International Telecommunication Union

Abstract

On March 31, 1950, the United States gave notice that it would not carry out with respect to the American zone of Germany the provisions of the Copenhagen agreement on radio wave lengths signed, under ITU auspices, by all the countries of Europe. On that date new frequency assignments were made for German and official United States radio outlets, duplicating wave lengths assigned to other nations. The new wave lengths became effective on March 15. The United States was not a signatory to the Copenhagen plan and had frequently stated objections to the assignments made under it. The Director of Public Affairs in the Office of the High Commissioner for Germany (Nicholson), in explaining the United States decision, pointed out that the Copenhagen assignments “made no adequate provision for the continuation of the broadcasting services now being rendered and considered an absolute necessity in the United States zone of Germany and the American sector of Berlin.” In order to prevent interference in the broadcasting areas of nations previously assigned the wave lengths subject to duplication, the United States would expedite the construction of directional antennae. In place of the sixteen frequencies previously in use in the United States zone, thirty frequencies were to be utilized after March 15, some of comparatively low power. The frequencies previously assigned were alleged by the United States to be off the normal range of bands used in receivers in Germany.