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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 1976)
rr.crr, cctcber 11,1973 Satellite to provide cheep, across-country phone call Ey Dca Vcs!sy The day isn't too far away when tefcphone, telegraph, television, data transnirsaon, radio and other electronic lerricc are fcroeght to us via ctelite. If fully and pro perly developed, the synchronous communications satellite w3 provide a fast, relet le, inexpensive means of Jong-distance communications. . However, there are serious doubts that satellite tech nology wi3 be fully and properly developed. To under stand those doubts one needs to take a took at the brief history of communications satellites. Arthur C. Clarke, British sdence-fictbn writer, prophesrzed in 1945 that one day satellites launched into a synchronous earth orbit at 22,303 miles above the earth would act as relay stations bringing telephone, telegraph, and television communication to the world. Eighteen years later, in 1963, Clarke proved correct when SYNCOM I was launch ed by the United States into synchronous orbit. SYNCGM II and III provided noise-free, wireless communications across oveans, deserts and mountains. CCI3AT created - About this same time the Communications Satellite Corporation (CO'.!SAT) was created after the passage of the Communications Satellite Act of 1962. COMSAT was to develop an international, commercial, communications satellite system. The corporation was a most convenient mmtege between government and industry and its crea tion was hotly debated. A Senate minority report oppos ing the formation of COMSAT stated that the issue was "Government ownership of a tax-financed resource, with operation for the benefit of all the American people, or ownership by a government-created private monopoly." The communications satellite is a product of tax payers $S0 billion investment in the space program. But when a decision must be made as to who benefits from that investment, private interests consistently pre vail over the public interest. Following the creation of COMSAT (which then form ed INTELSAT, a profit-making international telecom munications satellite network which includes 91 nations as members) in 1965 the FCC received a proposal from the American Broadcasting Corporation (ACQ and Hughes Aircraft Company (which was hired by the US. military in 1960 to engineer and construct communica tions satellites) to use satellites to distribute AEC-produc-ed prograrmning to all of the network's radio and tele vision affiliates. This proposal touched off further pro longed debate concerning how communications satellite systems should be developed. The Nixon administration proposed a sohrtion-a policy of naholis-barred, free competition in space. Finally, on June 16, 1972, that Yhite House position became national policy, or rather, national non-policy. The muscle of the marketplace would rule, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would not regulate the technology, and the public interest was all but for gotten. Since 1972 several commercial domestic satellite sys tems have been developed in the US. There are plans to launch up to nine satellites and to build 410 earth stations to send and receive communications. Various commercial interests have a part in this development, which is, given an estimated total investment cost of $818 million. Technical advances of recent years will drastically reduce satellite hardware and operating costs., ' The Japanese have engineered a prototype satellite receiver costing only $1 ,500 to build which can be attach ed to television sets. It is anticipated that, when mass produced, these receivers will cost only $100. Traditional Earth stations cost between SlOOjDOO and $500,000. - Canada movisg ahead . . The Canadian government has notified the Internation al Frequency Regulation Board (the agency which coor dinates the use of the radio spectrum worldwide) that it intends to inaugurate a direct-to-home television system serving 5C0JCQO homes by 1980. llske no mistake about it, the battle to control satellite technology is political. It is a battle between vested, special interests and the general, public interest. The former is well organized, the latter is not. "American Telephone and Telegraph's telephone mono poly is seriously threatened by satellite technology. Satellites don't need miles of wire, cabls or poles. Sate llites don't need Bell Telephone's multi-blUk n dollar in vestment in long-lines technology to transmit long-distance 'telephone messages. In fact the term "long-distance" srould no longer be significant. From the satellite's heavenly perch, cost will no longer be a function of distance. It would cost no more to call 'New York from Lincoln than it would to call Omaha from Lincoln. Satellite manufacturers have said a telephone call from New York to Los Angeles could cost a dime. Of course, telephone cotrpanies oppose further deve lopment of