Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1959)

agencies, including the military services. Assignments are made on a voting basis. When a requirement is expressed for non-government bands, this is handled by OCDM. OCDM negotiates with the FCC for the pre-emption of that portion of the spectrum it needs. Where national defense is involved, the Commission usually complies, on the ground that it is not set up to question the basic military decision that the frequencies are needed in the national defense. Statements and remarks by the panelists are condensed below: FCC Chairman Doerfer • The basic problem is the dual jurisdiction exercised over the radio spectrum by the President and the FCC. This was established when the Communications Act was made law in 1934. Actually, the President has power over the whole spectrum. This comes under his Constitutional prerogative as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The first step in resolving the jurisdictional problem is creation of an authority to supervise government use. Next step is creation of a "super board" to exercise responsibility over both government and non-government use. Mr. Doerfer has a dim view of further studies of radio spectrum. A study is for the purpose of recommending some action and if there is no one with power to act, the study and the recommendations are useless. A study to determine the type of structure to manage the spectrum is worthwhile. First consideration is organization, then it can be determined how the spectrum is being used. Lack of decisive authority is pointed up by the tv situation. There are 70 uhf tv channels available for use by other services if a group of vhf frequencies can be secured for tv. This is under negotiation with the military. A single arbiter, with knowledge of spectrum facts and with the confidence of both sides, could make a decision in the best interests of country. Messrs. Hull and Hoffman o Divided responsibilities over the radio spectrum means two cooks for one pie. Compromises between the FCC and IRAC means a settlement is accomplished, not a sound technical and policy decision. They urged the creation of a Federal Spectrum Authority. This would oversee the entire radio spectrum, apportion bands to government and nongovernment. Also they would have some authority to handle government assignments and continue the FCC as is in making assignments to non-government users. An FSA would also handle and bring 62 (GOVERNMENT) up to date technical information on government and civilian requirements and would maintain such information. It would also conduct long-range planning studies. Mr. Hoffman made a strong plea for improvements in transmission techniques. (Mr. Hoffman is chairman of EIA spectrum study committee.) Mr. Hull recounted the long-history of EIA's interest in spectrum conservation, going back to 1952. Mr. Quesada (Gen. Quesada, retired) • He urged a "detached" agency Lots of room, but... Congressional probers opened their eyes wide when they were told that less than 1% of the entire radio spectrum was being used today. The estimate was made by Fred C. Alexander, telecommunications executive in the Office of Civil & Defense Mobilization, who was briefing the House subcommittee on the spectrum. The usable radio spectrum today runs up to 300,000 mc, he pointed out. Hertzian waves run the gamut up to 3 million mc, he observed. But cold water was thrown on the possibility that an expanded spectrum might ease present problems (mainly due to overcrowding). The noted Dr. William L. Everitt, U. of Illinois engineering dean, told the committee not to expect for some time an expansion of the spectrum above 300,000 mc. In those higher frequencies, he said, there are propagation problems with infra-red, fog and water vapor. to determine the allocation of the radio spectrum between government and civilian users. Under present practices, the group which develops usable equipment in a new band is the one which asserts ownership rights. Today virtually all of this work is being done by the government. A super agency would divide the spectrum and also plan and study overall telecommunications policies. Some type of organization should be established to supervise government assignments. The FCC could continue to exercise its jurisdiction over non-government assignments. IRAC is doing a fine job, but is limited because it represents users. Need is for an "objective" authority to oversee government bands. Mr. Lindow • He vigorously urged Congressional investigation of spectrum use. Charged that whereas Congress would find civilian use an open book, it would find lack of information and justifications for many government uses. Radio spectrum is a natural resource and the decision on how it is used is a Congressional responsibility. Study the spectrum first, before getting involved in a super spectrum agency. Besides the technical aspects, use of the spectrum involves economic, social and political decisions. Establishing an administration to manage the radio spectrum before studying how it is being used is "putting the cart before the horse." Expressed opposition to all three bills under consideration because they do not contemplate a study of the spectrum by Congress. Objected strongly to any executive department group studying the use of the spectrum; it would be biased in favor of government users. Mr. Fellows • The basic problem is that there are two users of the spectrum — government and non-government — "with each of them operating under different ground rules." Government users do not have to justify their assignments; civilian users must make a public record. Non-government users have been mindful of the need for more efficient use. There is no information whether government users are also aware of this necessity. The solution is the proper administration of the entire spectrum but, before such a solution can be advanced, there must be a further study of the utilization of the spectrum. This must be done by the legislative branch. In any study the needs of broadcasters must be kept uppermost. Messrs. Cooley, Stewart, Kear, Everitt, Huntley and Bartley • These men urged the establishment of a threeman board in the executive Office of the President to formulate national policy, oversee government usage and study the overall management and usage of the entire spectrum. They expressed the willingness to forego the last item after others had questioned the objectivity of a government administrator in studying all uses of the spectrum. But all stressed the need for some kind of single authority to supervise government frequency administration. Dr. Kear suggested that creation of a single, overall agency might be a "fateful mistake." Both Dr. Kear and Dr. Stewart spoke of the possibility that a formal administrator for the government frequencies might obviate the need for a superFCC, since negotiations would then be directly between two organizations (the FCC and the government administrator) with authority to make decisions. BROADCASTING, June 15, 1959