Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-11
RADIO RAISES ISSUE
OF PROPERTY RIGHT
Commission Weighing Pub
lies Interest Against That
of Some Stations.
RY MARTIN CoDEL.

Property rights versus better radio
that's the real issue before the Federal
Radio Commission III Its present contro-
verSv with more than 100 broadcasting
stations now struggling for their exist
ence. Good reception OF radio programs,
free from heteroovne InterferenccS, Is
he aim. bat conflicting theories are held
in and out Of the radio industry concern
ING the method Of achieving this end.
The commission. as custodian Of the
radio public'S interest has decided upon
a definite couTse~that Of station cur
ts!ln,eut. Then 1t must reallocate The
remaining stations and their conditions
az operation equally among the respec~
tive xones in conformity With the re-
Gently amended radio Law Hence the
object Of ordering IS stations to Quit
August ! in the first zone, so IN the
second. 50 in the fourth and IN the
fifth. not TO omit mention Of the dozen
portable broadcasting stations whose IL
censes were ordered suspended July /
n. C. Is in First Zone,
The first zone embraces the New Eng
lsnS states. New York. New Jersey, Del
aware. MARYLAND and the District Of
Columbia. and is represented on the
commission by Q, H. Caldwell Of New
York
The second zone includes Pennsylvs-
MIA. Ohio, Michigan. Kentucky. West
Virginia snd Virginia. and Is represented
by the chairman OF the commission
and its newest member. Judge Ira E.
Robinson az West Virginia.
The third zone is made up of the
States az the solid South. being repre-
sented by Judge Z. Q. Sykes. 1t re-
mains untouched in the revampins
process because it is below quota, no
matter what average number OF sta
tions is allotted each zone.
The fourth zone, where the Chicago
area is the sorest spot in all radio.
consists of Illinois, Missouri. Wisconsin.
missioner is Sam Pickard of Kansas,
Nebraska and the Dakotas. and its COM
missioner is Sam Pickard OF Kansas;
The fifth zone comprises the Pacific
Coast and Rocky Mountain States and
is represented By Harold A. La Fount
of Utah.
Many Stations Remain.
Assuming the commission sticks by
its guns and eliminates most Of the
isz stations il has ordered of the air,
about SIS viii remain. Divided equally
among the zones under the law, about
i25 can be allotted TO each zone. The
greatest loss Of stations and the third
stands 10 gain q few more stations
II was inevitable that equalization
should mean station reduction. 1t was
obvious that more stations could not
BE- added 10 the already everburdened
ether. A common denomination for each
rome had 70 be found and 1t necessarily
had TO be a relatively low figure That
meant fewer stations. procedure that
had been urged for upward Of year
by engineers and technically minded
listeners. There are others. including
several members Of the commission.
who are convinced that scientific adj
vsrees. perhaps new inventions, will
make possible placing any number Of
stations on the same wave length.
This would. Of course. obviate the
present drastic measures against the
minor stations. But the scientific
millennium is not yet at hand for the
hroadcasters, and the commission Is
constrained under the radio Law TO act
IN the interest of the public rather than
the broadcaSterS.
tCopyr1xht. 1895 in all countries by the
North American Newspaper Alhance.l