Washington report (May 1, 1961)

The National Association of Educational Broadcasters Vol. II No. 5 Dupont Circle Bldg., Washington 6, D.C. ' ' May, 1961 THE WASHINGTON CLIMATE There's a lot in the wind in Washington nowadays and it isn't just the odor of cherry blossoms. There is evidence that the Kennedy administration and the FCC under its vigorous new chairman, Newton N. Minow, intend to stiffen regula¬ tory activity concerning broadcasting, make major shifts in national radio-tele- vision policy, have greater concern for educational broadcasting services, and, in general take a strong progressive posture in its approach to what constitutes utilization of the air waves in the public interest. There is apparent determination on the part of a majority of the commission¬ ers to vigorously enforce the provisions of the Communications Act. This attitude is expected to be reflected in an increased number of renewal hearings, fines, and other sanctions; intensified concern about promise vs. performance, misleading and fraudulent contests and promotions, over-commercialization, and technical viola¬ tions. Mary more renewal hearings are to be held in the home localities of sta¬ tions, and Mr. Minow has said that the FCC would be derelict in its duty if it does not place strong emphasis in such hearings on whether the actual program¬ ming is substantially the same as that promised in the original or renewal appli¬ cation. The Commission has expressed concern over the sale prices of TV and radio stations. It has observed that "millions are being made by private interests in the sale of public property - the stations franchise to operate over the airwaves." It may be that in the future, assignors wishing to transfer a frequency will be called upon to explain why the station should command such a high price above the cost of physical assets and how the transfer would be in the public interest. The White House is studying the spectrum with the intention of providing more frequencies for civilian use. It has asked interested agencies to work out (l) reallocation of the radio-tv spectrum between government and non-government users (2) supervision over how government agencies use frequencies allotted to them and (3) what role the government and private corporations should play in space satel¬ lite communications. Currently a large portion of the radio-tv spectrum is assigned to the mili¬ tary for "top secret" national defense purposes. Both the FCC and Senator Magnuson have made repeated, but unsuccessful, efforts to find out how these frequencies are being used. The President made an oblique reference to this matter in his message on regulatory agencies by observing that a "co-ordinated effort" is under¬ way to improve allocation of the radio spectrum and regulation of its use. He made no reference, however, to the rumored appointment of a "czar," responsible directly to the President for allocation of air space for governmental and private use. Chairman Minow has noted that "90-plus per cent" of the problems of televi¬ sion stem from scarcity of channels. This Situation would be greatly ameliorated if the military services could be "persuaded" to give up a few VHF and UHF channels now reserved for their experimentation. AT&T is pushing for early decision on its plans to put its own communications satellite in orbit. The government has allotted the company frequencies but has not yet decided to make its launching pads and rockets available for "private" satellites. The Administration is said to be torn between its desire to maintain the U.S. lead in space communications and its fear of giving a private concern monopoly over this revolutionary system of radio-telephonic communications.