Broadcasters’ news bulletin (June-Dec 1931)

Alienist 29, 1931 COLUMBIA SEEKS BOOSTER STATION Application to the Federal Radio Commission for permission to operate an ex¬ perimental, 250-watt "hooster" station in Washington, D. C. to carry on synchron¬ ization for 1? hours daily the programs of WABC , the Columbia Broadcasting System's key station in New York City, was anno\mced today by William S. Paley, president of the coast-to-coast network, "We are hopeful," Mr. Paley said, "that the Federal Radio Commission will agree with us that a real service to Washington and the nation can be given under the arrangement we propose. At the seme time we believe this drastic experiment will mark an advance for the radio broadcasting industry as a whole, demonstrat¬ ing the possibilities of synchronization to a degree never before attempted. In selecting Washington as the scene of our experiment we have been guided by our belief that the Nation's Capital is entitled tofull and complete access to Colum¬ bia programs in their entirety." If the Columbia application is granted, it v/as explained, station WMiAL in V/ashington will continue its affiliation with the Columbia Broadcasting System probably for several months after the expiration of its present contract Novem¬ ber 11, 1931. It was estimated that the construction would require at least 90 days after Commission approval is obtained. Mr. M. A. Leese, owner of radio station ^TMAL, said that the relationship between his station end Columbia remains extremely cordial. The technical aspect of the proposed change in Columbia's Washington facili¬ ties was explained in detail in' uho application filed with the Commission, It ’,vas revealed that the proposed change is, in a large measure, an important exper¬ iment and a forward step in broadcasting. For the first time, the application said, an attempt to employ an antenna designed to suppress "the high-angle skywave" will be made. In past synchronization attempts, the application said, "it is generally -understood that the high-angle sky-wpve has caused unsatisfactory reception in certain areas and has been a chief source of difficulty," "Since the sky-wave has caused most of the difficulty in synchronization tests," the application stated, "we believe that, with the 665-foot sky-wave-suppressing tower antenna soon to be under operation with 50 kilov;atts by WABC, and with which the proposed 250-watt 'booster' in Wp^shington would be synchronized by wire line, we would bo able to develop important information on synchronization and to render unusual program service to Washington and vicinity without inter¬ fering with the normal, rural service of WABC. In addition, the operation of the 'booster' would not cause interference with any existing stations. The ex¬ perimental operation herein proposed will produce extremely useful data, all of which would be made available to the Commission and its staff." CHIEF EXAMINER CRITICISED Excepting to the report of Chief Examiner Yost recommending denial of the ap¬ plication of Station V/JKS, Gary, Ind. for increased facilities, Mrs. Mabel Walker Willebrandt, former assistant attorney general, told the Commission that "Examiner Yost's recommendation should be disregarded." "His report," she charged, "is un¬ sound in law, muddled in its application of the Commission's orders, and biased and ■unfair in its statement of facts from the record."