576.G1/7

The Secretary of State to the Secretary General of the League of Nations (Avenol)

The Secretary of State of the United States of America refers to the note, dated February 9, 1934, from the Secretary General of the League of Nations, transmitting the preliminary draft International Agreement for the Use of Broadcasting in the Cause of Peace, and requesting the observations of the American Government thereon.

The Secretary of State informs the Secretary General that the American Government, while appreciating the opportunity to consider the draft Agreement, would not be prepared to subscribe to such an arrangement in view of the fact that, under its present laws, this Government does not control the content of or censor radio programs broadcast in the United States. Moreover, the Federal Government may not require the broadcasting of any specific material unless it purchases time, in the usual manner, from the privately owned stations.

The broadcasting of programs in the United States “intended for the population of another State” is rare, as the American broadcasting stations depend for their support largely upon the sale of time to sponsors who desire to sell products to persons within the service range of the stations.