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Treaty Regulation of International Radio and Short Wave Broadcasting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2017

Howard S. LeRoy
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Extract

The significance of international short wave broadcasting has been enhanced recently by a sequence of apparently unrelated international developments, both political and technical in character. These developments, with their widespread ramifications, place additional strains on the international radio regulatory régime built up during the last three decades. This regulatory pattern has evolved out of some of the most voluminous, intricate, and technical multilateral treaties to be put in force between sovereign states.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Journal of International Law , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , October 1938 , pp. 719 - 737
Copyright
Copyright © by the American Society of International Law 1938

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References

1 Some of the developments contributing to the current pattern of international short wave broadcasting include: (a) the rise of fascism; (b) the adoption by governments of international short wave broadcasting for political purposes; (c) the trend toward transnutting with super-power and directive beams; (d) report of John H. Payne, Chief of the Electrical Division of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Oct. 19, 1937, entitled “Latin America Shows Increased Interest in Short Wave Broadcast Reception”; (e) Pan American Broadcast Convention of Havana, 1937; (f) Telecommunication Conference, Cairo, Feb. 1, 1938; (g) Interdepartmental Committee appointed by the United States Feb. 26, 1938, to study international broadcasting; (h) establishment of Divisions on Culturai Relations and International Communications by the Department of State.

2 “The Utility of Comparative Law in Drafting Legislation and Treaties Relative to Communications and Broadcasting,” by Howard S. LeRoy, Tulane Law Rev., June, 1936, Vol. X, p. 604; “Observations on Comparative Air Law,” by Howard S. LeRoy, Air Law Rev., Oct., 1937, Vol. VIII, p. 259.

3 “International Radio Regulation,” by William Roy Vallance, Radio Law Bulletin, Catholic University, Aug., 1931, p. 88.

4 U. S. For. Rel., 1902, Vol. 61, p. 422.

5 North American Review, Nov., 1903, p. 663.

6 Supra, note 3.

7 Wireless Telegraphy, XXIV Op. Atty.-Gen., p. 100, Aug. 18, 1902.

8 U. S. For. Rel., 1906, Pt. 2, Vol. 68, p. 1513 et seg.

9 37 U. S. Stat. at L. 1565; U. S. Treaty Series, No. 568; Malloy, Treaties, Conventions, etc., of the U. S., Vol. III, p. 2889; this Journal, Supplement, Vol. 3 (1909), p. 330.

10 36 U. S. Stat, at L., Pt. 2, pp. 2310, 2371, 2415; Hague Conventions and Declarations of 1899 and 1907, J. B. Scott, ed., pp. 133,163, 209; this Journal, Supp., Vol. 2 (1908), pp. 117, 153, 202.

11 U. S. For. Rel., 1913, p. 1375 et seq.; 38 U. S. St. at L. 1707; U. S. Treaty Series, No. 581; Malloy, Treaties, etc., Vol. III, p. 3048; this Journal, Supp., Vol. 7 (1913), p. 229.

12 Text: Hertslet’s Commercial Treaties, Vol. XXVII, p. 416; see “International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea,” by Everett P. Wheeler, this Journal, Vol. 8 (1914), p. 761.

13 Protocol of March 27, 1918, Relative to Radio Service, United States and Italy, U. S. Treaty Series, No. 631-A; Malloy, Treaties, Conventions, etc. of U. S., Vol. III, p. 2707.

14 Although there were unsuccessful sporadic experiments with radio telephony, broadcasting did not come into use until the Harding election returns were broadcast in 1920 by Station KDKA of Pittsburgh. See Zollmann, Cases on Air Law, 2d ed., p. 296, note; Herring and Gross, Telecommunications, p. 98.

15 Radio Law Bulletin, Catholic University, 1931, p. 90.

16 Treaties and Resolutions approved and adopted by the Conference on the Limitation of Armament, Sen. Doc. 125, 67 Cong., 2d Sess., reprinted in this Journal, Supp., Vol. 16 (1922), p. 79.

17 Gt. Br. Parliamentary Papers, Cmd. 2201, Misc. No. 14 (1924); this Journal, Supp., Vol. 32 (1938), p. 2.

18 “The Inter-American Committee on Electrical Communications,” by Irvin Stewart, Air Law Rev., Oct., 1936, Vol. VII, pp. 351–386.

19 Text: Hudson, International Legislation, Vol. II, p. 1292.

20 Report of Delegation of the United States, Inter-American Committee on Electrical Communication, May 27 to July 22, 1924. Govt. Printing Office. Comisión Inter-Americana de Comunicaciónes Eléctricas, Convención, Resoluciónes y Actas.

21 Exchange of notes between United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Newfoundland for the prevention of interference with radio broadcasting by ships, Sept. 8/Oct. 1, 1925 (U. S. Treaty Series, No. 724-A; 69 League of Nations Treaty Series, p. 179); First International Juridical Congress of International Committee on Wireless Telegraphy, Paris, 1925, dealing with the principle of ether freedom; Second International Juridical Congrese, Geneva, 1927, expressed the “hope” that ether would be free without prejudice to the right of each state to regulate it (2 Journal of Radio Law, p. 46).

