pplication file No. B4-ML-450 requesting authority to increase hours of operaion to unlimited. The second group of these stations consists of station KRLD, Dallas, Tex.; THS, Hot Springs, Ark.; WBAL, Baltimore, Md.; and WTIC, Hartford, Conn. Stations KRLD and KTHS are normally licensed to share time on frequency 040 kilocycles, with power of 10 kilowatts each. Stations WBAL and WTIČ re normally licensed to share time on 1060 kilocycles with powers of 10 kilowatts ad 50 kilowatts, respectively. These four stations have had special experiental authorizations for the following operation since May 8, 1934, under hich stations KRLD and WTIC are permitted unlimited simultaneous operation a frequency 1040 kilocycles with their licensed powers, station KRLD operating the Columbia Broadcasting system network and station WTIC on the National roadcasting Co. basic red network, and stations KTHS and WBAL are peritted to operate simultaneous daytime and specified hours at night, WBAL perating from local sunset to 9 p. m. eastern standard time, and KTHS operating e remaining nighttime hours. Station WBAL carries the programs of the ational Broadcasting Co. basic blue network and the Mutual Broadcasting stem. Station KTHS carries the programs of the National Broadcasting Co. uthwestern supplementary group. In addition to the above experimental beration of station WBAL, that station has special experimental authorization operate synchronously with station WJZ, New York City, on frequency 760 locycles with power of 21⁄2 kilowatts from 9 p. m. until sign-off. This authority s been in effect continuously since March 30, 1934, and much experimentation ork has been done on methods of synchronization and their effects on the rvice areas of synchronized stations. Stations WBAL and KTHS have pending applications for regular authority operate unlimited time on 1060 kilocycles employing directional antenna. ations KRLD and WTIC have no pending applications. Stations WWL, New Orleans, La., and KWKH, Shreveport, La., are normally ensed for specified hours of operation on frequency 850 kilocycles with power 10 kilowatts. Under date of October 2, 1934, station WWL was granted special perimental authorization to increase hours to unlimited time. Under the same te station KWKH was granted special experimental authorization to operate limited time on frequency 1100 kilocycles with power of 10 kilowatts. These thorizations have been in effect continuously since that time. Both of these tions carry the programs of the Columbia Broadcasting System. So far as is own, station WWL has conducted no particular tests. Station KWKH has de some experimentation in regard to the directional antenna system necessary permit operation on frequency 1100 kilocycles without causing objectionable erference to other stations operating on that channel. Both of these stations ve pending applications for these authorities on a regular basis. Station KIRO, Seattle, Wash., is normally licensed to operate limited time on quency 650 kilocycles, with power of 250 watts (station WSM, Nashville, n., is the dominant station). This station has special experimental authorizato operate unlimited time on frequency 710 kilocycles with power of 1 kiloThis authorization was originally granted May 11, 1934, for power of watts, was increased to 500 watts September 3, 1935, and increased to 1 kiloEt May 8, 1936. There is no application pending for this authority on a regular The Commission records indicate that station KIRO was not connected Et. is. h any chain at the time of filing last renewal of license application. tation WCFL, Chicago, Ill., is normally licensed for limited time operation on quency 970 kilocycles, with power of 5 kilowatts (station KEX, Portland, Oreg., he dominant station). This station has special experimental authorization perate unlimited time on frequency 970 kilocycles. This authority was origly granted under date of September 21, 1931. This station is affiliated with National Broadcasting Co., however, carries only sustaining programs which not carried by any other National Broadcasting Co. station in the Chicago 1. This station has pending an application for construction permit for unted time on frequency 970 kilocycles, with power of 50 kilowatts. tation WLW, Cincinnati, Ohio, is normally licensed to operate unlimited e on frequency 700 kilocycles, with power of 50 kilowatts. This station has ial experimental authorization which has been in effect since April 17, 1934, 500 kilowatts. This station is on the Mutual Broadcasting System and ional Broadcasting Co. networks and has done extensive experimentation regard to operation with high-power and directional-antenna system. This ion has pending application for this authority on a regular basis. tation WPTF, Raleigh, N. C., is normally licensed to operate limited time on quency 680 kilocycles with power of 5 kilowatts (station KPO, San Francisco, Calif., is the dominant station). This station has special experimental authori zation permitting it to operate simultaneously with station KPO until 11 p. m. eastern standard time, which authority has been in effect since January 5, 1934 This station carries the programs of the National Broadcasting Co. networks and has conducted extensive experimentation on duplication of stations on elear channels and the use of directional antenna systems. This station has no appcation pending for this authority on a regular basis. Station WIP, Philadelphia, Pa., is normally licensed to operate unlimited time on frequency 610 kilocycles with power of 500 watts. This station has special experimental authorization to operate with a power of 1 kilowatt unlimited time, which has been in effect since August 27, 1935, and has had special experimental authorization to operate with power of 1 kilowatt daytime from December 15, 1933, until July 27, 1935. Under date of April 16, 1935, this station was granted a modification of license, file No. B2-ML-175, authorizing operation with a power of 1 kilowatt