NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

FOURTH ZONE HANLEY SEES BUSINESS UPTURN Total ± Quota due State Due Assign. ± Units ±% Ill . . 22.52 33.31 +10.79 + 48 Mo . . 10.71 12.00 + 1.29 + 12 Ind . . 9.56 7.87 — 1.69 — 18 Wise . . 8.67 7.99 — 0.68 — 8 Minn . . 7.57 9.03 + 1.46 + 19 Iowa . . 7.30 11.60 + 4.30 + 59 Kans . . 5.55 6.05 + 0.50 + 9 Nebr . . 4.06 7.36 + 3.30 + 81 S. Dak. . . . . 2.05 2.97 + 0.92 + 45 N. Dak. . . . . 2.01 2.99 + 0.98 + 49 Total . . 80.00 101.17 +21.17 + 26 FIFTH ZONE Calif . . 36.86 38.06 + 1.20 + 3 Wash . . 10.15 15.59 + 5.44 + 54 Colo . . 6.72 9.24 + 2.52 + 38 Ore . . 6.19 9.22 + 3.03 + 49 Mont . . 3.49 3.85 + 0.36 + io Utah . . 3.30 6.60 + 3.30 + 100 Idaho . . . . . 2.89 3.00 + 0.11 + 4 Ariz . . 2.83 2.66 — 0.17 — 6 N. Mex. . . . 2.75 4.03 + 1.28 + 47 Hawaii . . . . 2.39 1.94 — 0.45 — 19 Wyo . . 1.46 0.60 — 0.86 — 59 Nev . . 0.59 0.70 + 0.11 + 19 Alaska . . . . . 0.38 0.68 + 0.30 + 79 Total . . 80.00 96.17 + 16.17 + 20 WIRED RADIO TEST CASE The Federal Radio Commission, in conjunction with the Depart¬ ment of Justice, this week was successful in prosecuting the case of the U. S. v. Norman Cohen, who was indicted for operating a radio station without a station license at Bridgeport, Conn. The Defendant contended that he was operating his station by wired radio and therefore no license was required from the Federal Radio Commission. He further contended that the signals from his transmitting equipment were emitted through the power lines in the city of Bridgeport; from there were received at receiving stations that were connected with these power lines, and, there¬ fore, the system was not a radio station as defined in the Radio Act. The Government contended that this transmitting equipment acted as a radio station and emitted signals through the air as any other station, which signals were picked up by receiving sets con¬ nected with ordinary antennas. To prove this point, the Commis¬ sion presented evidence showing that the station was heard in the state of Connecticut by regular receiving sets with antennas at¬ tached, and when the antennas were disconnected no signals were received from the station. In addition to this, the Government showed by agents of the Federal Radio Commission, that the signals were received in the state of New York upon an isolated receiving set not connected with power wires used by the trans¬ mitting station, thereby proving that no connection was necessary with the wire lines as contended by the defendant. The Commission contended and proved by experts that the system used by Cohen was not really a Wired Radio system but an ordinary radio station. The jury rendered the verdict of guilty on two counts, the first being the operation of the station without an operator’s license, and the second the operation of the station without a station license. Judge Fincks, who heard the case, fined the defendant $25 after a plea of leniency by his counsel. This case is the first one coming up in which the question of wired radio has been involved, and has a very important bearing upon further operation of stations of this kind. After conferences with licensees of radio broadcasting stations in Illinois and Wisconsin, held recently in Chicago, Commissioner James H. Hanley, of the Fourth Radio Zone, is convinced that there is a healthy up-turn in business. He found the station licensees most optimistic over the trade outlook. He added: “They are most militant in their demands for more time and more power, so as to increase their service areas. They are con¬ vinced that we are on the verge of a big trade revival and they are anxious to be prepared to take care of expected increased demands for radio facilities on the part of manufacturers and dis¬ tributors of the necessities and luxuries of life.” While sympathetic to their pleas, Commissioner Hanley pointed out that unless and until radio engineers provided more radio channels for use in the United States, it is physically impossible to grant their requests. Commissioner Hanley received many complaints while in the Middlewest regarding the broadcasts from Dr. John R. Brinkley’s station now located in Mexico. “The people resent having reception from their favorite stations in the United States spoiled by interference from a station ruled off the air by the Radio Commission. I told the protestants that while I was not a member of the Commission when Brinkley, Rev. Bob Shuler, and Norman Baker were taken off the air, I am in thorough sympathy with that action, which was upheld by the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia. I am also glad that W. K. Henderson is going off the air as many of his broad¬ casts were intemperate and created unhealthy agitation. “Progress is being made through diplomatic channels in clearing up the intolerable interference to our stations caused by stations established in Mexico by discredited broadcasters from this country. The American delegation, headed by Judge E. O. Sykes, chairman of the Commission, laid the foundation for an amicable adjustment. As a respected and reputable nation, Mexico, when she learns all the facts, will no longer offer succor and a refuge to such outlaws.” A NEW “HIGH” IN RADIO TOWERS A wooden radio tower, the highest ever attempted, 624 feet high, is at present under construction for government account at Koblenz, Germany, according to information received by Axel H. Oxholm, Chief of the Lumber and Paper Division of the Depart¬ ment of Commerce. The German Government after diligent in¬ vestigation decided to use American Southern pine in this structure and in this manner a new outlet for American lumber is found in Europe. RADIO EMPLOYMENT UP AGAIN Reports to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor, from 42 radio manufacturers gave their July employment at 22,730. This was an increase of 2.1 per cent over June and of 50.6 per cent over July of last year. Average weekly payrolls in July in these same plants was $335,461 a decrease of 14.9 per cent compared with June but an increase of 16.5 per cent compared with July of last year. MORE BOOTLEG SETS The Czechoslovakian Posts and Telegraphs has issued a state¬ ment that an indemnity will be paid to all persons who should discover and denounce a clandestine receiving set to the Admin¬ istration. This is in an effort both to wipe out bootleg sets and to combat the gathering of groups of radicals with secret receiving sets wherebv they are enabled to listen to programs enamating from Russia. LOTTERIES INCREASE ITALIAN LISTENERS A marked increase in the number of listeners has been reported by the Italian broadcasting authorities and has been attributed by them to the use of lotteries. All listeners subscribing to the broadcasting service of the country are given tickets, from which winning numbers for 15 prizes are drawn. Italian broadcasting is maintained by a private monopoly conducted under government supervision. • Page 1 84 ■