Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1949)

PROBE Subcommittee Marks Time SPECTRUM GOVERNMENT agencies, queried on their individual communications needs by a Senate Interstate Commerce subcommittee to study spectrum space, had not replied last Wednesday as the 81st Congress adjourned for 1949. There were signs, meanwhile, that the communications subcommittee, headed by Sen. Ernest W. McFarland (D-Ariz.), may concentrate on the question of domestic and international records communications before delving specifically into the division of frequencies between private and government users. This was indicated last week when W. P. Marshall, president of Western Union Telegraph Co., in a letter to Sen. McFarland urged establishment of a single system of domestic and international record communications — under private management and with WU as the nucleus. Two-Forked Probe The subcommittee's two-forked inquiry, which would embrace allocation of precious frequencies for commercial broadcast (radio-TV) use as well as government operation of communications systems, has been under Congressional deliberation for some time. Sen. McFarland said the overall probe would be comprehensively undertaken sometime next January. Spokesmen indicated there would be little interim action until all replies have been sifted and weighed for study when Congress reconvenes. Letters were sent to various government departments: State Dept., Army, Navy Air Force, General Services Administration, and Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee [Broadcasting, Oct. 17]. Text of the queries and replies won't be disclosed until the latter have been thoroughly studied, Sen. McFarland said. Sen. McFarland told Broadcasting he felt frequencies could be better utilized than at present, and that there was need for greater "coordination" of facilities than now exists. He hinted that he felt many frequencies at the present were not being fully utilized with respect to government agencies, though he preferred to reserve judgment until the facts are in. Asked whether he felt FCC should be allotted more frequencies to fulfill its responsibilities to radio-television applicants, the Senator declined comment. Any recommendations will have to await a complete study of needs of the various agencies within the scope of the inquiry, he said, adding that the subcommittee will be guided similarly with respect to necessity for a hearing. Sen. McFarland had asserted: "Only in the U. S. do we have a free, privately-owned system. . . . In broadcasting, we have freedom of expression and opinion under a public licensing system; in the common carrier operation . . . we have privately owned operating INCREASED FCC activity in the investigation of Nevada stations' files is reported, giving further impetus to speculation that the Commission may be launching another probe into gambling beyond the broadcast of horseracing result information [Closed Circuit, Oct. 10]. KWRN (AM-FM) Reno told Broadcasting last week two FCC members, identified as Joseph Brenner, San Francisco regional counsel, and Robert Alford, of Washington, personally went through the continuity files of the four Reno stations. Similar action at the Las Vegas stations has been reported from time to time. companies. In neither case do we want the government's finger in the pie." He told Broadcasting the inquiry did not result from complaints that government services, particularly the military, were pre-empting spectrum space. "But we have had a feeling that frequencies could be better utilized than they are now and that the whole communications system should be reviewed toward that end. We're going to study this thing overall before we make any specific recommendations," he stated. Some authorities feel that many of the operations overlap among the military and other agencies where duplication could be avoided through better coordination. Each branch, however, prefers its own communications link and private priority, sometimes between two points covering approximately the same area, they point out. IRAC, which allocates frequen Merrill Inch, general manager of KWRN said, "They took from the files all copy from gambling clubs and declared that it was to be submitted to the Commission for a 'policy decision.' " Dilemma facing the Commission, if an inquiry is being made into the broadcast of advertising for gambling devices and gambling establishments, is the fact that gambling is legal under Nevada state law. FCC spokesmen in Washington disavow knowledge of any "policy orders" being issued from Washington but say if field reports are under preparation they can not be revealed when received from investigators. cies as between those for government use and those allotted FCC for private radio purposes, is expected to be a large factor in the inquiry. The committee makes its recommendations directly to President Truman. The probe is related in part to a three-ply investigation involving matters pertaining to international and domestic telegraph, telephone, and radio communications. It was authorized earlier this year by a Senate Resolution under the leadership of Sens. McFarland and Charles W. Tobey (R-N.H.), which also called for a study of FCC procedural practices. Sen. McFarland last summer conferred with officials of various communications companies (telegraph, etc.) looking toward that end. Examine Record Congressional probers indicated they would examine their relation to national security and international treaties and would legislate recommendations on the basis of their findings. Such findings are instrumental in helping legislators determine what policy to follow on overall allocations in view of always pressing demands for more frequencies. Mr. Marshall stated that WU, subject to FCC's determination of a fair rate, would purchase business of American Telephone and Telegraph Co. and others; that an integrated system of domestic communications would be developed with the national defense establishment ; that WU would offer to purchase international telegraph facilities of RCA Communications, American Cable and Radio Corp. and other carriers. He warned that if WU is compelled to merge with either the government or some competing form of service, "the only possible effective competition in the communications field will be destroyed." In his reply. Sen. McFarland said no company can successfully compete with the federal government and he felt that a merger of all types of communications would drive out competition in the communications field. RENO 'GAMBLING CLUB' COPY Inch Reports FCC Members Took Commercials from Files EXPOUNDING adage "that as long as people have ears, there will be a radio audience" is Allen Woodall, WDAK Columbus, Ga., NAB District 5 director. Group includes (front row, i to r): Tom Carr, Georgia Local Station Group; James Woodruff Jr., WRBL Columbus; Red Cross, WMAZ Macon; James LeGate, WIOD Miami; (back row, I to r) Charles Baskerville, WFLA Tampa; Alex Sherwood, Standard Radio, New York; Mr. Woodall; and Dan Schmidt III, George Hollingbery Co., Atlanta. W. WRIGHT ESCH (seated, second right) of WMFJ Daytona Beach, president Florida Assn. of Bcstrs., tells District 5 group that the next FAB meeting will be held Nov. 4-5 in Sarasota. Hearing the news are (seated, I to r). Lew Avery, Avery-Knodel, New York; Ed Mullinax, WLAG, LaGrange, Ga. (president Ga. Assn. Bcstrs.); Mr. Esch; George Storer Jr., WAGA-TV Atlanta; standing, William Carey, WKXY Sarasota; Addison Amor, RCA Thesaurus; Glenn Marshall, WMBR Jacksonville; Bill Stubblefield, Capitol Records.