unlimited time on a regular basis subject to compliance with rule 131 (installation of a satisfactory antenna system). In order to comply with this requirement it was necessary to select a new transmitter location. Under date of December 15, 1936, this station was granted construction permit, file No. B2-P-1484, to move the station locally, install new transmitter and antenns system fully meeting the requirements of the Commission. It is understood that construction under this permit is practically completed, and upon making proper application therefor, the license to cover this installation will be granted in accordance with section 319 (b) of the act, which will terminate the special experimental authorization. This station has corducted considerable experi mentation in order the determine the extent of the interference caused by increasing the power to 1 kilowatt, and is not connected with any large chair, however, it is associated with the network known as the Intercity Group. Station WNBX, Springfield, Vt., is normally licensed 1,260 kilocycles, 1 kilowatt, with hours of operation daytime until local sunset at Erie, Pa. (license expires October 1, 1937). This station was granted special experimental authority for 1 kilowatt unlimited time conditionally October 15, 1935, effective October 29, 1935, which was in effect until March 17, 1936, when authority was granted conditionally for unlimited hours of operation with power of 500 watts night, 1 kilowatt day, which has been in effect continuously since that time. Among other conditions was the installation of a directional-antenna system to protect station WHIO, Dayton, Ohio. This directional-antenna system has been installed and it is understood that complete results of the experimentation conducted therewith will be submitted shortly. Upon examination of these data by the departments, they will be presented to the Division for further appropriate order which in all probability will terminate the experimental operation. It will be noted that the last two cases are the only ones not involving clear channels and that termination of these experimental authorizations will be made upon completion of authorized construction by station WIP and submission and action on experimental data by station WNBX. With reference to the 12 authorizations for experimental operation on clear channel frequencies, it will be noted from the above that in most cases extensive experimentation has been carried on, while in other cases no material quantitative data have been taken. However, valuable information has been obtained, particularly with reference to duplication of stations on clear-channel frequencies. It is the usual practice of licensees to use experimental grants for commercial purposes and generally such reward is the incentive for carrying on the experimental work. There are no rules governing the commercial use of facilities granted on an experimental basis, however, if the Division deems such rules desirable, the engineering department will endeavor to draft such rules that will not too seriously curtail experimentation and development. All of the experimental authorizations (the experimental authorization of WWL is an exception and is dependent on the continuation of the experimental authorization of KWKH) involve operation in addition to that contemplated by the present rules of the Commission, therefore, cannot be terminated by issuing regular authorizations until such time as the Commission decides on the broad policies of duplication, maximum power, and other phases of clear channel operation and the rules amended accordingly. These additional experimental grants are authorized by the Commission by virtue of the authority given it by section 303 (g) of the Communications Act of 1934. Attention is invited to the preliminary engineering report dated January 11, 1937, now pending before the Division, and to the fact that due to the several broad policy considerations that may arise during the Inter-American Radio Conference to be held in Habana, Cuba, next November, it is necessary to proceed slowly in making changes in the allocation icy which might materially hinder an effective solution of the North American cation problems at this conference. n view of the above and the fact that operation under most of these clear nnel experimental authorizations has proven very satisfactory, it is recomnded that all be continued until such time as a definite policy is established. stated above, the two authorizations on other than clear channels will undoubty be terminated in the near future. A. D. RING, Changes in special experimental authorizations since May 12, 1937 PECIAL EXPERIMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS TERMINATED SINCE MAY 12, 1937 >TE.--Attention is invited to the fact that three of the special experimental authorizations shown as tanding on pp. 378 and 379 of the record of the hearing on the independent offices appropriations bill 938 were terminated between the time of the preparation of that list and the list of May 12, 1937, and are n as terminated on the latter list. These were the special experimental authorizations of Stations FI, Twin Falls, Idaho, WDBO, Orlando, Fla., and WKRC, Cincinnati, Ohio. The other outstanding orizations listed, of which there are 12, all of which involve clear-channel frequencies, are still in effect e present time. 1. SPECIAL EXPERIMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS GRANTED SINCE MAY 12, 1937 Grant For a satellite station to be Facsimile station from 12 Facsimile station from 1 Facsimile station from 12 Facsimile station from 12 Facsimile station from 1 Date of grant July 2, 1937, effective Aug. 10, 1937, subject 131 and site. issued with modification SA granted Nov. 9, 1937. Granted Sept. 28, 1937, Granted Dec. 8, 1937, Granted Nov. 9, 1937, Granted Dec. 8, 1937, period ending Mar. 1, 1938. Granted Dec. 8, 1937, period ending Feb. 1, 1938. Granted Dec. 8, 1937, period ending Feb. 1, 1938. