Evening star., 1935-10-20

SAAAA2Oot CNC1y 2AoOCAlSA, oO cSAAAS Y
the booming 500, 0,000-watt station In {
power than any other station in the
world. Under tentative ALLEGATION
plans being considered by the F. G. c.
engineers, there would be no less than
IS such stations.
Engineers who specialize in radio
research now apparently are in agree
ment that the only way to serve the
rural and remote listener is with
super-power. AS consequence, F..
c. c. technicians have come forward
with technical plan in which rural
service and high power are the foun-
dation stones.
The plan involves more than the
mere licensing of two dozen addi-
tional super-power stations; it in
wolves the licensing of perhaps sew
eral hundred more 100-watt stations
for smaller communities to appease
the terrific demand for new stations,
mainly sought by newspapers. The
plan also would involve a realign-
ment of station assignments in other
elassifications with the purpose of
increasing both the number and
power of stations, rather than any
curtailment.
IT SHOULD be clearly understood
these plans are simply tentative,
have not yet been presented to the
F. c. C. in any formal way and prob
y,,,1I La fap eauoro1 yrnnrthc
Then it is likely that several more
months will elapse before any definite
formula is decided upon and invoked.
The plan would be the most far
reaching affecting broadcasting since
the general reallocation of 1928, when
80 per cent of the country's stations
were placed on different dial settings
F. c. c. engineers point out that
broadcasting today does not take ad-
vantage Of modern technique for, in
field as swiftly moving as radio.
lnnumerable advances have been made
since the 1928 ALLEGATIONS.
It is figured that about 40 per cent
of the Nations area and about 35
per cent of its population do not
receive primary" or excellent service
during the evening hours. To reach
the point where listeners everywhere
in the country would be assured of
some sort of reception at all times,
the F. c. c. first would have to change
the clear channel ALLEGATIONS. Under
present regulations, 40 channels Of the
SO in the espectrum are designated
as clear" channels using maximum
power at night of $4,000 watts.
ON THE IS channels of the former
total Of 40 clear waves, the F. c. c.
engineers contemplate assigning dupli-
cate stations on the two coasts with
maximum power of $4,000 watts. Then
the power of certain of the middle
class or regional channels would be
increased from the present maximum
Of 1000 watts to 5000 watts at night,
which they conclude would greatly
improve the service.
Finally the project contemplates
opening three new channels in the
range from $500 to 1000 kilocycles.
There could be assigned about so new
stations to each channel SO that the
roster of stations would be increased
from the present total Of $40 stations
to around 800 stations if all this is
done. Super-power stations on the
coasts would be required to install
directional antennae to guide their
signals inland. In key radio cities
like New York, Chicago and Los An
geles, there probably would be more
than one 500,0 waiter.
It is estimated that should this plan
be carried to fruition, the total in
vestment in tangible property would
exceed $15,000,0 900.
THAT Radio Corp. of America does
- not regard the control of a motion
picture production unit as transcen-
dainty important in its ultimate plans
for televiSion is one Interpretation
being placed in radio circles on its
decision last week to sell Substantial
portion" of its controlling stockhold-
tngs in Radio-Keith- -Orpheum Corp,
to the Atlas Corp. and Lehman Bros.
The action came as somewhat of
surprise in view of the general belief
that films will be the chief source of
supply of television subject matter
when visual broadcasting emerges as
an everyday reality alongside sound
broadcasting. Whether the deal car