Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Opposes Widening Broadcast Band {Continued from page 9) be duplicated almost word for word from the files of the Federal Radio Commission in correspondence between state officials in "underserved" areas and the engineering division, with reference to finding a frequency to give service to farmers in remote areas unable to receive distant programs over their crystal receiving sets. Simply speaking, Lithuania feels that she is "under-quota," in that she was not given an assignment at the time of the reallocation which took place by agreement at Prague in 1929 and at which she was not represented. Quota System as Solution A SIMILAR analogy might be found in the complaint of Morocco that she has had additional stations assigned to her frequency without notice and hearing. The trouble in Europe is that countries having very small areas, are independent both politically and culturally and yet dependent from the standpoint of radio interference; that each country will of course insist upon a maximum of facilities; that fear of radio propaganda is rife; that language differences compel duplication of service; that there is no way of centralizing control or preventing what would happen if we had 48 radio commissions in this country. What Europe thinks it needs is a quota system, and possibly the solution of the European problem is to devise some method of making General Orders 40, 92 and 102 internationally effective. In view of the very far-reaching consequences that might result should the International Broadcasting Union proposal become effective on the North American continent, it is well to determine what effects upon American broadcasting enterprises might result from accepting the proposal. The broadcasting industry has been treated to years of consideration as to the technical possibilities of duplicating or increasing service and as to the legal rights involved, but there has been an unwillingness to give proper consideration to the economic side of broadcasting and a stubborn refusal to give that economic side administrative recognition. We hear much about the "underquota" condition of many areas, but we overlook the fact that the underquota condition has been brought about by natural causes and was economically inevitable. Economics Held Key THE MAJORITY of American broadcasting stations are located where they are for economic reasons. With few exceptions, our stations must support themselves, hence they must be located where revenue is available, hence we have congestion of radio stations in large cities and sparsity of service in many rural areas. For example, western Nevada and southern Utah are not adequately served and might well require a highpower station, but a high power station there could not be selfsupporting, so an applicant for such could not be found, whereas for cities such as Los Angeles, Boston and Cleveland, there is a constant stream of new applications. If 30 additional low frequencies become available, they would never be required by Mexico and Cuba, but a few of them could be used. The balance would be turned loose for the establishment of additional facilities within the United States. And it is illusory to imagine that Mexico could be contented with these new frequencies rather than frequencies within the present broadcasting band, 550-1500 kc. Mexicans would not be the more willing to buy new apparatus or new attachments for their existing receiving sets. Moreover, the lower frequencies being less useful in areas where static prevails, would not be acceptable to Mexico. We should be compelled to shift some of our own stations into the new low frequencies in negotiation with any of our sister countries on this continent. Results of Crowdings THE EXPERIENCES of American broadcasters have not been pleasant. From 1926 until the Radio Commission was established, and even for some time after the establishment of that Commission, there was a rush into the broadcasting business that paralleled the rush to the Yukon. From all walks of life and with all degrees of lack of experience and lack of business judgment men rushed to this enterprise, to make fabulous wealth. The results have been: inordinate competition between stations in the same locality, unsatisfactory conditions of program competition, fighting over listener interest, ridiculous claims of coverage and popularity, low standards of ethics, concentration of facilities and undue stimulation of the demands of special interests. The financial returns of broadcasting have frequently been disproportionate to the character of service rendered so that the industry has been subject to the most vicious and unwarranted attacks. The current depression may some day be regarded as the saving of the broadcasting business, because it has pulled short the scrambling period of broadcast development. It has compelled a measure of cooperation among stations, an elevation of standards and a definition of coverage. It may bring about a substantial base upon which broadcasting can pass into the classification of a sound enterprise based upon reasonable anticipation of revenue. More Security Foreseen WE ARE entering into the period when broadcasting stations are to become safer from attack, when there are to be fewer hearings, less moving of stations from unprofitable areas into cities, there only to compete with existing services that are themselves havine; difficulty. Possibly the most important recent development has been the end of the so-called "general reallocation" because of certain decisions of the courts, and the impracticability of making such general reallocations from a technical (Continued on page 30) Face to face with listeners . . on eqnal terms! As friends should ever be" IN a recent issue, "Radio Guide," in reviewing the booklet "Behind the Scenes at WLS," says: "On the other side of the ledger we have entered the little pamphlet entitled 'Behind the Scenes at WLS.' Every page seems to breathe the spirit of WLS, that informal, cheery, 'make yourself at home' spirit that has made the station so popular in the middle west. It seems that everything that comes from WLS is characteristic of the station. And the reason is this: the personnel of WLS, from the owner down to the publicity director, are just 'folks.' They're not trying to reform their listeners ; they have no brief with the world as it is; they're not high-brow; they have no purpose except to entertain and to instruct only when instruction is wanted. WLS never finds it necessary to come down to its audience, nor does it seek to lift its audience to a higher.plane. The station and its listeners stand face to face, on equal terms, as friends should ever be." This sincere tribute portrays better than anything we could say the character of WLS and the program standards we are endeavoring to maintain. We feel it explains, in part, our vast listening audience and their ready re sponse to WLS advertisers. WLS The Prairie Farmer Station Burridge D. Butler, Pres. Glenn Snyder, Mgr. Main Studios and Office: 1230 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, 111. 50,000 WATTS 870 KILOCYCLES August 15, 1932 • BROADCASTING 50,000 Waits 870 Kilocycles CJeai9 Channel