staeHIte communications systems. Broadcasters particularly fear what direct satellite-to-home broadcasting could -do. Satellites, with greater channel capacity, could loosen the commercial networks strangle-hold on television. Satellite technology may be able to do the job that cable television, despite its carry fanfare, has failed to do. " ' Ck!;!ei short Cable television was to open television to a wide var iety of educational, entertaining and informative program ming. This hasn't really happened due to cable televis ion's capitaJ-istensive nature. Satellites should prove to be much less costly. Satellite technology wO not only permit additional broadcast channels into the home, but it also could spawn the creation of new regional and national television networks. So, American broadcasters and common carriers have taken steps to thwart satellite development. Satellite technology poses a serious threat to their massive invest ment in older technologies and their control of larte.mass markets. I cannot understate the critical questions we must answer concerning communication. The next three years will be cruciaL The FCC has con vened the Joint IndustryGovernment Committee to com pile data about all project uses of high-powered satellites watch u mean through the year 2000. The ccmnittee findings will form the basis of US. policy at the Geneva World Administra tion Radio Conference in 1977 and 1979. Decisions at the conference will set the ground rules for all satellite deve lopment until the end of the century. In America rzz are fortunate that the Public Interest Satellite Association (PISA) has been created to influence satellite policy and technology- m the public interest. PISA's ultimate objective is to work toward the creation of a non-profit, public interest communications satellite system in the United States. 1 MJ m itjmmm QfltfiD . . rnr J U-LEkJL, I (mlAM UUlAZiU - n 1 11 II I i UU LA. u fen "T lil'Mlii Til Comp!3te tha course woric NOW In October, ncdmplstes will ba given sparingly. If you have any questions, contact your instructor. r.EETIiiGSandcr EXAf.!3 rs scheduled for thssa courses: ' American Studies 322-Country2uesrass LJusic - flat instructor - Rcsr nsbch (3320 Andrews ISaS) ALL 5TUD2MTS - Uaeting October 7th st 73pjn. " in Room 113 Burnett : m r?y tC3e-Ctcsacsl lth - T. Rtnfeevtch C223 Aasirensl Exam - mzS. Oct. 133t at 23 pjn. in And. R?J 23 Ccon SC7c Ptia. Irs. - G. Rci (22 CSAl Exam: Tnurs. Oct. Tth st 3:03 p jn. in CSA Engl 2S3Ae-S&csre -1&. ISsrtus t223 And) Exam: Sst. Oct. Cth-133 ajn. to 12 noon in Aft&vtK3 123 Lbd. Larg. S23-tjovcs Harman Hssa - tsrk Cory tit 23 CJit a Exsm: Oct. Cth.V.'&Lst 3.S pan. in CH Hil 1123 Psych 2T7c-Pch. of Pertonality - R. Dtcnctr t213 Cyra) Cs C-ccBK&sn: Thurs. Oct. ICth at 3:23 pjra. in Cum HTJ 223. Test: Tue. Oct. 2CS at 33 pjn. kt - ' Cum HIJ 223 Ifch ISth 212-Prin. Comimmitv rEth.-FL.2an (123C31 CtJ Cea Dtactton: Tues. Oct. 12 at 43 p-ra. m 1 b&3. fJ lia Exam: Tuas. Oct. 13th at 453 pjn.in31t3.F.I11S v - Sac 217c-Jnorfty Rstions - J. Ccynan (73 CiJI Exsm: Tim. Oct. 12th at 333 pjn. in dill RSJ Sac 242c-lbin Soc - J. SSrron 0 CSdM) Exam:Tues. Oct. 12th at 3:33 pjn. in GSdH PJ 223 For ths fcllovirrj cctarsss. students villi csntict ths intmcter for a ccrtfsrsrics or tT2 vvcrk shculd hsva been ccrnpbtsd on tha s&sdula sst lost sprtm, History 1C2c-Bem Tradition rr Crisis - L. Csack (C37 QtdH) Conference Arch 322c Csxican Arch. -Ted Ertl (327 Arch UslU Conference . Clot 225c-Evcl. of CioL - John LbOendan (42S CdJI) Conference Econ 333c Intro. Uoney E. HauaMa&J (233 CCAl Econ 2Sc-Cm, Econ. Sys. - J. Pttr (323 C2A Comptetad Engl 2Xc CtC)-ri?vt & Short Story - J. Reverts (213 - , And Conference " Ens 2wc C22MI & Short Story a T&siS (313 And! Cofarence Enj2Xe (210-rwcl 1223 to Present - W. IJssJsKtbr - (313 An) Contarence - - - En 2S d2C3-fiawel 1223 to Ptesnt - O.GrtS3ry (lO And! Cosnce Cfisl 245c AfronAmaricea Lit. - C Fontenot (2S3 And) Caafarence FGH 2C2c CtCi-Fcsd mloryC.ICka(31SF&Ki F ft M 322c CO-FooJ Ativca F. Ctpartao (21 4 F ft Hi Confsrence . F ft N 51cC21c-t:Uyy of Kubttion C Kin (31S F ft fi) Confsrence - Ustory 427dC27c-Europe Soc ft Cutt. History L. Caacfc. (237 Cit) Oonfiarence Journ S2c-tssuts ki Croatfcasting - P. Uayeux (2S4 Avtt) Contrence .-' lisch 2ZI tC31c Geom. for Dam. Tchr. - tStntSia (315 OSdUl Conktad ' PhiSoa 222: (2t2)-Ct23rcn Lcsc E. Carpenter (1243 CSdHl Conference Fhtfoa 222s t222)-Gern. Eatsem&ky E. Car cental (1243 C42H) Confrtnce Fh2os 322c (232)-f2os ef S&cssts S. Hacarrf (1241 Citft2112Ksmr)CQnfarenoi ' Fhloa 322 (2)-Canc?t of Feminity Hocisnd (1241 CUHor2112j Confarence Fhysks 122s-fs of Physics - E. Zimmerman (223 CsU Oonfarence Pol Sci 322c (31C)-Ptts. Ptonv Cony. -J. Comer (323 CilU Osntsrence Pol Sci 322c (2221-Pc;tkal Vtotence W. Aery (227 GZV.i Conference Forestry 241c-Tite Resources - n. Ety (137 Pi) Con- Psvch 222c-Psych. Soc Cha J. Carman (2243 Bum) ference Complstad 7 m n 511 abrESitE Hz I it