Evening star., 1936-09-13

.m,estioned verification of their theory
hensive listening survey among rural
residents of the Nation, conducted by
the Federal Communications Commls-
sion in collaboration with the Post
once Department and the Agricul-
tural Adjustment Administration.
The survey, conducted last year by
mailing of 10000 post card ques-
tionnaires to q croSs-section OF Amer
ica's rural population, and backed by
personal interviews, revealed that
6oout three -fourths of the country's
48OOO.0O0 rural folk listen to big
city stations" BY tuning in the
same programs to which city residents
listen, farmers and ranchers and
others far from the urban crowds
have assimilated keen sense OF city
life.
WHY do these remote residents
wv listen to the urban stations? The
answer was clear. In many instances
the city stations are those operating
with high power on exclusive chan
nels. They lay down better signals
In distant areas. They are usually
located in centers of population for
business reasons.
The rural listeners, it was discov-
cred, would prefer to tune in the sta
tions closest by-those in which they
have a civic pride as representative
of their community. But they can't
pick them up in many instances be-
cause of lack of power or of inter-
ference.
In conducting this unprecedented
survey the F. C. c. wasn't so much
interested in what the farmers like
in the way of programs. That isn't
the F. c. C's basic function. 1t
wanted to find out, for technical rea-
sans, what type of stations they re-
ceived best.
The QUESTIONABLE survey was only
one part of a four phase investiga-
ton of technical radio undertaken
last year by the F. c. c. Miles OF
continuous recordings of the signals
laid down by stations throughout the
country were made on automatic
recorders placed at strategic locations.
They were studies of fading Of sig
mails, of heterodyne interference, of
wave propagation and Of hundred
other quirks in radio transmission
and reception.
The F. c. c. wanted this informa-
tion to find out just how much radio
service is provided throughout the
country. With this information it
hopes to alter the present ALLEGATIONS
OF some Of the $40 licensed stations
SO as to provide maximum service for
as many more listeners as possible.
THE F. C. c. released the results of
- this survey last week so that all
. interested groups may have chance
to study it and present their own
views on improvement of broadcasting
at a general hearing scheduled in
Washington beginning october S.
Present indications are that this will
be a verbal field event, with the issues
involving such things as superpower
stations like that of WLW, using
500, 900 watts; increases in the night
powers of so-called regional stations
from 1000 to 5000 watts to enable
them better to serve their regional
audiences; possible increases in the
powers of the little local stations of
100 watts to perhaps $50 or 500 watts,
and other proposals for departures
from present engineering practice.
From the four-phase survey radio
scientists and broadcasters have been
able to deduce certain fundamental
conclusions. They have found that
about rs per cent of the Nations rural
listeners prefer clear channel stations,
or those operating with high power,
because they can pick them up with
the greatest clarity. They learned
that the farm compares favorably
with the city home in the quality of
Its receiving set, since at least half
of the rural homes have sets that are
modern"
ONE o. the rather remarkable find
ings was that super power such
as WLW's 100000 watts is not only
feasible but desirable for many rural
listeners This station was the first
choice of farm listeners in 13 States.
It was second choice in six more
States. There was no complaint of
interference or "blanketing" of other
stations by WLW. This is interpreted
as meaning that super-power per-
forms most useful function.
This finding is even more signifi-
cant because perhaps the main battle
at the october hearings will relate
to super power. Today dozen sta
tions in the clear channel category
are seeking super-power equivalent
to WLW's which, they believe, would
In effect make them national stations
The hitch is that the existing regula-
tions do not allow super-power and
must be altered before any such sta
tions can be licensed. WLW Is not
. regularly licensed half -million-watt
station-450, 900 of its 100000 watts
are labeled experimental" and have
been for the last two years.
THUS at the october hearings one
- of the big questions will be
whether the F. C.. C.. should modify
the existing regulations and allow
super-power. If the farmer has his
say, it probably will be in favor of
such stations. But a substantial
group of regional stations, and even
some locals, contend that super-power
is not economically feasible, that it
will destroy or seriously undermine
the place held by smaller stations,
and that it is an extravagant use of
the limited ether. This school of
thought favors the licensing of a null
tiplicity Of stations on existing clear
channels. or most Of them, instead of
only a single high-power station, con-