National Association of Educational Broadcasters Convention - Radio Business Meeting - Tape 1

The power of the last drive will not come to water. For those few of you who did not receive memo to managers number five. You think we're crazy. Well maybe we are but we took as our text the power of the last drive for this afternoon's session. After. The speakers that we were blessed with during both morning sessions today. To be topped by not only merry Benjamin and the entertainment but Bill Kalends extremely cogent for Marx. I don't think it's a lost tribe I think where we found something and we're going to see if we can do something about what we found this afternoon. I want to make it very clear that. After. The reports that will come from this side. There will be ample opportunity for you to say your piece to ask your question about why I want is any are one of the fees all about what are we getting and so on. We want to be able to deal with this very specifically this afternoon. I'd like to make one further

announcement and that is that. Approximately a month from now around November 20th I believe. There will be. A combined billing of. An AB institutional dues and any Our assessments for the calendar year nine hundred sixty five being mailed to all any our members. Harold Hill will be at the end and E.B. headquarter office which is located specifically where. The auditorium. You know very well. It's right it's right near the stage. He will be there 9:00 to 10:00 tomorrow morning and two to three not only to answer any questions that any of you might have but we also have prepared. For the entire association not only any are forms one page but also those of you who have ETF fees or instructional fees. If you so desire you may with Harold's aid fill out those forms and have it all done prior to

November. And if you do not do it tomorrow it will automatically be mailed to you at the right time. So 9:00 to 10:00 and 2:00 to 3:00 tomorrow if you'd like to speak to Harold about this. Well we've been reading quite a few smoke signals on the horizon today. And the one that we set forth for ourselves seems now peculiarly appropriate more than ever after Bill Kalends remarks national educational radio blue sky or blue print for the future. And as medicine man it gives me great to like to call on the Great White Father Bill Harley. Speaking of smoke signals. Recalls the story of the two Indian braves on top of a

high bluff. In the data. Who are sending out smoke signals in the traditional way. And all of a sudden they were interrupted by a blinding flash in the sky. Which although they did not know it. Was the. Set off of the first atomic bomb explosion at Los Alamos and this one Indian looked at this mushrooming cloud going up spreading out. Filling the whole horizon. He turned to the other one he said. Gee. I wish I'd said that. Is there anything I have to contribute to the Indian motif. Last January. I addressed some of you at the Radio Seminar in Chicago. On the topic of the future orbit of educational

radio. And I'm developing this topic I outlined some revolutionary changes which are taking place in education as new scientifically devised learning systems and technology are utilized to increase educational productivity. And I attempted to show how in any such linking of technology to education radio will and must play a prominent role. This orbit I suggested would include such items as militarized radio receivers to accompany people wherever they go. The Plex FM operations with Prime and sub carriers devoted to fine music. And second and possibly even third carriers. Utilized for credit courses and schedules of brief off repeated information segments as a kind of aerial data system. I envision the nationwide spread of. Two way instructional radio systems not only for post

graduate medical training. But as to a systems for teaching traditional college courses and affording listener participation in public affairs forums. I predicted. A much greater growth for radio vision as an instructional technique. The improvement in quality and variety of our radio network offerings and the development of the interconnected educational communication system for live educational radio broadcasting as well as the conduct of a variety of academic communications. But I stress that we will never realize such a dazzling Arbet for educational radio unless we ourselves do a better job on the launching pad. And I listed some goals that I thought must be accomplished. And it seems to me that I could do no better than to reiterate these goals at this time. Although I hasten to say. That there are already

indications of substantial amelioration of some of the conditions I deplore. And also indications that in some areas there is substantial project progress toward these goals. But still we have a far ways to go. And so I think it still would be useful to reemphasize some of the major steps. We need to take. First of all. I think we still need to do something about changing our attitude. In educational radio. I think radio people have got to stop being apologetic and defensive about radio. Because in the face of the tremendous attention being paid by educators and others to television and teaching machines and other new devices radio's record of forty years of substantial accomplishment needs no apology at all. In fact it's a very proud record. And since there is evidence to suggest that radio can

do some educational jobs better or in some cases more economically or faster. Radio can stand on its own merits alone or as a compliment to other aides. So educational radio people have got to feel that they have a job to do that it is an important job. And what's more that they're fully capable of doing it. Second. We must have an aggressive program of research in radio. Today there is virtually none. A check by the United States Office of Education discloses that of the millions that have been expended during the life of NDE for research in educational media. Just a piddly few hundreds have gone into research in radio. During that same time millions have gone into the support of educational television research. With generous allowances for the glamour of television as a new development attracting the attention of communications research specialists and

educational psychologists and so on. You might think those who continue to operate radio or especially those who have just entered the field of radio education. Wouldn't feel quite so complacent. As to believe they already had all of the answers. Maybe they were just intimidated. Though unnecessarily. Or very soon that television research. For which all the money was given. Began to involve comparisons of instructional effectiveness of TV with radio. And the findings indicated that there was little or no difference in many subject areas. Yet all of this research was being done by television people not by radio people. It was TV compared to this and it was TV comfort of that. But did any radio people come forward and compare radio with television or with teaching machines or whatever was advanced as a means of improving education.

