Now Hear This

Tailored suits, private clubs, personal computers. What is left for the successful, and busy, business executive? How about customized news? Now, instead of having to sit through yet another quiche recipe before hearing the latest business news, executives can program their radios to zero in on only those items that they want to hear.

The service, called DowAlert, transmits spot business news, market reports, scheduled news summaries and other features via satellite to major FM stations around the country. The reports are relayed by a coded signal to a specially designed home or office radio. Subscribers can program their units to play news items about a specific company, industry or subject. The radio automatically crackles to life when information about a selected item is transmitted, and then falls silent. Most bulletins last 60 sec. or less. DowAlert, which is initially being marketed in Boston and Philadelphia, will cost $50 a month, after a $150 installation fee.

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