Evening star., 1934-08-19

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Gated with the assent of the dominant
stations on them.
Although even the highest powered
station cannot claim countrywide
coverage, 1t is an engineering fact that
any appreciable obstacle placed on a
clear channel causes a contraction of
the radius it can penetrate. In this
case, the obstacles are lower power
stations placed at night on the same
channels. Such duplication provides
good coverage in the immediate areas
but sharply cuts down distant cov-
erage.
Clear Channel Occupants.
All of the petitioners, naturally, are
clear channel occupants interested in
preserving their distant audiences.
There we're two petitions, one signed
by 13 stations and the other by 8. The
first asks the F. C. C.'s broadcast divi-
sion to undertake a technical investi-
cation of clear channels for year and
issue a restatement Of regulations re-
garding them. During that year the
commission is asked to make no new
assignments of additional stations on
clear channels.
Stations signing the first petition
are: WGN and WIS, Chicago; WLW,
Cincinnati; wJR, Detroit; wHAM,
Rochester; wSM, Nashville: WHAS,
Louisville; WSB, Atlanta; XII and
KNX, Los Angeles; WFAA, Dallas:
WBAP, Fort Worth, and WOAI, San
Antonio. Most operate with the maxi
mum regular power of $4,000 watts,
with WLw using 100000 watts to
share with a Russian station the dis
tinction of being the most powerful in
the world. The second petition bears
the signatures of WOR, Newark:
WOC-WHO, Des Moines, and WRVA,
Richmond.
Representing the first concerted re-
action to the former Radio Commis-
sions grants of simultaneous opera
ton on clear channels under the "ex-
perimental expedient, the petitions
being out that the independent sta
tions fear that "the clear channel sys-
TEN is in imminent danger of total
or partial breakdown with corre-
spending destruction of rural broad
cast service and deprivation of large
areas and a substantial portion of the
country's population Of broadcast re-
ception."
1t was brought out that in 1928, a
year after the Federal Radio Com
mission was created, that agency de-
cided, after a thorough investigation,
that 40 clear channels, interference
free, should be set aside for the ex-
elusive use Of high power stations in
order that rural and remote listeners
might be served. The channels were
to be kept clear so that farmers and
ranchers and mountaineers would not
be Disseminated against in favor OF
the population residing In the large
urban centers."
Duplicate Operation.
For the last two years the trend
has been toward duplicate operation
on clear channels assigned to stations
located near the Eastern and Western
seaboards, on the ground that the
loss In remote coverage that would re-
suit would be more than made up for
by the increased service given listen
ers in the area surrounding the sta
ton newly assigned to the channel.
The petitioning stations do not argue
against this movement, but ask that
the commission investigate the tech
nical feasibility Of doubling up such
channels and ascertaining how many
clear channels should be maintained
to provide adequate rural reception.
In connection with this investiga-
ton, If the commission decides to
undertake 1t, consideration unquestion-
ably will be given to the provision in
the new communications act adopted
last June by Congress authorizing the
commission to license additional 100
watt stations, the smallest type, with
out formal hearings and without re-
gard to the radio quotas of States
which require additional service. Some
two score applications filed pursuant
to this proviso are already pending
before the commissions broadcast di-
vision, largely for new small stations
in small towns.
Further confusing the clear channel
situation is the fact that Mexico has
promulgated ALLEGATIONS under which
certain Of its stations would be as
signed to operate on no less than 10
Of the exclusive waves used In the
United States, while Canada by agree
ment is already using two Of them.
Mexico is not party to the agree
ment under which the North Ameri-
can nations share the available broad
casting band of 90 channels.