No we had no radio people involved in this sort of research. They apparently just caved in. We desperately need some first rate research. The unique qualities of radio. TV has brought about such changes in radio's role of the nature of its audiences that entirely new evaluations need to be made. Certainly we can't depend on a line around research done 15 or 20 or 25 years ago. And many of us suspect the television is being wasted on things that radio can do as well or better. Other things being equal certainly more economically. We suspect that multi stimuli presentations may not necessarily result in more learning accomplishment than that of appealing through a single sense. We suspect that there may be factors in the effects of stereophonic. Broadcasting that may add greater realism to concert and theatrical performances but also may make a measurable difference in some types of learning accomplishment through radio.

And many other areas. Seems to me need to be plumbed here in the area of research. And. Though I've said this before there has been very little reaction as far as I can judge there have been a few more things entered the US Office of Education but still has very very little evidence of interest on the part of radio people undertaking some research in their own field. And there is money there that they're almost ready to give away if anybody comes out of a decent radio project. So I. I hope that you will go home and think about the possibilities of making some proposals. Because I I assure you there are they would be greeted with great hospitality. Third once we have a body of new research findings in the educational uses of radio. This information must be broadly disseminated. To broadcasters of course but also to educational administrators to members of school boards and other people of that kind who must make decisions as to

the most efficient allocation of educational funds. The educational administrator faced with the problems of which media school should retain discard or acquire as a very heavy responsibility. And in making such decisions he must have at his command valid evidence and demonstrated capability of the media so as to select the instruments best suited to meet the needs of the system under his supervision. Fourth. The spite the national prejudice for radio which is operators have in preference to all other media that's perfectly natural. I still feel that radio people must overcome the disposition that some of them seem to have toward what I've called an almost pathological patriotism. For while urging all out effort to discover and demonstrate radio special strengths. It is also important to recognize that radio is only one of a whole kept of educational tools. Each of which has unique

qualities and to serve education they can often be more effective in support of or in combination with one another. Death. There must be a wider recognition. That an educational radio station has an obligation as a licensee of a broadcast facility and as the arm of an educational institution. To render public service and make education widely available. Of course each institution must determine how it will employ its own facility in terms of its own particular policies and purposes. But if radio broadcasting stations are to be used primarily as training laboratories or student playthings. Educational radio will never achieve anything of much example significance in our society. Educational institutions must be more than mere star houses of accumulated knowledge. For those. Within their own walls. They must function as a part of the ongoing society what sustains it. Sharing its expertise and

understanding with people generally who look to schools and universities for guidance and wisdom and helping them in adjusting to life. And in my judgment educational radio has not begun to provide the range of service. Which it can. Finally we must have unified action. Educational radio people need to cooperate for effective effort to share information and knowledge and know how to engage in common promotional activities. In research undertakings in personnel recruitment and training to build the fraternity of practitioners with the specialized skills and standards and understandings necessary to develop the best uses a radio in the service of education. And of course not too surprisingly I suggest that the way to do this. Is to build up the new radio station division of the NEA be and to support a strong professional association of educational broadcasters. It seems to me that educational institutions now have an effective mechanism through their membership in any R

to enhance and strengthen their efforts and discharge their responsibilities as licensees. And radio people as individuals with careers and educational broadcasting. Also have a mechanism through the individual member division to foster their personal growth and capability and advance educational broadcasting as a profession. You know each of you. Has a dual responsibility and obligation as a staff member concerned with advancing the interest of your institution in radio and as an individual concerned. With advancing your personal growth. And the status of the art and the total profession. I am proud of the accomplishments of the NDR in the short time that it's been fully organized and staffed. It seems to me it's come a far piece. In a very short time. The strengthening of the network operation the production of special programs series by means of grant funds. The involvement the

