Evening star., 1927-04-03
RADIO PROBLEMS
STILL PERPLEX|NG
Control Board Turns to Di-
gesting Mass of Material
and Testimony.

4 Virtually back at the point where
they were before beginning of the ex
tended hearings which closed Fri
has turned to digesting the mass
day, the Federal Radio Commission
has turned to digesting the mass
of material and testimony presented
to il from the point of view OF all
elements in radio, in the hope that the
major problems of wave length allo-
cation and reduction in number OF
stations may be solved within bo
days.
Although many illuminating sugges
tions and several concrete plans tor
solving the problems of radio are be-
fore the commission as result OF
the hearings, the radio controi oooy
Is exactly where it stood before II
called all phases of the industry to-
gether to advise with it on its varied
problems. Members of the commits
sion are agreed that though much
valuable advice has been given, bear
ing chiefly on the technical matters
involved in settlement of the problems,
little of really practical value in the
admittedly somewhat "hard-boiled
task the commission faces has come
out of the meetings.
Four Solutions Proposed.
Agreed on the general principle
that there should be some reduction
in the number of stations, now total
ing 1872, the commission has before
1t four general solutions. These are:
To refuse to issue licenses to GER
tain stations.
To relegate certain stations to
unfavorahle broadcasting frequencies
because of poor programs. poor tech
meal presentation, or because OF IN
fractions of the law.
Division of time by hroadcasters-
a solution which is economically I'M
sound in the view of commission
members.
Combinations and amalgamations of
groups or individuals anxious to
broadcast in the hope that the number
of stations may thereby be lessened
and the possibility of propaganda
reduced.
The latter method, Commissioner
Below explained, is the most like
ly to be urged in the largest num-
ber of cases and in the interest Of the
greatest number of broadcasters ano
listeners. All four methods may be
used, however, in the settlement OF
the problena of station reduction. The
fourth method Mr.. Bellows explained,
has the advantage of removing the
possibility of air monopoly in the
hands of one group in one city, since
several interests, possibly allied. would
arrive at the proposed amalgamation
for broadcasting purposes.
Although a week ago commission
memhers said 1t was hoped to assign
the first of the frequency bands with
I'm a week after the close of the hear
ings, they said yesterday it was likely
the first frequency assignment would
await arrival of Rear Admiral w. H.
q. Bullard, chairman of the air-con-
troll body, in Washington, Admiral
Bullard is on his way to the Capital
from China, and is expected here
about April 10.
All the testimony laid before the
commission during the hearings has
pointed to an almost inevitable reduc-
ton In the number of stations. Some
witnesses argued that not more than
30 stations are necessary, others de-
clared 200 should be available and
some placed the number which can
be crowded on the available wave
lengths at more than 400, All were
agreed, however, that the present
number is too large.
The commission now has before il
Q suggestion by S. B. Davis, solicitor
for the Commerce Department and
actual air administrator prior to July
1, 1926, that 1t should wait until all
the applicants for station licenses
have hled their pleas with the Air
Control Board. and that they should
be then classified by freauencies. Mr..
Davis believes the commission will
then find much congestion and should
call the operators together to force
them to demonstrate their right to
operate based on public convenience,
interest and necessity This process.
Ne helds, will necessarily result in a
certain amount of rejection Of appH.
cations.
Conclusion In General.
General conclusions based on the
preponderance of testimony point TO
the following abstract solutions of the
problem; that the broadcasting band
be not widened to go below 200
meters and above $50 meters; that the
l0-kilocyele frequency separation be
maintained and that local stations be
separated by much more than 10 kilo-
cycles; general shift from frequency
assignments ending in to those end
ing in to reduce second harmonics;
Placement or no arbitrary limit on
power and the general principle that
time division between broadcasters is
unsound in theory.