NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

ment regulation ; third, government ownership. It was indicated that the tendency is toward the second. The report contains a vast amount of data relating to facilities and operations of the existing communications companies and an analysis of the problems confronting these companies. It contains reports on foreign companies and the services rendered by them, as well as a comparison with the service here and abroad. It was found that this country’s communication services are superior to those of other nations and suggests that private ownership holds more advantages to the public than government ownership. “In accordance with the request of the President, made last spring,” said Secretary Roper discussing the matter this week, “the Interdepartmental Communications Committee has completed a study of communications. The study was presented last Monday by the Secretary of Commerce to the President. “The report is an interesting study of the necessity for a more definite national policy as to regulations, supervised by a com¬ mission or by a federal departmental unit. “As to whether the objectives shall be put into the form of bills and submitted to the Congress at an early date will depend upon a conference yet to be had with the chairmen of the two appropriate committees of the Senate and the House. These chair¬ men are members of the Interdepartmental Communications Com¬ mittee, but are out of town and have not been communicated with about the study. We regard it as proper to confer with them in this matter, including legislative suggestions, before releasing the report of the committee. Certainly, as a courtesy to these impor¬ tant members of the committee, we should not announce the con¬ tents of the study in advance of their seeing it and getting their suggestions.” In answer to oral questions at a press conference, Secretary Roper said that the report was practically unanimous, that one member did not agree but he refused to name that one member of the com¬ mittee. He stated that it has been definitely decided by the Administration that if anything is done at all regarding the com¬ munications matter that it will be through legislation and not by executive order as had been contemplated at one time. The Com¬ munications Committee, he said, has not tried to draw any new bill to embody its ideas. After conferences with Senator Dill and Representative Rayburn it will be decided whether or not legislation will be proposed at the next session of Congress which convenes on January 3. It is the opinion of several informed persons that the Committee will be asked to make a study of the broadcasting field, but no official announcement to this effect has been forthcoming. Congress has given consideration to the possible unification of communications systems in the past, and several years ago extensive hearings were held upon a bill introduced by Senator Couzens, former chairman of the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee. This bill proposed the creation of a Communications Commission having jurisdiction over all telephone, telegraph, cable and radio communications, including broadcasting, and provided for con¬ solidation of the Radio Act of 1927, the communications provisions of the Interstate Commerce Act, and the Cable Landing Act. The bill was never acted upon by the Senate. The members of the committee making the report, including Senator Dill and Representative Rayburn, include: Secretary Roper, chairman; Dr. W. M. W. Splawn, adviser to the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce; Dr. Irvin Stewart, Depart¬ ment of State; Lt. Comdr. E. M. Webster, Coast Guard; Maj. Gen. Irving Carr, War Department ; Capt. S. C. Hooper, Navy Depart¬ ment ; Maj. Gen. Charles McK. Saltzman, Commerce Department; Dr. J. H. Dellinger, Bureau of Standards; and Herbert L. Pettey, Federal Radio Commission. RMA TELEVISION COMMITTEE RESOLUTION Bond Geddes, Executive Vice-President of the Radio Manufac¬ turers’ Association, this week transmitted to the Federal Radio Commission a resolution adopted by the RMA Television Com¬ mittee and of a special RMA Committee of Engineers. The resolu¬ tion follows: “RESOLVED, That a continuous band of frequencies from 40 megacycles to at least the neighborhood of 110 megacycles be re¬ served for television service, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the present indications are that television requirements of the future will be such that assignments in television band should be made on the basis of channels at least four megacycles wide, in order to provide continuously entertaining television service.” The report ignores the low-frequency television bands (between 2000 and 3000 kc.) WIBO EQUIPMENT SOLD The apparatus and property formerly used by WIBO will be sold at auction at 182 North Michigan Boulevard, Chicago, at 11 a. m., December 22, 1933. UNLICENSED STATION PROSECUTED The Federal Radio Commission this week announced that Charles L. Fower, Macon, Mo., was fined $50 on each of three counts by Judge Charles B. Davis of the Eastern Judicial District of Missouri. Fower pleaded guilty to three counts of an indictment charging violation of the Radio Act of 1927, in that he operated without a station license, without an operator’s license, and transmitted sig¬ nals from Missouri to Illinois without a station license. COMMISSION APPROVES WMCA CONTRACT The Federal Radio Commission has put its stamp of approval on the contract whereby Station WMCA, New York, has been leased for a period of years to the Federal Broadcasting Corpora¬ tion, of which Alfred E. Smith is Chairman of the Board. Before approving the lease the Commission assured itself that: “The power and control of the licensee over the programs broad¬ cast and all equipment usually incident to the operation of a station must not be limited by contract. Likewise the power, authority or control of the licensee over the employees engaged in the operation and management of a station should not be restricted.” The Commission made public the following correspondence re¬ garding this case: “November 3, 1933. Honorable Alfred E. Smith, Chairman, Federal Broadcasting Corp., 1697 Broadway, New York City. Dear Sir: The Commission has given consideration to the Agency Agree¬ ment between the Federal Broadcasting Corporation and Knicker¬ bocker Broadcasting Company, licensee of radio station WMCA, and is not clear as to the construction which should be placed upon some parts thereof. At this time the Commission will not discuss in detail the various provisions of the contract but desires to state its views briefly as to what powers must be retained by the licensee, as follows: The power and control of the licensee over the programs broad¬ cast and all equipment usually incident to the operation of a station must not be limited by contract. Likewise the power, au¬ thority or control of the licensee over the employees engaged in the operation and management of a station should not be restricted. If the contract which the Federal Broadcasting Corporation has submitted is not so construed by the parties thereto, then it does not meet with the Commission’s approval. Very truly yours, E. O. Sykes, Chairman.” “December 6, 1933. Hon. E. O. Sykes, Chairman, Federal Radio Commission, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: The views expressed in your letter of November 3, 1933, are consistent with the construction placed on the agreement under which this company supplies programs to station WMCA. May I • Page 256 •