educational communication system project the development of a new newsletter and many other things. These and other accomplishments which you have achieved through your support of any R and any b over reported in greater detail during your sessions this afternoon but I submit that they add up to a record in this initial year of the new organization of substantial accomplishment and portents of still greater achievement ahead. And in all this I wish you well. Thank you thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We have one scheduling. Change here because of a conflict so that instead of going from the Great White Father. Down through the ranks to the chief rain in the face. We'll. Give rain in the face a few clouds. A little later on. And turn next to the Blue skies over Washington. Jim fellows

as you all know. Has been with the NABC now for. Four years is that correct Jim. It just seems like far in terms of Jim's effectiveness. It really seems like 40 I don't know how many hats he wears at the moment but I know with two official ones. The formal one of course is his recent assignment. As assistant to the N.A. be president. And on top of that and almost simultaneously. With the development of any R. And my changing hats over from Project Director of the C.S. to any R.. We've been very fortunate indeed to have as Jim's first special assignment as assistant to Bill Harley. We have Jim fellows act as D.C.'s project director and we've asked him. To give us a brief progress report on a C S where it is and where we hope it will be taking us. Jim. Matter of hats I mean it's just wearing as many as I can get I noticed under the blue skies or the gray skies

of. Of Austin and the bright lights of the Commodore Perry washrooms and I'm getting some gray hairs already so the hat matter is not exactly relevant. I'd like to review briefly the purposes of the educational communication system project since some of you may not have heard about it. The. The effort we're making now is to. Study whether in fact as we think in theory it is desirable on the part of history to sions of higher education to interconnect themselves for purposes of into institutional cooperation. One of which would be the obvious one that are often particularly concerned about it has to do with educational radio networking. JERRY And Ted Conant in the early months of the study. Did a great deal of preliminary work and developed the basis for a survey. Which John Witherspoon and I are now undertaking. At this point the survey of institutions of higher education is being conducted to determine as our contract reads the

educational problems now confronted by these institutions. This aspect of the surveys conducted by means of personal interviews between Mr. Witherspoon and me and persons at selected institutions about 50 others. Of Higher Education at the level of vice president for academic affairs provost deans of instruction deans of faculty. The reason for this is that we feel that the person at this level is not only a good man from whom to find what particular examples of enter institutional cooperation the ecology university is currently engaged in. But is a particularly good person at a good level to whom we can relate it to which we can return and we wish to pursue this more in terms of feasibility in the actual establishment of some kind of demonstration system. And hopefully beyond that a more permanent system. The interview was based on a short schedule of questions that form the basis for a discussion of the needs and problems. Well there was some thought originally that we should pull another questionnaire. I think everybody here has received enough questionnaires to realize the undesirability of that particularly.

In light of the fact that we were asking about something that most people are very familiar with and in a context which they probably were not very experienced. I think John Witherspoon probably put it pretty well when he said. That asking a dean of faculty is how he might like a nice educational communication system is somewhat like somebody coming to us and saying Have a nice laser for your bathroom. You know you just have nothing to go on and you need more than that so we've we've discarded the idea of a questionnaire and of gone on to the personal interview arrangement. Accordingly the interviews were undertaken and I think John and I were about 50 percent done now both of us arrived in Austin after about two weeks of travelling around the country. In most cases we have not only contacted the person at the level indicated but we also talked with the Radio-TV. People on the campus and also with people in the library system and sometimes in the computer center and so

on since these are all all aspects of the broad spectrum of educational communications. The second aspect of the survey is to determine what efforts have already been made to share resources on a systematic basis among educational institutions and to this and to discover the extent of existing relevant interconnected systems. These matters will be taken up by her by means of a system of reports that will and will be included in our general report. That have been requested from persons and organizations with experience in these areas. They are being developed with particular reference to the educational needs and problems for which the interconnection system was created. I think the result of collecting these reports will be a complete digest of experience to date in meeting educational objectives with electronic interconnection of facilities and resources. The further aspect of the survey is to elicit from several consultants the needs they foresee for an instantaneous system for sharing resources in the professional disciplines with which they are most familiar. Medicine forestry and other specialized fields are believed to have considerable amount

of interest a need for this kind of approach. We as I said are about 50 percent finished now with the interviews we have roughly two months to complete a report on this and to develop a proposal which will call for a study of the feasibility of whether our system might be set up in. The office of education is particularly attached at this point in knowing to what extent this is desired by educational institutions. What has already been done but we already know about it and from that will take off on some kind of feasibility study hopefully and beyond that an effective demonstration of educational communication system. I think if there are any questions when you get to that point I'm sure that John will be in a position to answer them since we work very closely on this NIE phylogenies for having to interrupt the protocol and come in at this time. Thank you. It seems to me that we have just heard. A loud crash of thunder and that means

