Series R 46-55. Western Union Telegraph Company-Summary of Facilities, Traffic, and Finances: 1866 to 1915-Con. Series R 56-70. Domestic Telegraph Industry-Messages, Property, Revenues, Expenses, Net Income, Dividends, Employees, and Wages: 1916 to 1970 [In thousands, except series R 67 and R 69. Census figures in italics] Series R 56-70. Domestic Telegraph Industry-Messages, Property, Revenues, Expenses, Net Income, Dividends, Employees, and Wages: 1916 to 1970-Con. Series R 71-74. Domestic Telegraph Message Rates and Teletypewriter Exchange Service (TWX) Rates Between New York City and Selected Cities: 1850 to 1970 Series R 75-88. International Telegraph Industry-Messages, Property, Ocean-Cable Mileage, Countries Served by Radiotelegraph, Revenues, Expenses, Net Income, Employees, and Wages: 1907 to 1970 [In thousands, except series R 82 and R 87. Census figures in italics. Includes Hawaii and Puerto Rico] See footnotes at end of table. Series R 75-88. International Telegraph Industry-Messages, Property, Ocean-Cable Mileage, Countries Served by Radiotelegraph, Revenues, Expenses, Net Income, Employees, and Wages: 1907 to 1970-Con. [In thousands, except series R 82 and R 87. Census figures in italics. Includes Hawaii and Puerto Rico] Represents zero. 1 Numbers of cable and radio telegraph messages depend on whether they were reported by what were formerly known as cable or radio carriers. Since 1956, radio carriers have been using circuits in cables in addition to radio for transmission of messages; since 1965, cable carriers have been using radio circuits via satellite relay in addition to cables. 2 Overseas telephone calls inserted for information purposes only; not handled by International Telegraph Industry. Beginning 1956, includes Alaska, Guam, and Virgin Islands. Excludes calls over landwire to Canada and Mexico. Series R 89-92. International Cable and Radiotelegraph Rates and International Telephone Rates Between New York City and Selected Cities: 1866 to 1970 [Prior to 1924, rate changes are for messages by cable only (except as noted for radiotelegraph messages). Since 1924, rate changes are for both cable and radiotelegraph messages] Radio and Television (Series R 93-162) R 93-162. General note. Federal regulation of radio communication has been continuous since 1912 when the Department of Commerce was given authority to license radio equipment and radio operators, and broadcast stations, which began operation in 1921. On February 23, 1927, Congress established the Federal Radio Commission with broad authority for the regulation of radio. In 1934, the powers of the Federal Radio Commission were transferred to the Federal Communications Commission. Principal governmental sources of statistics in respect to broadcast and nonbroadcast radio services include the following: 1. U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Business, 1935: Radio Broadcasting; Fifteenth Census Reports, Population, vol. VI, Families, 1930; Sixteenth Census Reports, Housing, vol. II, part 1, 1940; U.S. Census of Housing: 1950, 1960, and 1970, vol. I, part 1. 2. U.S. Department of Commerce, Annual Report of the Secretary of Commerce, 1913-1926. 3. Federal Radio Commission, Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission, 1927-1933; Commercial Radio Advertising, 1931. 4. U.S. Federal Communications Commission, Annual Report of the Federal Communications Commission, 1938-1970; Report on Chain Broadcasting, 1941; The Public Service Responsibilities of Broadcast Stations, 1946; "An Economic Study of Standard Broadcasting," October 1947 (processed); House Report No. 1297, 85th Cong., 2d sess., Network Broadcasting, 1958. 5. House Report No. 1273, 73d Cong., 2d sess., Report on Communication Companies, 1934. Since 1937, the FCC has obtained annual financial reports from networks and broadcast stations. Statistical tabulations of the data so reported have been made available by the FCC in its annual reports; in its annual Statistics of the Communications Industry in the United States; and in annual processed reports. Unlike the telephone and telegraph industries, radio broadcasting is not classified as a common carrier and is not subject to rate or earnings regulation. The FCC, therefore, does not prescribe a uniform system of accounts for the radio industry. However, the Commission's Annual Report Form No. 324, and the accompanying instructions, ensures general uniformity in the reported data. The individual financial reports of networks and stations filed with the FCC are not available for public inspection. However, some individual network and station data have been published from time to time, as for example, in a Committee Print, 84th Cong., 2d sess. (Senator John W. Bricker), The Network Monopoly: Report Prepared for Use of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 1956; Monopoly Problems in Regulated Industries; Hearings before the Antitrust Subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary, 84th Cong., 2d sess., 4 vols., part 2, 1956. R 93-97. General note. Statistics of broadcast stations are commonly presented in terms of "authorized" and of "licensed" stations. A broadcast station is authorized when it receives a construction permit from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (or predecessor licensing agencies). Normally, a station is expected to complete construction and begin regular operation within 8 months thereafter. However, not all authorized stations complete this process and be come operating stations. This has occurred mainly in the broadcast services of frequency modulation (FM) and television (TV). Similarly, statistics of "licensed" stations can be misleading. A station permittee who has completed construction in accordance with the specifications of the construction permit or a modification thereof, usually receives a regular license, prior to start of regular on-the-air program service. However, for a variety of reasons, the FCC has permitted stations to undertake regular broadcast service under a Special Temporary Authorization. Many stations have operated under such authority for a number of years. Here, again, this statement applies particularly to FM and TV stations. Figures for these series are for the most part presented in terms of operating stations. Stations are recorded in FCC records as operating when they have received permission to conduct program tests. In some instances, considerable time may elapse before such stations are in regular, daily operation. Adjustments for this factor have been made by the FCC on the basis of trade sources, and such adjustments are incorporated here. In sum, the data on operating stations are not precise, but are believed to be reasonably accurate. R 93. Standard broadcast (AM) stations operating, 1921-1970. Source: 1921, U.S. Federal Communications Commission, unpublished data; 1922-1926, Annual Report of the Secretary of Commerce, various issues; 1927-1932, Seventh Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for Fiscal Year 1933, p. 18; 1933-1970, FCC, Annual Report, various issues. Prior to 1948, data pertain to licensed stations which, in the AM service, generally approximated operating stations. Figures are not available annually on the number of noncommercial AM stations because there is no separate noncommercial service. Usually, such stations are supported by educational or public bodies. In the early growth of radio prior to 1927, educational institutions were prominent in radio (see S. E. Frost, Education's Own Stations; the History of Broadcast Licenses Issued to Educational Institutions, University of Chicago Press, 1937). From 1945-1970, the number of noncommercial AM stations declined from about 35 to 25. In addition, a small number of educational institutions operate commercial stations. The decline in the number of AM stations between 1927 and 1929 followed the transfer of the licensing function from the Secretary of Commerce to the Federal Radio Commission. The latter body tightened the licensing requirements, resulting in the withdrawal or deletion of a number of operating stations. R 94-95. Frequency modulation (FM) stations operating, 1940-1970. Source: U.S. Federal Communications Commission, Annual Report, various issues. FM was authorized as a regular service in 1940, effective January 1, 1941, and the first commercial station was licensed in 1941. Noncommercial FM is a separate service with a specific spectrum allocation. The stations are licensed to nonprofit educational organizations. R 96-97. Television (TV) stations operating, 1941-1970. Television was authorized on a regular commercial basis, effective July 1, 1941, and 2 stations in New York began operating as of that |