Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Brinkley's XER is Authorized To Use 500,000 Watts Power Mexican Action Threatens Serious Interference ; Protest is Filed With State Department PORTENDING serious interference to at least a half dozen clear channel stations in the United States and several in Canada, the Mexican government has authorized XER, at Villa Acuna, across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to increase its power from 75 to 500 kw., which will make it the most powerful station in the world. Simultaneously, XER was granted the right to operate alternately on the mid-channels of 735 and 655 kc, both between clear channels used by American and Canadian stations. News of the action, first obtained exclusively by Broadcasting, was immediately communicated to the U. S. stations principally involved on Oct. 7. Repercussions came at once, and on Oct. 8 a formal protest was filed with Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson through the NAB. The communication, bearing the signature of Philip G. Loucks, NAB managing director, was delivered at the State Department by Arthur W. Scharfeld, radio attorney representing several of the stations which would be seriously damaged if the station increased its power to 500 kw. Revealed by Diplomat OFFICIAL advices telling of the grants were transmitted to the State Department by Reuben Clark, American Ambassador at Mexico City, Broadcasting learned. While the authorizations were given a Mexican corporation operating the station, it is generally believed that Dr. John R. Brinkley, of Milford, Kans., former operator of KFKB (now KFBI), controls the station through a dummy Mexican corporation and that he was behind the move for the tremendous increase in power. Dr. Brinkley, who was ruled from the air by the Radio Commission more than a year ago because of his medical broadcasts, which were considered inimical to public health, built XER close to the international border so he could carry on his radio activities. He is now a candidate for governor of Kansas and is conducting most of his campaign over XER. The protest requested the Department to take whatever steps are necessary to maintain the status quo with respect to the assignment of frequencies, increases in power and new construction of stations in Mexico so as not to prejudice a future solution of the problem. It pointed out that matters under consideration at the International Radio Conference now in progress at Madrid should furnish the basis of the solution. Conference Asked "THE CONSTRUCTION and operation of this station with such super-power will destroy the effective service to the publ'c now being rendered by many stations of all classifications licensed by the United States Government", the letter said. An immediate conference with State Department officials, at which an NAB committee presented its case orally, was held Oct. 13. The NAB Committee consisted of Frank M. Russell, NBC Washington vice president, H. C. Butcher, CBS Washington director, and Messrs. Loucks and Scharfeld. Since last December, XER has been operating on 735 kc. with a licensed power of 75 kw. The station is heard over a wide area of the country and has already caused serious interference with stations on adjacent channels. Only 5 kilocycles has separated it from WSB, Atlanta, operating on 740 with 5 kw., and from CKAC, Montreal, on 730 with 5 kw. At various times, other stations on neighboring waves have suffered blanketing effects. Greater Interference Seen WITH 500 kw. and operating on 655 kc. as well as 735 kc, even more serious interference will occur. On 660 kc. only five kilocycles away from the new mid-channel assigned XER, is WEAF, key of the Red network in New Yor1Five kilocycles away on 650 kc. is WSM, Nashville. Both of these stations use 50 kw. While there never have been any practical operating tests of stations of the order of 500 kw. in the regular broadcast band during regular program hours, engineers are agreed that stations only five kilocycles away would suffer serious interference. Stations 15 kc. (Continued on page 2U) Mr. Charlesworth WITH the appointment of Hector Charlesworth, dramatic critic and editor, as chairman of the Radio Commission which will nationalize broadcasting in Canada, the Dominion government is redoubling its effort to collect the $2 annual license fee on receiving sets. Mr. Charlesworth for many years has been editor of the Toronto Saturday Night. The other two commissioners appointed are Thomas Maher, of Quebec, an editor, and Lieut. Col. W. A. Steel, of Ottawa, a government radio engineer. The Commission will be assisted by Gladstone Murray, Canadian-born vice president of the British Broadcasting Corp. The Canadian radio law makes it compulsory for