Radio Entertainment Since 1935

Abstract

THOSE of us immersed in radio eight hours a day (a quiet day), evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays---dubiously grateful for the dispensation that places us beyond the pale of the Wages and Hours Act-sometimes share the happy cynicism that keeps a newspaper man chained to his work. We even echo a pre-Hitlerian French wisecrack, Plus ga change, plus c'est la meme chose. Yet, thanks to statisticians, sociologists, women's clubs, sales managers, and agency accounting departments, we are reminded that radio does change. Sober-minded data gatherers going through the record for the past five years can produce enough proof to give us pause, and not necessarily the pause that refreshes. Yet, in the past five years, radio has abandoned many gaucheries and assumed a more polished front. In 1936 there were fifteen major program classifications; today there are but ten. What has become of the personality shows that occupied 15 per cent of all sponsored network time in 1936? What has become of the novelty and popular singer Musical revues? Concert bands? Minstrel shows? Gone-all gone, except isolated stragglers. Since 1935 we have experienced mergers in entertainment forms, and techniques have been streamlined-forgive the clich6. It is interesting to take stock of today's leading types of entertainment that were developing five years ago.