Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-28
RADIO GOSSIP AND NEWS

Secretary Of Commerce Hoover has no
desire to be made dictator of radio, but.
| on the other hand, he is not opposed to
proper Federal legislation. He recently
| indicated to Representative White what
legislation he believed urgent. In an eff
tort to clear up his position, which was
misinterpreted In some quarters, he said
Few days ago that the White letter
was perhaps not clear to those who had
not kept pace with pending radio legis-
| lation and the advances in broadcasting
development during the past year.
In the first place. Secretary Hoover Is
unopposed to regulations which do not
tie UP the industry, preventing further
development, or hamper the department
| In practical regulation, especially in the
band Of wave lengths assigned to broad
| casters, which is becoming terribly con-
| gested. He feels that he does need some
specific authority for the designation of
power, emitted waves, apparatus used
and transmission time.
The original White bill, he pointed
out, was introduced nearly two years
| ago, and did not anticipate some difficult
| ties which have since appeared. Fog in
stance. although 1t was ostensibly an in
terferance bill, there was no provision
for the Use of increased power, and con-
sequently no authority for it's regulation.
Other factors not realized today will
| undoubtedly develop. and lack Of au-
thority might jeopardlZe proper radio
administration, at the same time too
| specific powers might handicap the Fed
eral authorities. Mr.. Hoover foresees
| many developments and the injection of
| numerous problems in the radio field of
! the immediate future, but seeks only
general legal authority to deal with
| pertinent problems. In his letter he did
not ask for dictatorship but merely that
his authority be amplified SO that he
| could cope with situation legally. and
not be forced to rely upon voluntary
complfances on the part of radio trans
mission stations. Rather than have the
White bill enacted into law, Mr.. Hoover
prefers actual authority only along the
lines indicated above.
In about years time the Com
merce head feels that a comprehen-
sive radio law might be enacted. BY
| that time it is anticipated that the
broadcasting situation will be more
stable and the general industry set
| tied down. Today there are from 10
| to II broadcasters In some cities,
| where the only solution Is for these
stations to divide time irrespective of
| their power, popularity or the value
| of their programs. If a good station
| is asked to divide time with an infe-
| tiOT OhcI INC ocCICldIy pOlhlcu Out,
| the situation is not satisfactory to
| the public. since tho better stations
program Is either cut in two or 1t
goes out only every other day. If
| the better station is given priority,
as fans would Immediately demand.
who would Judge of station and pro-
gram excellence?" Mr.. Hoover asked.
Certainly not the department, for
this would approach censorship.
which Is taboo" he explained If he
established priority of time or trans
mission wave lengths, 1t would be
called monopoly, as the moro power
full and higher class stations would
probably be found to belong to the
| big interests.
With another years growth of the
industry and another years expert
ence in radio regulation by the de-
partment, together with the attend
ant technical developments and the
benefit of perfected inventions, he
feels the situation would be met on
hrmer ground and results accom-
plished more readily than today.
There may be falling off IN num-
bers Of broadcasters, which would
simplify difficulties. 1t is felt in many
quarters even today that there are
more broadcast programs on the air
than are actually needed.
Indications from Capitol Hill are
that regulatory radio legislation will
be dropped for the time being, at
least during the present session.