▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁when , ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁opposition ▁from ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁city ' s ▁newsp apers ▁to ▁his ▁plan ▁for ▁O ma ha ▁to ▁purchase ▁the ▁local ▁water ▁works , ▁he ▁investig ated ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁establish ing ▁a ▁radio ▁station ▁to ▁promote ▁his ▁proposal . ▁Techn ical ▁limitations ▁made ▁this ▁broadcast ing ▁idea ▁impossible ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁however ▁the ▁later ▁development ▁of ▁vac u um - t ube ▁radio ▁transmit ters ▁would ▁make ▁the ▁concept ▁practical . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁How ell ▁suggested ▁to ▁Post master ▁General ▁Will ▁H . ▁H ays ▁that ▁the ▁U . S . ▁government ▁should ▁establish ▁its ▁own ▁official ▁broadcast ing ▁stations . ▁In ▁early ▁September ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁How ell ▁con ferred ▁with ▁H ays ▁prior ▁to ▁leaving ▁for ▁Europe ▁to ▁conduct ▁a ▁survey ▁of ▁radio ▁broadcast ing ▁development . ▁A ▁contemporary ▁wire ▁report ▁stated ▁that ▁Hay es ▁expressed ▁the ▁hope ▁that ▁" in ▁the ▁near ▁future ▁radio ▁ph ones ▁could ▁be ▁util ized ▁to ▁broadcast ▁weather ▁and ▁market ▁reports ▁and ▁other ▁information ". ▁Short ly ▁there after ▁the ▁Com merce ▁Department , ▁which ▁reg ulated ▁radio ▁at ▁this ▁time , ▁ ▁issued ▁a ▁reg ulation ▁formally ▁creating ▁a ▁radio ▁broadcast ing ▁service ▁classification . ▁Effect ive ▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁broadcast ing ▁stations ▁could ▁be ▁established ▁which ▁held ▁Limited ▁Com mer cial ▁lic enses ▁that ▁author ized ▁operation ▁on ▁two ▁designated ▁broadcast ing ▁w