Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-28
CHAIN NETWORK
PROTESTS RULING
National Broadcasting Co.
Officials Meet With the
Radio Commission.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

O6SlIuCllO1 Oh dIl INTEGRAL pUIlIUtl VI
the National Broadcasting Co.'S nation.
Federal Radio Commission enforces its
order restricting the operation of chain
stations when the broadcast realloca-
ton goes into effect November IL.
Hundreds of thousands of radio lis
teners in various parts OF the country
more especially in the thickly popu-
lated areas east of the Mississippi, will
be unable to hear chain programs
A severe blow will be dealt the COM
mercial value of many Independently
owner broadcssting stations, as well as
the chain organization itself.
These were some of the points en-
phasized before the Federal Radio
Commission at a closed informal con-
ference requested by officials OF the
National Broadcasting Co. for the pur-
pose of entering a protest against the
recent order declaring that no broad
casting stations assigned to the cleared
channels shall duplicate chain pro-
grams for more than one hour each
evening If situated less than 300 miles
apart.
They objected strenuously to the cur
tailment of program equality, which,
they said, will be imposed upon many
of the high-power stations that are
members of the broadcast chains linked
by land lines to obtain identical pro-
grams from central points like New
York. Chicago and San Francisco
places where the best radio talent Is
most available.
Officials at Hearing
The officials who came from New
York were M. H. Aylesworth, president
Of the National Broadcasting Co.;
George F. Mcclellan, general manager;
Dr. A. N. Goldsmith, consulting engi-
neer. and G. W. Payne, commercial
engineer.
The practical effects of the restric-
tive order may be illustrated by the
example of stations WBZ. Springfield,
Mass, and VITO, Hartford, Conn.
They will be prevented from taking
more than one hour of any chain pro-
gram that is also offered by a New
York station of 5000 watts power or
more.
Similar situations will exist as be-
tween high-power stations in such
cities as New York and Baltimore,
Schenectady ana Rochester, Cleveland
and Detroit, Louisville and Nashville,
and San Francisco and Oakland, among
others In fact, of the SIS members of
the National Broadcasting Co.'S net
work 81 are operating with power of
5000 watts or more or have conStruc-
ton permits to build transmitters with
such power.
Twenty-three of these will have full
or part time assignments after Novem-
Der IL on the cleared channels, and
the hardship wrought by the chain or
der will be suffered mostly by them.
Duplication Barred.
rrl.,,. .~-, 500 80 Rl.n fo1lou,;or rfo
tons will not be able to duplicate pro-
grams for more than one hour nightly
If it happens to be within 800 miles of
another: WEAF. New York; WIZ,
New York; WBz. Springfield, Mass;
VITO, Hartford. Conn.,; WBAL+ Balti-
more; WGY, Schenectady; WHAM,
Rochester; KDKA, Pittsburgh; WRVA,
Richmond; WJR, Detroit; WLW, WSAI,
Cincinnati; WGN-WLIB, Chicago;
KYW-WEBH, Chicago; WCCO, Mime
apolis; KOA, Denver; WHAS, Louis
vile: WSM. Nashville; WSB, Atlanta;
WFAA. Dallas; WBAP. Fort Worth;
KPO, San Francisco; KGO, Oakland,
and XII, Los Angeles.
Listeners Shut Out.
The principle of preventing duplica-
ton was lauded, but the establishment
of an arbitrary spacing of 800 miles
was opposed. Peculiar regional atmo-
spheric conditions, the geographical
contour of certain sections of the coun-
try and the location of innumerable
dead spots" where distance and some
times local reception is impossible were
cited as a few reasons why the dis
lance limit should not be fixed by an
arbitrary geographical standard.
DR.. Goldsmith declared that no sta
ton enjoys a consistent service range
Of 300 miles, and showed how listeners
In between the high-power stations and
on the fringes of the 300-nile radius
might be shut out He pointed out that
the actual service limit of the highest
powered station is about $50 miles,
since fading inevitably occurs beyond
that point.
Much is at stake for the National
Broadcasting Co. in its effort to secure
an amendment to the order or enough
exceptions to it to keep its member
stations intact. 1t has heavy COM
mercial contracts already signed, based
upon guaranteed "coverage" of stated
portions of the population. 1t is under
stood that the Columbia broadcasting
system is only slightly affected by the
order.
Copyright. 1928. by North American
Ma