listeners to have licenses. Hitherto administered with laxity, it is now being enforced through local dealers, who can sell the licenses to new set buyers and earn a commission of 15 cents of the transaction. Service men also are required to see licenses when repairing sets. The penalty for failure to pay the tax is $50 or three month's in prison. Solution of Continental Wave Tangle Urged As Mexico Grants Super Power Treaty of North American Nations Held Essential; Mexican Stations Built to Cater to U. S. Advertisers, Lawyer Says By ARTHUR W. SCHARFELD* DEVELOPMENTS within the past week bring us face to face with the problem which has long been the bane of the Federal Radio Commission, the State Department and the broadcasting industry. Official press communications published in many of the country's newspapers last Friday stated that our neighbor to the South was again exercising its sovereign rights and authorizing the use of super power for broadcasting stations located just across the Rio Grande. In this particular instance the power to be used is 500,000 watts — more than any other licensed broadcast station in the world — and the frequency selected is situated between two United States clear channel stations whose service will be prac ♦Address before the Committee on Communications, American Bar Association, in Washington, on Oct. 10. tically ruined if and when the new station is constructed and put in operation. The absence of any treaty or agreement to prevent such a situation has placed broadcasters in this country in a helpless condition so far as appealing: for relief is concerned. The Radio Commission obviously has no power to control or prescribe restrictions for broadcasting stations located on foreign soil. The most that it can do is to make regulations under Sec. 4 of the Radio Act of 1927 for the prevention of interference between domestic stations. Moreover, when its attention is called to external conditions causing havoc with the broadcasting structure which it has set up after several years of arduous effort, it can only submit the information to the Secretary of State for such action as he may deem proper or necessary. This has usually meant nothing more {Continued on page 26) Commission Candidacy List Grows as Hooven Persists in Postponemen TWO MORE candidates for th fourth zone commissionership va cated by Chairman Charles McK Saltzman three months ago, hav been advanced for that post a President Hoover continues to all low the appointment to lag. The; are Prof. J. C. Jensen, of Nebrask; Wesleyan University, understock to carry the endorsement of th educational radio group oppose* to commercial broadcasting, an< L. A. Lippett, of Glenwood, la Both names were presented b; Senator Nye, (Rep.) of Norti Dakota. The conviction is growing, despite denials at the White House that President Hoover does not in tend to fill the Saltzman post unti after the elections in Novembei if at all. Republican leaders evi dently feel that little could b gained politically by making a. appointment now, since there ar exactly nine candidates. Namin; of a successor probably woulmean that the other candidate and their supporters would becom disgruntled. White House officials, howevei do not deny that the Presiden may have in mind reducing th Commission personnel from five t three as an economy measure That is taken to mean that th next expiration of membershi; would not be filled and that th fourth zone post will be permitte< to lapse. Vice Chairman E. C Sykes, representing the third zone ends his term on Feb. 23. John M. Henry, manager o KOIL, Council Bluffs, Omaha first mentioned several weeks age has been endorsed by Secretar, of War Hurley. Other candidate include William S. Hedges, man ager, WMAQ, Chicago; James W Baldwin, Secretary of the Commis sion; Robert D. Heinl, of Indians dean of Washington radio new correspondents; Earl Fergusor Shenandoah, la., attorney; Joh: S. Boyd, Chicago attorney, an< Michael Ert, of Milwaukee, forme president of the National Federa tion of Radio Associations. KSO to Des Moines REMOVAL of KSO from Clarind; to Des Moines, la., has beei authorized by the Radio Commis sion after a long battle by th Des Moines Register & Tribuni for a station in its city. Sustain ing Chief Examiner Yost (Repor No. 39$), the Commission founc there was need for a local servio in Des Moines and that the mov< would enable the station to rende service to a far greater populatioi than at Clarinda. The Commis sion still has pending before it thi application of WMT, Waterloo, fo: authority to remove to Des Moines WMT is a regional station. WAPI Buys WODX WODX, Mobile, Ala., has beei purchased by the interests operat ing WAPI, Birmingham, headed b?, W. O. Pape, president. Page 6 BROADCASTING • October 15, 1931