Radio doings (Dec 1930-Jun1932)

February, 1931 RADIO DOINGS Page Fifteen THE WEJT NEED/ HIGH By HAROLD A. LAFOUNT Federal Radio Commissioner (Editors Note — The recent General Order N.o. 102 adopted by the Federal Radio Commission is reported in detail on page 24 of this issue. It effectually blocks the increase in power by any station in California, since the state is slightly over quota under the unit and quota system used. It will be noted that Commissioner Lafount raised the only dissenting voice. Commissioner Lafount \nows that in the vast territory encompassed by the Fifth Zone, high power is essential in order to reach the uidely scattered population. A limitation of power on the cleared channels is a restriction which is most certainly not in the public interest, convenience or necessity. We have as\ed our Commissioner for an expression from him relative to the power limitation question, and we are pleased to present it herewith. RADIO DOINGS is heartily in accord with Commissioner Lafount's views.) The proper harnessing of the ether to seeure the greatest benefits must necessarily recognize existing and underlying facts. If this new art is to allow paramount service to the public, the density and distribution of population in city Harold A. Lafount and country must be considered. Radio facilities which are available must be allocated so as to reach equally well and reliably both these classes of people, and this must be done so as to avoid any interference. It is obvious that most of this country's population lies well East of the Mississippi and mostly in cities and towns of the new England and Middle Atlantic States. Here reliable and adequate service may be had with appropriate number of stations with power to cover the areas. However, in the sparsely populated areas of the great West the same power would not reach the people. Radio, like the stage coach, railroad and automobile, must be adapted to existing circumstances. The need for greater power in transportation became manifest and the stage coach and canal gave way to the modern high power automobile and super-powered modern locomotive. The people who have traveled westward by these means and have settled those large areas beyond city and urban life require higher power to serve them. A few years ago 10 to 1000 watts was considered ample power; rural people had no receiving sets, the city dweller was well served with small power. That condition no longer exists for almost every rural dweller has his radio receiver. A fair size electric sign uses approximately 50,000 watts or about 67 H.P. A 60 H.P. automobile is not considered high power yet there are those who become shocked at the use of 50,000 watts by a radio station which serves millions of listeners over wide areas while the automobile or sign serve but a very few. A high powered radio station, properly separated geographically and in frequency, would cause no more interference than a low powered station. In fact, several low powered stations on the same frequency separated by about fivehundred miles will greatly reduce the night service area of each. Stations of five-thousand watts on the same frequency require more geographical separation than available in the United States to avoid interference. These facts seem to justify the use of cleared channels for interference-free service. If so, I can see no sound reason to limit the power of stations operating on them. Commission Asks More Police Power Authority to put broadcasting stations off the air for 30 days when they violate minor radio regulations is asked by the Federal Radio Commission in its annual report to Congress submitted recently. Under the present system, the Commission can only revoke a station's license or else place it on probation for 30 days until its defense can be heard. Many of the offenses, it was explained, do not warrant such stern measures as the first. Last year was marked by development in every field of radio, the report stated, such as in point-to-point communication, television and aviation. That the commission has assumed a hard-boiled attitude toward applicants for broadcasting facilities, largely because of the present congestion of stations, was evident in the announcement that only one out of every 12 applications was granted. During the fiscal year 8,543 applications of various sorts were handled by the commission. Of these 944 were set for hearings, but only 77 were granted. Out of those refused, 36 were appealed to the District Court of Appeals, and a few were taken to equity and District Courts in the areas in which the aggrieved station was located.