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mission may allow, unless prevented by causes not under the control of the grantee.119

(c) Upon the completion of any station for the construction or continued construction of which a permit has been granted, and upon it being made to appear to the Commission that all the terms, conditions, and obligations set forth in the application and permit have been fully met, and that no cause or circumstance arising or first coming to the knowledge of the Commission since the granting of the permit would, in the judgment of the Commission, make the operation of such station against the public interest, the Commission shall issue a license to the lawful holder of said permit for the operation of said station. Said license shall conform generally to the terms of said permit. The provisions of section 309 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) shall not apply with respect any station license the issuance of which is provided for and governed by the provisions of this subsection. 120

(d) A permit for construction shall not be required for Government stations, amateur stations, or mobile stations. A permit for construction shall not be required for public coast stations, privately owned fixed microwave stations, or stations licensed to common carriers, unless the Commission determines that the public interest, convenience, and necessity would be served by requiring such permits for any such stations. With respect to any broadcasting station, the Commission shall not have any authority to waive the requirement of a permit for construction. With respect to any other station or class of stations the Commiion shall not waive such requirement unless the Commission dermines that the public interest, convenience, and necessity would be served by such a waiver. 121

DESIGNATION OF STATIONS LIABLE TO INTERFERE WITH DISTRESS

SIGNALS

SEC. 320. [47 U.S.C. 320] The Commission is authorized to designate from time to time radio stations the communications or signals of which, in its opinion, are liable to interfere with the transmission or reception of distress signals of ships. Such stations are

119 The last sentence of subsection (b), which read as follows: "A permit for construction shall not be required for Government stations, amateur stations, or stations upon mobile vessels, railroad rolling stock, or aircraft.", was deleted by Public Law 321, 83rd Congress, 2d Sess., approved March 26, 1954, 68 Stat. 35. That Act also added subsection (d) to section 319.

120 Public Law 86-752, approved September 13, 1960, 14 Stat. 889, amended the third sentence of subsection (c) by striking out "and (c)" and inserting in lieu thereof “(c), (d), (e), (f), and (g),” such amendment to take effect ninety days after the date of enactment.

121 Subsection 319(d) was amended to read as above by Public Law 97-259, 96 Stat. 1087, 1096, Sept. 13, 1982. The subsection formerly read as follows:

(d) A permit for construction shall not be required for Government stations, amateur stations, or mobile stations. With respect to stations or classes of stations other than Government stations, amateur stations, mobile stations, and broadcasting stations, the Commission may waive the requirement of a permit for construction if it finds that the public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served thereby: Provided, however, That such waiver shall apply only to stations whose construction is begun subsequent to the effective date of the waiver. If the Commission finds that the public interest, convenience, and necessity would be served thereby, it may waive the requirement of a permit for construction of a station that is engaged solely in rebroadcasting television signals if such station was constructed on or before the date of enactment of this sentence.

The former subsection (d) was added by Public Law 321, 83d Congress, 2d Session, approved March 26, 1954. The last sentence of the former subsection was added by Public Law 86-609, 74 Stat. 363, July 7, 1960.

required to keep a licensed radio operator listening in on the frequencies designated for signals of distress and radio communications relating thereto during the entire period the transmitter of such station is in operation.

DISTRESS SIGNALS AND COMMUNICATIONS

SEC. 321. [47 U.S.C. 321] (a) The transmitting set in a radio station on shipboard may be adjusted in such a manner as to produce a maximum of radiation, irrespective of the amount of interference which may thus be caused, when such station is sending radio communications or signals of distress and radio communications relating thereto.

(b) All radio stations, including Government stations and stations on board foreign vessels when within the territorial waters of the United States, shall give absolute priority to radio communications or signals relating to ships in distress; shall cease all sending on frequencies which will interfere with hearing a radio communication or signal of distress, and, except when engaged in answering or aiding the ship in distress, shall refrain from sending any radio communications or signals until there is assurance that no interference will be caused with the radio communications or signals relating thereto, and shall assist the vessel in distress, so far as possible, by complying with its instructions. 122

