Radio: Double Talk

Radio News, neither pulp, puff-sheet nor good red herring, is one of the Ziff-Davis group of magazines for mail-order scientists (Popular Aviation, Popular Photography, etc.). Managing Editor of Radio News is Karl Kopetzky, who prides himself on having learned journalism from Walter Winchell. During the early war days, Editor Kopetzky listened to Murrow in London, Grandin in Paris, Jordan in Berlin, etc., was struck with the costly time devoted by U. S. broadcasters to innocent prattle about London weather, etc. With the unfailing suspicion of a Winchell-bred newshawk, he dispatched an undercover man to get the inside story.

The November issue of Radio News tells more than all. According to Editor Kopetzky’s undercover man, Anonymous, much of the circumspect chatter from abroad has a double, secret, coded meaning, decipherable only by experts in the broadcasters’ listening posts.

Thus, writes Anonymous, the statement that the moon in Paris “sheds its glorious light here as in the States” is supposed to mean “An advance is planned for the morrow.” Other Anonymous decodings:

“Postal cards and letters from the children indicate that they are not only enjoying their country stay, but are healthy and well” (The latest air raid of the British was eminently successful, and all returned without the loss of a plane).

“Many of the actors are using their old costumes, such as we saw before the World War” (Colonial troops are being placed in the lines).

“In Berlin tonight, nothing has disturbed the placid beer halls” (Enemy air raiders have been over the city).

More piqued than panicked by Radio News’s doubletalk, U. S. broadcasters last week agreed that the less said about it the better. For the record, CBS’s busy News Chief Paul White commented: “So preposterous that it scarcely merits the dignity of an objection.”