Radio: Worst

The Federal Communications Commission, which operates on the theory that radio is here to stay, last week warned the industry that many listeners might not be. In a 140-page report, FCC told radio that bad programs were losing devotees by droves. Radio’s most common and obvious faults: soap operas, too many commercials, allowing the sponsor to have free reign.

Said FCC:

¶ Too many soap operas glut the daytime hours. The two largest networks, NBC and CBS, carry some 40 between them. Once, in 1940, 55 of the 59½ daytime hours a week were filled with twittering throbbers. Polling U.S. homes, FCC found that during soap-opera hours 76.8% of available listeners had their sets turned off.

¶ Radio favors the sponsor before it favors the public. What are needed, said FCC, are more noncommercial sustaining programs, of wide variety; less sponsored, pat-formula shows. As an example of the attitude it does not like, FCC quoted a New York advertising executive who said: “The best radio program is the one that sells the most goods. . . .”

¶ FCC noted that commercials have been getting longer, more frequent, and more offensive. Station KMAC, San Antonio, hit an alltime high in January 1945. In one 133-hour period of broadcasting, it carried 2,215 plug-uglies, an average of 16.7 an hour.

If these faults continue, said FCC, it will consider suspending some licenses.