Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1959)

mmmm news services from provisions of act. Second exempts agents of governments whose defense is held vital to defense of U.S. Radio News Service Corp. fits into first exemption, Dominican Republic into second, Mr. Guterma's motion contends. Another count of indictment challenged in Guterma motion was that of failure to register Mutual as agent of foreign power. Defense contends government has not shown that Mutual was agent in first place. Further contention is that court has no jurisdiction over case in that Mutual operation is in New York and that federal law provides charges be brought in jurisdiction where alleged offense occurred. Trial date for grand jury charges originally had been set for Nov. 16. That date is now in doubt because Justice Dept. attorney who handled government's case since has suffered heart attack. On Other Fronts • After grand jury brought in indictment against Mr. Guterma and associates last month Trujillo government brought civil suit in Washington to recover $750,000 it gave Mr. Guterma. Mutual network, which currently is seeking to complete bankruptcy proceedings before federal referee Asa Herzog in New York, was named as co-defendant. Referee Herzog has directed that Mutual be separated from others in suit and that Dominicans prove legitimacy of their claim before his court. Hearing is set Oct. 22. Latin American split Assis Chateaubriand, 62 year old owner of Latin America's largest newspaper and radio-tv chain, last week was reported to have given 49% of stock in his empire to 22 close collaborators, in cluding sons and other relatives. Retaining 51% of stock, Senor Chateaubriand has formed stockholding consortium of Associated Newspapers & Broadcasting Stations, replacing Associated Newspapers which he alone controlled. Involved are 28 daily newspapers, 22 radio stations and weekly magazine. Not included are Senor Chateaubriand's four tv stations, his news service and newly acquired Rio de Janeiro newspaper. ATAS panel explores 'ideal' net schedule "Ideal Network Schedule" will be explored at first forum of 1959-60 season of Academy of Television Arts & Sciences tonight (Monday) at CBS Studio No. 50 in New York starting at 7:30 p.m. Panel of radio-tv executives has chosen what it considers ideal tv network schedule in prime evening time based on more than 470 programs presented since 1950. Coincidentally, academy has conducted contest among members, using same programs as possible entries, asking them to set up schedule that would come closest to choice of panel. Various companies have donated prizes for winners. Panel, which will explain its choice at forum, consists of William Craig, vice president in charge of radio-tv, Grey Adv.; Michael Dann, CBS-TV vice president, network programs, New York; Rod Erickson, vice president in charge of television sales, Warner Bros. Pictures Inc.; Richard A. R. Pinkham, senior vice president in charge of radiotv, Ted Bates & Co., and Merrill Panitt, editor, Tv Guide. Metropolitan dividend First dividend in history of Metropolitan Broadcasting Corp. declared Sept. 29. Board announced cash dividend of 15 cents per share would be payable Oct. 30 to stockholders of record Oct. 9. Payment is to be considered as "the dividend for the year 1959," with future dividend policy to depend on expansion plans. John W. Kluge, president, said board was able to declare dividend because banks had waived restrictions following substantial reduction in long-term debt. Metropolitan stations are WNEW-AM-FMTV New York, WHK-AM-FM Cleveland and WTTG (TV) Washington. EIA names pr head Robert T. De Vore, recently public relations director for Instrument Society of America, named public relations director of Electronic Industries Assn. EIA President David R. Hull. Raytheon Mfg. Corp., said Herbert F. Hodge Jr. continues as manager of office of information for association, serving daily and trade press and editing EIA's weekly newsletter. Mr. De Vore is former Washington reporter for newspapers and old Collier's magazine. He is alumnus of U. of Michigan. KFJZ-TV wants ch. 2 Mostly opposition has been expressed to last July's FCC proposal to switch reserved ch. 2 in Denton, Tex., to commercial use in Fort Worth (for ch. 11 KFJZ-TV there) and to move ch. 11 from Fort Worth to Denton for educational use. Opposing idea were WFAATV Dallas, WBAP-TV Fort Worth and Joint Council on Educational Tv. Only KFJZ-TV favored move. Bell system starts satellite work Bell Labs plans to begin experiments shortly on project designed to send live television as well as phone calls throughout world using network of man-made satellites in outer space as reflectors of signals. Bell announced Oct. 2 that experimental station to implement project now is under construction on hilltop near Holmdel, N.J. Station will include control buildings and two large antennas for communication experiments with objects in outer space. Installation will participate in projects sponsored by National Aero nautics & Space Administration. One of projects at Holmdel will test quality of radio signals transmitted between stations on opposite sides of U.S. by means of reflection from satellite. Bell officials pointed out company has been experimenting with satellite communications systems since 1945; has developed many of satellite devices required for tests and will develop special equipment to track speeding satellites precisely. Though single telephone channels will be used in experimentation, Bell Labs spokesmen said, objective will be to determine whether tv's "broadband signals" (equivalent of about 900 telephone channels) also can be transmitted. It was pointed out such broadband signals cannot now be transmitted directly by radio between widely separated points because signals are blocked by earth's curvature. Heart of these communication experiments, according to Bell, will be antennas and transmission techniques. Installation will include dishshaped, commercially available antenna to transmit signals to satellites and horn-shaped receiving antenna. 3C BROADCASTING, October 5, 1959