22 44 U. S. Stat, at L., Pt. 2, p. 1162.

23 Ibid., p. 2760; U. S. Treaty Series, No. 767; 84 League of Nations Treaty Series, p. 97; Hudson, International Legislation, Vol. III, p. 2197.

24 “International Radiotelegraphic Conference of Washington,” by Stewart, Irvin, this Journal, Vol. 22 (1928), p. 29 Google Scholar; “The International Radiotelegraph Conference,” by Howard S. LeRoy, 14 Am. Bar Assn. Jour. (Feb., 1928), p. 86.

25 U. S. Treaty Series, No. 767-A; 102 League of Nations Treaty Series, p. 143.

26 U. S. Treaty Series, No. 777-A; 97 League of Nations Treaty Series, p. 301; 2 Air Law Rev., 440; Radio Bulletin, p. 94.

27 Text: 50 U. S. Stat, at L., Pt. 2, p. 1121; U. S. Treaty Series, No. 910; Hudson, International Legislation, Vol. IV, p. 2724.

28 International Telecommunication Convention. 49 U. S. Stat, at L., Pt. 2, p. 2393; U. S. Treaty Series, No. 867; Hudson, International Legislation, Vol. VI, p. 109.

29 49 U. S. Stat, at L., Pt. 2, p. 2445; Hudson, op. cit., p. 133.

30 In re Application of The Crosley Radio Corporation (WLW). File No. B2–SA–78, 1 F.C.C. Reports 203.

31 Executive Agreement Series, No. 34.

32 “Inter-American Radio Conferences, Habana, 1937,” by Otterman, Harvey B., this Journal, Vol. 32 (1938), p. 569.Google Scholar

33 In the matter of World Wide Broadcasting Corporation (W1XAL), Docket No. 4843, decided Feb. 1, 1938, by Federal Communications Commission; Executive Order No. 5067, dated Mar. 2, 1929, allocating frequencies 6120 and 9550 kilocycles; Executive Order No. 5638, dated June 8, 1931, allocating frequencies 11730 and 15130 kilocycles; Executive Order No. 5855, dated June 6, 1932, allocating frequency 21500 kilocycles.

34 Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, Special Handbook for the Use of Delegates, p. 104.

35 Report of the results of the Seventh International Conference of American States submitted to the Governing Board of the Pan American Union by the Director General, Feb. 21, 1934, p. 23 (Resolution LXXXVI).

36 International Convention concerning Broadcasting in Cause of Peace, Geneva, Sept. 23, 1936. Great Britain, Parliamentary Papers, Cmd. 5505, Misc. No. 6 (1937); this Journal, Supp., Vol. 32 (1938), p. 113.

37 Report on the Proceedings of the Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, Buenos Aires, by the Director General of the Pan American Union. U. S. Dept. of State, Congress and Conference Series, No. 22, Feb., 1937, pp. 17, 54, 55, 58.

38 C.I.R. Doc. 13, Pan American Union Library, Washington, D. C.

39 “Democracy versus the Totalitarian State in Latin America,” by Samuel Guy Inman, American Academy of Political and Social Science, 1938, Pamphlet Series, No. 7.

40 “Radio as a Political Instrument,” by Cesar Saerchinger, Foreign Affairs, Jan., 1938, Vol. 16, p. 244; “The American System of Broadcasting and Its Function in the Preservation of Democracy,” address by David Sarnoff at Town Hall Luncheon, Hotel Astor, New York City, April 28, 1938.

41 S. 3342, 75th Congress, 3rd Session.

42 “The Cairo Telecommunication Conferences,” by Francis Colt de Wolf, this Journal, Vol. 32 (1938), p. 562.

43 See p. 728, note 33, and p. 731 supra.

44 W1XAL, World Wide Station at Boston, was awarded frequencies 11,370 and 15,130 kilocycles; W2XAD and W2XAF, General Electric Stations at Schenectady, were assigned 9550 and 21,500 kilocycles. This decision had no bearing on the “loan” of the fifth Pan American frequency 6120 kilocycles to the Columbia Broadcasting System operating W2XE at Wayne, N. J.

45 International Broadcast Stations, F.C.C. Rules 1010–1015.

46 S. 3342 and H. 4281.

47 General Radio Regulations, Madrid, 1932, Art. 1 (13) : “A station carrying on a visual broadcasting service.”

48 Ibid., Art. 1 (28) : “A service carrying on the broadcasting of visual images, either fixed or moving, primarily intended to be received by the general public.”

49 General Radio Regulations, Cairo, 1938, Art. 1.

50 Report to the Secretary of State by the Chairman of the American Delegation to the International Telecommunication Conference at Cairo, 1938, June 16, 1938, p. 28.

51 Dept. of State Press Release, No. 367, July 27, 1938.

52 Ibid., No. 391, Aug. 19, 1938.

53 F.C.C. Press Belease of Aug. 23, 1938, No. 29048; Broadcasting, Sept. 1,1938, p. 59.

54 See note 1, supra.