that the next order of business is the big noise from Urbana. Bob Underwood as manager of the NPR network. I think has a message of. Very glad tidings to share with us. And. We are looking forward very much to it because it's going to help answer one of the basic questions that is in everyone's mind. What is any art doing. And what kind of tangible benefits can you. As a radio station manager a program director. Not only expect to receive. But what kinds of arguments can you begin to have to take to your administration. And one of the things that we're going to try to do in the next four reports. Is to suggest both broadly and specifically. Some of this outlining of the tangible benefits and the things we hope we can

help you do on your own campus and in your own stations and within your own administration. So let's begin with a very specific program service something that is of great concern. And of. I have great importance to virtually everybody in any art. It is the oldest member really of the educational radio. Movements within any bay in terms of a specific service. Bob are you ready. Big noise from our back. Yard. What are you people would like to imagine with me for a couple seconds. Why the need for individual. Like it was up. To me so I was saying.

Like do you to imagine with me what it's like to be the. Well I was the sixteenth speaker of the day. And now I guess I'm about the fourteenth. Confront him with the fact that. As this moves along I am still expected and now those poor souls that have to follow me are expected to exude some boundless enthusiasm. To inspire the audience with some sort of startling or unusual or surprising message. I consider myself first lucky to be awake and secondly lucky to have any audience about this time of the day. And if you've thought about this at all. I think you'll agree that my in quotes message. Is neither startling nor unusual. Nor surprising. Simply this. That now this moment this quarter. The NE our network is offering to its affiliates. Finest program package available to

them from any single source. It's in here. This is it. If you want it we got it. If we don't have it here we have it in our catalog of past series. And if you don't have a copy of this offering I have some with me. You may write to me at the network office in Urbana. Well son one up to you. We won't send you a catalog unless you send us $2. Now there's every reason to believe. That the next package on for the first quarter of 65 be just as if not more impressive than this one. And when I say impressive not referring merely to the size of the thing. Our offerings are designed to present what is called in some circles a substantial material or solid stuff as Jerry would say in showbiz. I'm not going to go through this thing in detail. I think most of you are familiar with it. I like to call your attention to the new emphasis being

placed on specials. Particularly to specials dealing with timely subjects and I'd just like to mention a couple of them. One is the campaign issues pro and con series a series of 10 quarter hour shows designed for broadcast across the board. During these two weeks preceding the election. Another one is a forthcoming show the news from Dallas. News from Dallas was you couldn't get out of it I understand. And our one shop designed for use primarily on November 22nd or any time they're around. Now this latter program is not a rehash of the Warren Report. It's using different type of material. It's something different. And by nature I'm not inclined to go into ecstasies about these things and the type of raw material that's been gathered and so forth. But I have heard some of this raw material and I'm convinced that it's pretty good and I think you're going to think it's good too. As Jerry

says we're going to have a winner. And I say if it ever gets produced we're going to have a winner. And although I meant that as a good natured haha jibe at the producer. There's a point here. This program is yet to be produced. And yet I'm talking about distributing it so that you can have it any time after November 15th for broadcast. Now a couple of years ago this procedure would have been inconceivable. And I know I've lost more hair than I have. If someone had told me that. We are entering this era of timely programs and constantly exploring new avenues to expedite duplication and distribution such program material. However in doing this I think we have to guard against the temptation that having found out how to expedite timely material we abandon our traditional emphasis on enrichment programs of a non timely nature to devote full attention to current affairs programming. A balance has to be struck

here and I think we'll find it. As a matter of fact we have to find it because both areas are of vital importance. Briefly and another cause for some joy I believe. Is the quality of the in school offerings included in this current package. And again if you would like a copy please feel free to write to me. I think of the caliber of these programs at least the ones I've heard. And the interest they are gaining among the affiliates indicates that perhaps we are entering a new era in this field. It's a very difficult area in which to program on a national scale. And perhaps in previous years it has not received the attention it deserves. Since school stations for about 25 percent of the Network membership believe there is a great need for us to give a greater share of our time our attention to their needs. I believe Mr. Chairman that the 16th 17th and 18th speakers are beginning to

squirm. And since there will be time for discussion later I'll close this off now. But since September 1 1964 I've noticed a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth about cos you know how can I afford this. I suggest that if you look at this package. Consider the amount and variety of the material available. Then do a little simple arithmetic and determine your per hour cost to get this. And then examine your conscience. And if you are an educational broadcaster on the air to do a job the question you should have at the end of your meditation is not how can I afford it. But how can I afford not to have it. Thank you very much. Thank you Bob. Now we're going to deal with another

