Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-24
SURVEY IS STARTED
| ON BROADCAST|NG
Radio Commission Begins to
/ Check Up on Results of
ReaIIocation.
BY ROBERT MACK.

Decentralization survey OF Droau-
casting conditions throughout the coun-
try, with listeners as well as broadcast
ers to be solicited for opinions, has been
launched by the Federal Radio Commits
sion. Satisfied that reception has been
improved on the whole, the commission,
however. wants to get complete infor-
nation first hand. with view of max
ing further adjustments that admitted
" are necessary after the broadcastlng
shake-up Of last November, under
which the assignments of "a per cent
OF the 500 odd stations were changed.
As the first step in the survey the
commission is sending Ia all broadcast
ing stations two missionaries, which
it requests be filled out prior to April
10. To obtain the reactions OF listeners
missionaries will be sent to groups OF
amateurs in every locality in the coun-
try, in cooperation with the American
Radio Relay League. 1t naturally Is
impracticsble to send the missionaries
TO the listener public at large, and for
that reason it has been decided to query
representative amateur operators every
where. with printed forms, requiring
s'yes" and no answers.
The commission is taking advantage
OF the opportunity Of obtaining other
information il long has desired from
broadcasting stations. Together with
the engineering QUESTIONABLE 1t is send
ing to ,broadcasters legal questlonnalre
as to the business status and opera
tions Of each station. The most impor-
tant of the legal information sought Is
that relating to the financial opera
tions. which is being solicited in line
with the resolution adopted by the Sen
ate lust prior to adjournment this
month relating to the possible imposi-
tion of license fees upon stations. Inc
commission has requested to formulate
q schedule of fees to be recommended
to Congress, and 1t now Is demanding
that the stations supply financial re-
ports.
When changes in the broadcastins
set-up are made, following this COM
prehensive survey, they will be under
taken by a new engineering stan: Thls
writer learns that DR.. j. H. Delllnger,
chief engineer. has resigned from the
commission, effective April i, to permit
him to. return to his duties as CHIEF OF
the radio laboratory of the Bureau OF
Standards. In his letter of resigna-
ton he recommends the appointment
of Capt. Guy Hill. at present the COM
missions broadcasting engineer, as
chief engineer.
The engineering QUESTIONABLE pro-
pounds a series of eight specific ques-
lions. These include the service range
of stations during day and night ana
the various seasons. population served,
field strength, heterodyne and crosS-talk
interference, cases where neighbor-
ing stations "wobble" onto the answer
ing stations channel. harmonics, in
reference and transmission and the
like. The point-blank question OF How
does your service compare with that OBJ
tanned Just before the November IL.
1928, reallocation was put into ehect?"
Is asked in conclusion.
Stations must swear to their answers
to the legal QUESTIONABLE. These ques-
tions cover every possible phase of the
broadcaster's business. Among them are
the nature Of the regular business of
the owner, how much time Is sold for
advertising and the rates, names OF adj
vertisers, whether the station makes
profit and the amount of its weekly
profit or loss, gross business. whether
it uses chain program, and if SO, whose
and how many hours day.
tcopyrisht. 1929. by the Consolidated Press.)