
would be to use it for direct advertising," is thi
opinion of Secretary Hoover, delivered in an addres-
before the third annual radio conference in Wash
ington. "The reader of the newspaper has an optioi
whether he will read an ad or not, but if a speech b
the President is to be used as the meat in a sandwicl
of two patent medicine advertisements, there will b
no radio left."
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