INTERCOMMUNICATION IN MOBILE SERVICE

SEC. 322. [47 U.S.C. 322] Every land station open to general public service between the coast and vessels or aircraft at sea shall, within the scope of its normal operations, be bound to exchange radio communications or signals with any ship or aircraft station at sea; and each station on shipboard or aircraft at sea shall, within the scope of its normal operations, be bound to exchange radio communications or signals with any other station on shipboard or aircraft at sea or with any land station open to general public service between the coast and vessels or aircraft at sea: Provided, That such exchange of radio communication shall be without distinction as to radio systems or instruments adopted by each station. 123

122 This section was amended to read as above by "An Act to amend the Communications Act of 1934, etc." Public No. 97, 75th Congress, approved and effective May 20, 1937, 50 Stat. 191. Section 321(a) formerly read as follows:

SEC. 321. (a) Every radio station on shipboard shall be equipped to transmit radio communications or signals of distress on the frequency specified by the Commission, with apparatus capable of transmitting and receiving messages over a distance of at least one hundred miles by day or night. When sending radio communications or signals of distress and radio communications relating thereto the transmitting set may be adjusted in such a manner as to produce a maximum of radiation irrespective of the amount of interference which may thus be caused. 123 See note 86. Section 322 formerly read as follows:

SEC. 322. Every land station open to general public service between the coast and vessels at sea shall be bound to exchange radio communications or signals with any ship station without distinction as to radio systems or instruments adopted by such stations, respectively, and each station on shipboard shall be bound to exchange radio communications or signals with any other station on shipboard without distinction as to radio systems or instruments adopted by each station.

INTERFERENCE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCIAL STATIONS

SEC. 323. [47 U.S.C. 323] (a) At all places where Government and private or commercial radio stations on land operate in such close proximity that interference with the work of Government stations cannot be avoided when they are operating simultaneously, such private or commercial stations as do interfere with the transmission or reception of radio communications or signals by the Government stations concerned shall not use their transmitters during the first fifteen minutes of each hour, local standard time. (b) The Government stations for which the above-mentioned division of time is established shall transmit radio communications or signals only during the first fifteen minutes of each hour, local standard time, except in case of signals or radio communications relating to vessels in distress and vessel requests for information as to course, location, or compass direction.

USE OF MINIMUM POWER

SEC. 324. [47 U.S.C. 324] In all circumstances, except in case of radio communications or signals relating to vessels in distress, all radio stations, including those owned and operated by the United States, shall use the minimum amount of power necessary to carry out the communication desired.

FALSE DISTRESS SIGNALS; REBROADCASTING; STUDIOS OF FOREIGN

STATIONS

SEC. 325. [47 U.S.C. 325] (a) No person within the jursidiction of the United States shall knowingly utter or transmit, or cause to be uttered or transmitted, any false or fraudulent signals of distress, or communication relating thereto, nor shall any broadcasting station rebroadcast the program or any part thereof of another broadcasting station without the express authority of the originating station.

(b) No person shall be permitted to locate, use, or maintain a radio broadcast studio or other place or apparatus from which or whereby sound waves are converted into electrical energy, or mechanical or physical reproduction of sound waves produced, and caused to be transmitted or delivered to a radio station in a foreign country for the purpose of being broadcast from any radio station there having a power output of sufficient intensity and/or being so located geographically that its emissions may be received consistently in the United States, without first obtaining a permit from the Commission upon proper application therefor.

(c) Such application shall contain such information as the Commission may by regulation prescribe, and the granting or refusal thereof shall be subject to the requirements of section 309 hereof with respect to applications for station licenses or renewal or modification thereof, and the license or permission so granted shall be revocable for false statements in the application so required or when the Commission, after hearings, shall find its continuation no longer in the public interest.

CENSORSHIP; INDECENT LANGUAGE

SEC. 326. [47 U.S.C. 326] Nothing in this Act shall be understood or construed to give the Commission the power of censorship over the radio communications or signals transmitted by any radio station, and no regulation or condition shall be promulgated or fixed by the Commission which shall interfere with the right of free speech by means of radio communication. 124

