Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-07
CHANGE POSSIBLE
| IN NEW RADIO LAW
Attempt to Modify Rules May
Be Made at Next
Congress.

AS the workings of the new radio
law become palmer and the intent of
the Federal Radio Commission as to
the future of broadcasting is made
known m ere definitely, it is becoming
increasingly evident, the commission
has been told by representatives of the
industry. that several notifications of
the existing law will be attempted in
the next Congress. In addition, two
outstanding changes in the structure
of radio control in the future. one of
them to amend the present law, are
almost certain to be proposed.
The most radical of these. the Radio
Commission has been told. will be an
attempt to expand the powers of the
commission to include supervisory
power over all civilian and military
communication, telephone, telegraph
al radio. under a new Federal body to
be known as the Federal Communica-
lions Commission. The other is the
almost certain attempt to amend the
law by extending the present commits.
sion for at least year beyond the
statutory date of its existence, which
expires next Spring. when the powers
ana duties of the commission, under
me law. will be taken over by the
secretary of Commerce. This extern
sion IS said to be the thought of Sena-
tor c. c. Dill of Washington. The
attempt to bring all communications
under control of IL Federal body is
sponsored by Representative E. L..
Davis of Tennessee.
Most Groups Satisfied.
About so per cent of the broadca ST.
ing industry is entirely satisfied with
the working out of the new alloca-
ions which became effective June IS,
the commission was told today by for.
mer Representative Frank D, Scott
or Michigan. who represents a large
group of broadcasters and who told
the commission today of several pro-
posed notifications in the existing
law for which he will work when the
new Congress convenes. Twenty per
cent OF the broadcasters are dissatis.
ned with power or wave length as
slgnments, while 20 per cent more are
chronic grumblers. who believe they
deserve better place on the air.
Mr.. Scott told the commission of in.
equalities in the present law. chief
among them the provision which
makes it possible for a construction
permit and license to operate being
rushed through within a few DAYS
without public notice having been
given or opponents of the station hav.
ing been given chance to be heard
Mr.. Scott said there will probably be
no change In the censorship provi.
sions of the law. which place the sta
ton operator in almost absolute con-
troll of the material to be broadcast,
He claims that the output Of the sta.
ton is standard of it's merit and
that all the material broadcast must
be carefully scrutinized by the station
operator to insure a broad listening
public.
Time Held Insufficient.
The law states that one year after
the first meeting of the commission
the powers and authority vested In
the commission under the terms of
the act, except as to revocation of
licenses. shall be vested in and ex-
ercised by the Secretary of Commerce.
The commission will merely sit as an
advisory body on controversial mat
tiers. This section, according to senti-
ment crystalliZing on Capitol Hill,
does not give the present commission
sufficient time in which to work out