San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-22
|NTERFER|N c
STATIONS To
Be CLOSED
Hoover Conference Agrees
to Seek Authority to
Curb Wanderers

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.-Secre-
tary Herbert c. Hoover will send the
Recommendations of the fourth Ma
tional Radio Conference to Congress
when that body convenes with re-
quest that they be incorporated into
law. While much good undoubtedly
will result from the conference, it Is
the general opinion that the depart
ment of commerce is powerleSs 70
enforce the recommendations without
congressional authority.
Most important Of all the recon-
mendaticns was that limiting the
number Of broadcasting stations. With
the increased advantages attached TO
broadcasting, a large number Of con-
Germs and individuals are eager TO en-
ter the field. There are on file at the
department of commerce nearly 200
applications for wave lengths for new
stations. As a result Of the confer
: ence recommendations these new sta.
lions will not be permitted to go on
the air.
COURT ACTION PROBABLE.
1t is not probable that these dis
appointed applicants will accept de-
feat lightly. To most of them, broad
casting means a matter of dollars and
cents. 1t is the expectation that they
may ask the courts to decide whether
or not priority counts for anything
and whether they have not. as Ameri-
can citizens, just as much right to
broadcast as anyone else.
That the public service will benefit
from q limitation of stations cannot
be questioned. 1t was either a matter
of limiting stations or else compelling
existing stations further to share time
with newcomers. The opinion of the
conference was that, due TO the heavy
investment in a good station and the
high cost of putting on good programs,
the quality Of broadcasting service
would suffer By further division Of
time.
The conference did not attempt to
decide where the saturation point Is.
1T did recommend that no further sta
lions be licensed until Congress has
acted upon the subject. 1t also rec
commended that when stations drop out
The existing stations be shifted around
in order that present interference may
be eliminated.
POOR STATIONS HIT.
When a sufficient number Of sta
tons drop out as to completely elimi-
nate interference, new stations will be
permitted to come on the air.
Under the rather strict regulations
adopted for the operation Of stations,
probably 100 small stations may be
compelled TO stop broadcasting or else
greatly improve their facilities.
All stations are required to prevent
harmonic emissions lsending out OF
more than one waye) and to keep
strictly on their assigned wave lengths
ut the penalty of discontinuance Of the
licenses. This move was one OF the
slickesf OF the conference and was put
over without the 'little fellows" being
"wlse.1
A rather broad legislative program
was recommended by the conference.
Il would, If enacted into law, make
the secretary Of commerce the car of
radio. So broad is it that Secretary
Hoover himself was moved to protest
at Int l4Auc VI us duuDllOus
i would not like TO see this much
power vested in any one individual"
said Mr.. Hoover, because / believe
the public interest might suffer. j
think that any regulatory decision on
radio should be subject TO appeal to
some organized body"
AS TO INTERFERENCE.
Under the recommendations, the de-
cisions Of the secretary would be sub
jet 10 review by the courts. Notwitb-
standing, il is the opinion that po-
litically inclined secretary Of commerce
might work considerable harm 10 the
art IL given the power recommended
by the conference.
Elimination Of interference ranked
high in importance on the conference
agenda. To accomplish this end the
conference recommended that the
manufacture and sale Of radiating
receivers be discontinued: that the
use Of spark apparatus be discouraged /:
that the use Of unnecessarily high pow
er and careless testing be prohibited,
and that fans in each locality organize
10 fight interference Of non-radiO cleo
trical sources.
Under the conference recommends.
tons, stations viii no longer be CLASH
fled as A and d. nor will any par
rieular wave band be assigned TO any
particular type Of station. Recent tests
have proved that the band occupied
-by class A stations is just as good
AS the class b band, and in certain
Instances better. In the future sta.
tons will be fitted in wherever they
operate satisfactorily. regardless Of
power or classification.