USE OF NAVAL STATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL MESSAGES

SEC. 327. [47 U.S.C. 327] The Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized, unless restrained by international agreement, under the terms and conditions and at rates prescribed by him, which rates shall be just and reasonable, and which, upon complaint, shall be subject to review and revision by the Commission, to use all radio stations and apparatus, wherever located, owned by the United States and under the control of the Navy Department, (a) for the reception and transmission of press messages offered by any newspaper published in the United States, its Territories or possessions, or published by citizens of the United States in foreign countries, or by any press association of the United States, and (b) for the reception and transmission of private commercial messages between ships, between ship and shore, between localities in Alaska and between Alaska and the continental United States: Provided, That the rates fixed for the reception and transmission of all such messages, other than press messages between the Pacific coast of the United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, American Samoa, 125 and the Orient, and between the United States and the Virgin Islands, shall not be less than the rates charged by privately owned and operated stations for like messages and service: Provided further, That the right to use such stations for any of the purposes named in this section shall terminate and cease as between any countries or localities or between any locality and privately operated ships whenever privately owned and operated stations are capable of meeting the normal communication requirements between such countries or localities or between any locality and privately operated ships, and the Commission shall have notified the Secretary of the Navy thereof.

SPECIAL PROVISION AS TO CANAL ZONE

SEC. 328.125 [47 U.S.C. 328] This title shall not apply to the Canal Zone. In international radio matters the Canal Zone shall be represented by the Secretary of State. 126

124 The last sentence of section 326 was repealed and recodified as § 1464 of the Criminal Code 18 U.S.C. 1464 by "An Act to revise, codify and enact into positive law title 18 of the United States Code, entitled 'Crimes and Criminal Procedure'," Public Law 772, 80th Cong., 2d Sess., approved June 25, 1948, effective September 1, 1948. The last sentence of section 326 was as follows:

"No person within the jurisdiction of the United States shall utter any obscene, indecent, or profane language, by means of radio communication.

Section 1464, Public Law 772, 80th Cong., 2d Sess., reads as follows:

$1464. Broadcasting Obscene Language. Whoever utters any obscene, indecent, or profane language by means of radio communication shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

125 See note 3.

126 See note 3.

ADMINISTRATION OF RADIO LAWS IN TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS

SEC. 329.127 [47 U.S.C. 329] The Commission is authorized to designate any officer or employee of any other department of the Government on duty in any Territory or possession of the United States to render therein such service in connection with the administration of this Act as the Commission may prescribe and also to designate any officer or employee of any other department of the Government to render such services at any place within the United States in connection with the administration of title III of this Act as may be necessary: Provided, That such designation shall be approved by the head of the department in which such person is employed.

PROHIBITION AGAINST SHIPMENT OF CERTAIN TELEVISION RECEIVERS

SEC. 330.128 [47 U.S.C. 330] (a) No person shall ship in interstate commerce, or import from any foreign country into the United States, for sale or resale to the public, apparatus described in paragraph (s) of section 303 unless it complies with rules prescribed by the Commission pursuant to the authority granted by that paragraph: Provided, That this section shall not apply to carriers transporting such apparatus without trading in it.

(b) For the purposes of this section and section 303(s)—

(1) The term "interstate commerce" means (A) commerce between any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any possession of the United States and any place outside thereof which is within the United States, (B) commerce between points in the same State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or possession of the United States but through any place outside thereof, or (C) commerce wholly within the District of Columbia or any possession of the United States.

(2) The term "United States" means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the possessions of the United States, but does not include the Canal Zone.

VERY HIGH FREQUENCY STATIONS

SEC. 331.129 [47 U.S.C. 331] It shall be the policy of the Federal Communications Commission to allocate channels for very high frequency commercial television broadcasting in a manner which ensures that not less than one such channel shall be allocated to each State, if technically feasible. In any case in which licensee of a very high frequency commercial television broadcast station notifies the Commission to the effect that such licensee will agree to the reallo

127 See note 122. Section 329 formerly read as follows:

SEC. 329. The Commission is authorized to designate any officer or employee of any other department of the Government on duty in any Territory or possession of the United States other than the Philippine Islands and the Canal Zone, to render therein such services in connection with the administration of the radio laws of the United States as the Commission may prescribe: Provided, That such designation shall be approved by the head of the department in which such person is employed.

128 This section was added by Public Law 87-529, approved July 10, 1962, 76 Stat. 151. 129 This section was added by Public Law 97-248, 96 Stat. 324, 641, Sept. 3, 1982. A second section 331 was added by Public Law 97-259, 96 Stat. 1087, 1096, Sept. 13, 1982.

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