specific aspect of. Our problems. Namely. Membership and fees. And so without any further ado this calls for thunder out of the West. Here's a man who was wearing. Two very specific cats. Financially. NPR is able to have him as associate director because he C.S. is able to underwrite a good part of his existence now both on the road and at home. John Witherspoon thunder out of the West Bank. Thanks. For the plug and I sit down that's the true test of this whole business. I'd like to address myself to just a couple of areas and then probably the most constructive way to go about this business of untangling any misunderstandings and what not and clarifying the general structure of things probably will take place in the discussion period. In addition to discussing this business of

membership and fees and things like this part of my mission for today is to touch lightly on. Research in addition to the CSO which Jim fellows has already introduced. Those of you who are at the NSA are NDE A. Meeting yesterday afternoon. You'll recall that Jerry spent a fair amount of time reviewing a program which national education radio is developing. That will get at some of these areas that Bill Harley mentioned earlier. Your staff concurs with Bill in this regard and has begun substantial work in the general area of research already. For those of you who were not at Jerry session yesterday let me say that we're addressing ourselves very broadly to three major questions and I'm not trippin I'm not saying these are three studies. These are three major questions which it will take a whole series of studies to untangle. First. What is the nature of

radio as a medium of educational social cultural communication and the milieu of America today. This is a broad question has many areas to it and in some of these areas include the following. The ways in which radio engages a listener's attention. The effect of specific cues or carefully selected cues or even the lacks of cues. Lots of things here that we don't know anything about which have specific import for both instructional and non instructional broadcast. Second the application of this information in designing a rhetoric of the medium and the use of this knowledge in designing specific programs for specific purposes. The techniques of radio utilization in a variety of situations. The use of radio in conjunction with other media. You'll recall also that Bill was warning us about over parochialism and I think that this is something that we need to investigate as others in the field of academic research are investigating this area. A second

major question which we are. Giving much attention to is this. Given education radios present status as a starting point. What role should noncommercial educational radio have in our country today. This is obviously a very broad think peace kind of thing but the fundamentals behind it is not as philosophical as very practical. Among the things we need to find out for example is simply who we all are. And there is no such thing as a really complete inventory of the educational radio stations of the United States for example including who staffs them how much they spend on them what the objectives of the stations are and where they eat where they think they want to go. Beyond this and building with this as a base. We want to work toward. The more philosophical implications behind this with the involvement of.

Not only ourselves. But leading thinkers of our own day. The third broad question the potential of the radio broadcast spectrum for noncommercial educational development and here we refer to the study which has been in the talking stage for some time. A computer study on the F and allocations table. One of the things which we're specifically concerned about when it comes to this business of educational radio in the United States is its implications for instruction. And in implementing some of these questions which I introduced you to briefly. One of the things we want to do. Is to develop. A long careful study. Which would examine the present state of instruction by radio. Would identify specific research questions on the nature of radio as an instrument of instruction. And finally formulate a plan for the orderly integrated

study of these questions. In this. The careful involvement of people who are involved in instructional radio as well as others involved in instruction more broadly curriculum people administrators will be carefully and thoroughly sought. Now this as I say provides an overview of our general approach to this business of educational radio research. These with a couple of exceptions which I've noted along the line don't represent specific studies but specific sets of studies so to speak. Let me give you for now then shifting gears from research to the general status of membership and the situation with fees and all this kind of business. National Education radio as of today. As one hundred twenty six members.

As one would expect following a fee which I think you will agree is modest but nonetheless substantial in the context of many of our budgets. A few people have dropped by the wayside while others have joined. We have a net loss. In numbers including both the network and the network members at this point of about 10. Generally speaking. Their response to the summaries memorandum from Jack followed by the material which we sent as of the 1st of September followed by bills. Has been. Quite encouraging. There have been many questions of course. After all one doesn't go into a thing like this without. Raising very legitimate questions and of course there have been plenty and I'm sure there'll be more today. But the research nattered be the response nationally has been very constructive. Very wholesome and I might say very favorable to

the development of your organization. I think perhaps the best way to you to develop any questions that you may have on the structure of things on the day and the future development of things will be to wait for a question period where you can ask specifically what you want to know. For right now let me merely point out in passing. That. One of the things that needs to be done if we're going to implement an organization like this is for its members to take part as fully as possible. Both in the. Continuing discussion on policy the continuing discussion on where we ought to be going. The continuing discussion on. Educational radio as a medium in this country. And. Last but not least my continuing payment of dues. Thank you very much. Let the record show that in this Palau the last drive that upon the

statement payment of the due there was a round of applause.