Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-12
STATIONS TO SEEK
AID or AUDIENCES
Others Ask Broadcast Relief
Through Radio Commission
or Courts.
BY MARTIN CODEL.


While some broadcasters are propos-
ing to go on the air in their own behalf
others are seeking relief for their oper-
ating difficulties directly from the Fed
eral Radio Commission or from Me
courts.
Three current developments in the
radio field disclose the purpose of many
broadcasters to ask their audiences to
help them secure remedial legislation
from Congress. A plan for concerted
drive by a group of stations for succor
from commission rulings Is in the proc
ess of formation. and several more ap-
peals from commission decisions have
been filed with the Court of Appeals of
the District of Columbia.
A determination to air their views on
the radio. chiefly against the zone and
State equalization scheme, was voiced
by many of the broadcasters who at
tended the convention last week Of the
National Association Of Broadcasters at
West Baden, Ind. The movement for
better operating conditions, which is
expected to take the form of demand
for more cleared channels, is being
crystalliZed at meetings here this week
of operators of various large stations
which now have only part-tine privi-
leges on the air.
Representatives of such part-time or
limited operation stations as the fol-
lowing have been asked to attend the
meeting: WBAL, Baltimore: VITO
Hartford: WAPI, Auburn. Ala; WHO,
Des Moines, VOC. Davenport; WBBM
Chicago; KFAB, Lincoln, Nebr.; WENR,
Chicago; WIS, Chicago; WGY, Sche-
nectady: KGO, Oakland, Calf; KRIS
Dallas, Tex; KTHS, Hot Springs, Ark.
KOMO, Seattle, and WBM, Indian
apolis.
-Four more appeals from commission
decisions have just been filed with the
Court of Appeals. All involve stations
in the Chicago and contiguous areas
Louis G. Caldwell. the former general
counsel of the commission, is attorney
for the appellants In all of the cases.
The right of station to retain its
acknowledged service area and The right
of the commission TO order shifts In
assignments without affording those az
fected a hearing are the chief points
raised in the case of WTMJ, Milwaukee
This station is protesting the renewal
of its license on a regional wave length
on which the commission has placed
new or higher powered stations, WITH
subsequent interference to WTMJ.
The commission recently increased
the power of WLBZ, -Foxcroft
Me, to 500 watts, on the channel of 62C
kilocycles used also by WTMJ. The re-
bull, LIlG N1llWduhCE AAus
been a "disagreeable heterodyne" anC
cross talk on the programs from WTMJ
The Milwaukee stations, which seeks
to cover all Wisconsin and parts Of
Michigan and Illinois. also protests thai
WAY, Cleveland, operating during the
day with 500 watts power, will further
interfere when it is shifted to $40 kilo'
cycles on November 80, because CleVe'
land is only $40 miles distant.
In addition the commission ha:
shifted WFLA-WSUN. Clearwater, Fla.
using 2,500 watts daytime and 1000 a
night, to the same wave length. Al
this, 1t is alleged, has already reduced
and is tending further to reduce TIT
service range of WTMJ. The propert!
rights issue, which was rather com
pletely squelched in recent decisions o
the court, is not raised in this case bu
the other legal points are regarded a
highly important.