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. In the letter that I just referred to, Mr. Ring states: The Commission has no rules prohibiting stations from making commercia use of the time or power which they may be granted by an experimental authorization. It also says In several cases it has appeared to this department that the experiments proposed to be carried forward were not bona fide. He also says that instructions have been asked from the broadcasting division on drafting a rule governing commercial operation under experimental grants, but that the engineering department has never recommended such a rule. Have you any statement to make in that connection? Mr. CRAVEN. I cannot make any statement as far as the Commission as a whole is concerned, but I have in mind requesting the other members of the Commission to adopt an entirely new policy with respect to experimental licenses, going to all phases of the several classifications of experiments, one of which is a bona fide attempt by anybody, any small inventor who needs the use of radio, to get it without much expense and trouble, provided that he is legally qualified to hold a license. I do not think that the Commission should have such rules as would prevent genuine experimentation on the part of a small and poor inventor. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. The Commission as a whole has taken no action? Mr. CRAVEN. Not yet, because we have been in the progress of reorganization. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. That matter, too, has been under consideration, I think, for several years. Mr. CRAVEN. Let me finish the rest of my statement, because it was getting down to your point. From this small start, the type of experimental license becomes more difficult to justify, until you get to the type where there is a commercial experiment, or an experiment leading up to commercialism. That in my opinion should be the most difficult to obtain under the guise of an experimental license. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Am I correct that it is your opinion that these stations should be limited to 50,000 watts, maximum? Mr. CRAVEN. My personal opinion is that from an engineering standpoint, better service to rural areas can be rendered with higher power, but in relating such higher power to the question of broadcasting in this country, I have grave doubts that such higher power should be permitted at this time. In other words, I personally believe that from an economic and social standpoint 500 kilowatts may be too much power under our scheme of broadcasting. In my opinion, additional proof is necessary to justify such power as 500 kilowatts. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Is there any justification for the power in that particular station to which you are undoubtedly referring, WLW? Mr. CRAVEN. I think that we learned a whole lot and will learn much more in respect to having a station with that power. I think that we may have learned enough from it to know what to do. Mr. WOODRUM. And what not to do. Mr. CRAVEN. And what not to do. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. The Commission has taken no action in that pect? Mr. CRAVEN. No; it has not granted it permanently, but I have a ling that there will be a time coming when the whole subject will ne up before the Commission in a hearing, as to further justification that power. Mr. DIRKSEN. You did not mean permanently? No license is manent. Mr. CRAVEN. No; in the regular way rather than in an experimental V. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. This is Mr. Michaelson's station. Mr. CRAVEN. I do not know whether it is or not. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. How many program complaints have you d during the past year, many or few? Mr. CRAVEN. I do not know how many there have been, personally. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Does anyone know? Mr. CRAVEN. I know that I have received some lately. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Insert the number in the record, and also the mber of revocations or nonrenewals as a result of complaints, if V. You say that you have had some personally? Mr. CRAVEN. I have had complaints personally since I have been the Commission sent to me during my absence from Washington official business in Habana. I have not had a chance to look into em as yet. (Mr. Craven later supplied the following information:) Commission records show that since January 1, 1937, there have been received i referred to the Law Department approximately 1,140 separate communicans concerning complaints against the program service of radio station or stans. A large number of individual complaints in letter form have been reved in the Commission concerning the programs of broadcasting stations of ich no record has been kept. No station licenses have been revoked nor have any renewal applications been used during 1937 as a result of complaints against the program service of any tion. NEWSPAPER OWNERSHIP OF FREQUENCIES Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Have you any views on the desirability or dersirability of increasing newspaper ownership of frequencies? Mr. CRAVEN. That is another question that I think is very basic d involves a constitutional question, and I think that Congress Il be the ultimate factor in the determination of that. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Has the Commission given that some coneration? Mr. CRAVEN. It has, and it is going to give it much more coneration before a year is out. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. It is not in position to make any recomndation? Mr. CRAVEN. Not at this time, but I think that we may have some ta later on in that matter. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. That has also been under consideration for ne time. Mr. CRAVEN. Of course, you realize the history that the Comssion had during the past year. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. I do. |