Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Columbia Scouts Independents' Fears of Replacement by System of Boosters Network Officials Deny Any Plan for National Chain in Seeking Station in Washington COLUMBIA'S proposal to erect a booster station in Washington, with power of 250 watts and synchronized to the clear channel of WABC, its New York key, does not mean the death of independent or network-affiliated stations, according to a statement by Harry C. Butcher, Washington director ot CBS. The statement was made in connection with the withdrawal of Thomas Stevenson's letter of protest to the Federal Radio Commission, as executive director of the Associated Broadcasters of America, that the proposed Washington booster was the first step toward a nation-wide system that would free the network from dependence on independent station affiliations. The hearing on the CBS application is scheduled for Oct. 19 before the full Commission. Engineers of the Commission, CBS engineers and others interested in the booster project will testify as to its feasibility. Station WMAL, Washington, the present CBS local outlet, which will leave the network if the plan meets the Commission's approval, will be represented by Thomas P. Littlepage, but will raise no objections. Columbia will be represented by Paul D. P. Spearman, formerly assistant general counsel of the Commission and now with the firm of Littlepage, Littlepage & Spearman. The network was impelled to seek (the synchronized outlet in Washington because of its inability to place enough of its programs in Washington over WMAL. With a synchronized outlet, it will be able to serve Washington with CBS programs17 hours a day. With the declaration by CBS that it has no idea of erecting a national system of boosters, Mr. Stevenson, whose association embraces a number of independent broadcasters, stated in his letter to the Commission that the association has been satisfied that its original objections were groundless. In the meantime, Sam Pickard, former radio commissioner and now station relations vice president of CBS, addressed a letter to all stations of the network stating that his company's aim was, first, to give Washington a full schedule of Columbia programs, and secondly "to contribute as much as is possible to engineering development." CBS POSITION EXPLAINED "The application of Columbia," Mr. Butcher stated, "for permission from the Federal Radio Commission experimentally to operate a 250-watt booster station in Washington, bringing to the nation's capital the complete programs of WABC, has brought to light several objections which, while possibly plausible to the uninformed, are not based on an adequate knowledge of the facts and are therefore erroneous. "The first of these objections, and perhaps the most fallacious, is that practical application of syn chronization, as proposed experimentally by the Columbia System, sounds the death knell of the independent and chain-affiliated stations. Under present wave-length allocations, nothing could be further from the truth. "With the wave lengths of the nation distributed as they are, the proper and non-interfering location of a booster station is equallv as difficult as the establishment of a new station. "Establishment of a new station is virtually impossible at present because of the congestion of stations now crowded into the definitely limited band of broadcasting frequencies. However, the booster principle, if proved practical in actual test, would make considerably better use of the nation's patrimony of wave lengths than is possible under present conditions. "Because of the hope that synchronization would wholly remedy the present congested allocation, the effect of synchronization on existing stations has been widely discussed and greatly exaggerated. NEED 50 KC. SEPARATION "BECAUSE of the existing stations, each of which has to be separated hundreds of miles from other stations on the same or adjacent channels, there are but surprisingly few cities where a booster station can be established which will not interfere with reception of existing stations. This is perhaps better explained by saying that when two stations which operate on adjacent wave lengths are located too close to each other, the listener in the home hears cross talk, or both programs at once, or gets whistles and howls. In other words, a booster of Station WABC cannot be located in a city which has a station operating on a wave length within 50 kilocycles — -five notches on the dial — of the WABC channel. "This condition, coupled with the required geographical separation of stations, subsequently limits the cities in which a WABC booster station can be located. The restriction is further increased by possible interference on the adjacent wave lengths of stations in cities other than that in which the booster station is desired. "Even if the proposed booster idea proves practical in daily operation and there were a reallocation to accommodate synchronization, individual stations now affiliated with networks have little, if anything, to fear because undoubtedly other network programs would become available to them when required. Network stations already are finding considerable demand for their time from local