Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-01-08
CLEAR BROADCAST
CHANNELSDOOMED
Higher Powers Are Likely to
Be Authorized for Sta
tionS Affected.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

along the Eastern and Western
SeaboardS appears to be deS-
~ tined for doom. To the radio
listener dependent for recep-
ton upon far-away stations-and
there are still many communities
that do not have their own stations
this Is disturbing news. Mitigating the
lot OF these listeners. however, and of
the dozen or so stations affected is the
equal possibility that higher powers will
be authorized to enable such stations to
maintain fairly widespread service areas.
Clear-channel stations are those
broadcast outlets assigned to the ex-
elusive night time use of particular
wave lengths. Their powers range from
5000 to $4,000 watts, SO that their pro-
grams. can be heard without interior
ence over as wide a radius as their
powers, waves and other radio condi-
tons will permit.
Forty of the 80 wave lengths have
thus been set aside, and the stations
operating thereon are generally the most
widely heard by rural and remote lis
tenerS and by listeners in other COM
munities. Clear channels are distin-
guished from regional and local chan
nels IN that the latter classes have
from to 80 stations operating on each
''o'N ASAiSbAA' Will ROWClo dC-
cording to their separation from one
another, in order to preclude the whistle
and howl interference known as hetero-
dynes.
BrOadcasterS Are Concerned.
Events moving toward the breakdown
OF the clear-channel system, at least as
1t includes stations along or near the
Atlantic and Pacific seaboards, are
many and ramified. They are causing
no small amount of concern among
broadcasters occupying such channels.
indirectly affected also are many other
stations on neighboring channels and
many that are allowed to occupy the
otherwise clear channels during the day
light hours of shorter distance trans
mission.
During senatorial hearings on radio
Just before New Year the general coun-
sci OF the Federal Radio Commission,
Duke M. Patrick limited darkly that
another reallocation of broadcasting
may soon be necessary. He was un-
doubtedly referring to the demands of
Mexico and Cuba, If not Canada. for
more radio facilities. To secure these
the only possibilities are % widening
the broadcast band to make more waves
available, 90 taking some of the chan
nels away from the United States and
80 adding stations of limited powers
to the channels now used in this coun-
try, particularly to the clear channels
used by stations that are farthest away
The latter course has been suggested
and will undoubtedly receive serious
consideration when the North American
wave Conference is held next Spring,
probably in Mexico City AggraVating
the situation also are the demands of
daytime or limited time stations on
clear channels (Which must sign off for
the major occupant Of the channel at
local sunset for more time on the air.
Thus, KXA, Seattle, operating on the
clear channel of WIZ, key of the N B.
c. network, is demanding more time on
the air than the time difference be-
tween Seattle and New York now af-
fords it. 1t signs off at local sunset in
order to give WIZ the nighttime clear
channel. Now the commission is con-
sidering giving it full time and raising
WIS power, in order to compensate
Tor the possible interference that may
result when two stations occupy the
same channel simultaneously at night
Terms Channel Rule Arbitrary.
Thus it is also that Senator Dill of
Washington, co-author of the radio law,
arguing that half the signal strength
OF seaboard clear-channel station is
wasted at sea, has a bill now before
Congress to abolish clear channels for
more than $500 miles. In other words.
he maintains that two or more stations
separated $500 or more miles apart
OF less than the breadth of the conti-
nent-can operate on the same wave
simultaneously without interfering with
one another. The commissions clear
channel rule, he insists, is one Of "arbi-
trary engineering" rather than rule
OF reason"
Senator Dill's proposition would not
affect stations like WLW, WGN. WMAO
WENR, WIS. WSM, WJR. WFAA
WBAP, WHO-WOC, WTAM. KNOX and
others located inland-unless, indeed. the
same separation basis is used in allocat-
ing Mexican stations to more United
States waves. These stations are situated
inland and radiate their signals to all
points OF the compass. Most of them
serve rural areas that would raise a
bitter cutlery if their programs were
shut off by interference. Presumably
they are safe in their present waves.
Inc stations in danger of losing their
strong wave length positions are WABC.
WEAF, WOR, WBZ-WBZA, WCAU
VITO, WPG, WRVA, XII. KPO and
kNA and perhaps a few others not
quite as near the sea. In fact, the clear
wave now used by WPG has already been
allotted for high-poWer station. to be
putt In Western Canada, while the
hNA clear wave has been similarly as
signed, by agreement with Canada. to
q prospective station in Nova Scotia