The Radio Corporation of America is the largest distributor of radio receiving sets in the world. It handles the entire output in this field of the Westinghouse and General Electric factories.
It does not say this boastfully. It does not say it with apology. It says it for the purpose of making clear the fact that it is more largely interested, more selfishly interested, if you please, in the best possible broadcasting in the United States that anyone else.
We say quantity because they must be diversified enough so that some of them will appeal to all possible listeners.
We say quality because each program must be the best of it kind. If that ideal were to be reached, no home in the United States could afford to be without a radio receiving set.
Today, the best available statistics indicate that 5,000,000 homes are equipped, and 21,000,000 homes remain to be supplied.
Radio receiving sets for the best reproductive quality should be made available for all, and we hope to make them cheap enough in that all may buy.
The day has gone by when the radio receiving set is a plaything. It must now be an instrument of service.
Any use of radio transmissions which causes the public to feel that the quality of the program is not the highest, that the use of radio is not the broadest and best use in the public interest, that it is used for political advantage or selfish power, will be detrimental to the public interest in radio, and therefore to the Radio Corporation of America.
To insure, therefore, the development of this great service, the Radio Corporation of America has purchased for one million dollars station WEAF from the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, that company having decided to retire from the broadcasting business.
The Radio Corporation of America will assume active control of that station on November 15.
The National Broadcasting Company will not only broadcast these programs through station WEAF, but it will make them available to other broadcasting stations throughout the country so far as it may be practicable to do so, and they may desire to take them.
It is hoped that arrangements may be made so that every event of national importance may be broadcast widely throughout the Unites States.
If others will engage in this business the Radio Corporation of America will welcome their action, whether it be cooperative or competitive.
If other radio manufacturing companies, competitors of the Radio Corporation of America, wish to use the facilities of the National Broadcasting Company for the purpose of making known to the public their receiving sets, they may do so on the same terms as accorded to other clients.
The necessity of providing adequate broadcasting is apparent. The problem of finding the best means of doing it is yet experimental. The Radio Corporation of America is making this experiment in the interest of the art and the furtherance of the industry.
Mr. Aylesworth, while not hitherto identified with the radio industry or broadcasting, has had public experience as Chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, and through his work with the association which represents the electrical industry, has a broad understanding of the technical problems which measure the pace of broadcasting.
One of his major responsibilities will be to see that the operations of the National Broadcasting Company reflects enlightened public opinion, which expresses itself so promptly the morning after any error of taste or judgment or departure from fair play.
We have no hesitation in recommending the National Broadcasting Company to the people of the United States.
It will need the help of all listeners. It will make mistakes. If the public will make known its views to the officials of the company from time to time, we are confident that the new broadcasting company will be an instrument of great public service.
OWEN D. YOUNG, Chairman of the Board JAMES G. HARBORD, President