interests, and their managers ofttimes are nonplused in their efforts to meet both local and network demands for time. As radio continues to develop, not only as a means of expression and of entertainment, but as an advertising medium, there will be an increasing demand for A Modern Grapevine EDWIN K. COHAN, director of technical operations of CBS, has evolved a novel way of keeping in touch with headquarters while on the road in New York's metropolitan area. Driving a radioequipped auto, he tunes WABC at the 15-minute station breaks. His cue to call headquarters is the a n nouncement: "This is Station WABC in the City of New York." When the announcer simply says "WABC, New York," he knows things are O. K. in his line. Hedges to Remain InChargeofWMAQ Chicago Daily News Station to be Operated by NBC WILLIAM S. HEDGES, president of WMAQ, Inc., and past president of the National Association of Broadcasters, will remain with WMAQ in charge of its operations when control of the Chicago Daily News station is taken over by NBC on Nov. l.» Miss Judith Waller, who has been with the station since its establishment in 1922, will continue as second in command. Operation of the station under NBC management was described by the Daily News in an article published August 28 as a "partnership" between the broadcasting company and the newspaper. Thechange will result in a substitution of NBC for CBS programs; no other changes in the policy and few changes in the local programs of the station are contemplated. Plans of CBS to procure an additional outlet in Chicago to supplement WBBM have not been announced, and all the numerous rumors regarding new CBS affiliations have been ignored by the network officials. Details of the deal whereby NBC obtained control of WMAQ have not been made public, but it is understood that NBC purchased 50 per cent of the stock of the station by arrangement between Col. Frank Knox, who recently succeeded the late Walter Strong as president of the Daily News, and M. H. Aylesworth, NBC president. The price is supposed to have exceeded $500,000. WMAQ, a clear channel station, though affiliated with CBS since that network's inception in 1927, is the home of Amos 'n' Andy, "Bill" Hay and the Three Doctors, well known on the networks. For six months before joining CBS in 1927 it was affiliated with NBC. The Chicago Daily News will continue to be represented on the air through its news flashes and bv "The Daily News of the Air," which features celebrities on the newspaper's staff. time on all stations. "Incidentally, a booster station cannot broadcast local programs and therefore cannot compete locally for advertising against existing stations or newspapers." NewWCAU Studios to Cost $350,000 Dr. Stokowski of Philadelphia Symphony Supervising WITH the aid of Dr. Leopold Stokowski, conductor of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, WCAU, Philadelphia, soon will begin construction of new studios which it declares will incorporate the most modern equipment known to radio science. The station, according to an announcement by Dr. Leon Levy, president of Universal Broadcasting Company, has completed an arrangement whereby three additional floors will be erected on the Franklin Trust Building, to be fitted as the studios, at an estimated cost of $350,000. Plans for the construction are being completed by engineers of Columbia Broadcasting System and Western Electric Company, who are collaborating with WCAU engineers and architects. In anticipation of the construction of the new studios, Dr. Stokowski has spent more than two years studying the future development of broadcasting, and it was announced that much of the acoustical work will be under his immediate supervision. In addition to the administrative offices and studios, there will be an experimental laboratory especially constructed for Dr. Stokowski, where he will continue his studies ^and experiments in the transmission of music with the assistance of a radio engineer assigned exclusively to him for this particular work. The broadcasting facilities will include seven studios of various sizes to accomodate every known type of program. According to Dr. Levy, each of these studios will be as sound proof as modern science can make it. They will be constructed with floating floors, walls on springs and suspended ceilings. Each studio will be a "room within a room," under the plans, with partitions of double glass of two different thicknesses to prevent transmission of vibration. A special flexible acoustical treatment will enable the period of absorption and reverberation to be changed according to the size of orchestra or number of people in the room. Arthur M. Clark, acoustical engineer, who has built studios for more than 40 stations, will be in direct charge of the installation. The plans he has devised anticipate the broadcasting of television programs, space for a television transmitter, lighting equipment and dressing rooms being provided. Sunset Tables Revised NEW sunset tables, revised as of June 30, 1931, have been published by the Engineering Division of the Federal Radio Commission. Sunset periods are given for every principal city in the country and for each month of the year. Page 6 BROADCASTING • October 15, 1931