Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1962)

r KABC conversation RADIO 79 Owned S Operated by American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, Inc. facilities, because Southern is primarily owned by a Winston-Salem group. A Drop-in ■ Ch. 8 was dropped into the North Carolina tri-city area in 1958. In 1961, an FCC examiner's initial decision favored a grant to TriCities. Last month the FCC voted to make the grant to Southern. Three commissioners (Hyde, Craven, Bartley) voted for Southern and two (Minow and Ford) for TriCities. Commissioners Lee and Henry did not participate. Southern is 55% owned by principals of the now-deleted uhf outlet, WTOB-TV Winston-Salem, headed by James W. Coan. It is 35% owned by stockholders of the deleted uhf, WNAO-TV Raleigh, N. C, and by four High Point businessmen. TriCities is owned equally by Hargrove Bowles Jr., James G. W. MacLamroc, R. H. Nutt and Ralph C. Price. Messrs. MacLamroc and Price each own one-third of WKIX Raleigh, N. C. High Point principals include George W. Lyles Jr. as president, and Paul Ingie, David A. Rawley and Dorothy P. Terry. Mr. Lyles owns 15% of WTNC Thomasville, N. C, and Mr. Ingie 69% of WOHS Shelby, N. C. Mr. Rawley and Miss Terry have interests in the High Point Enterprise and the Burlington (N.C.) Times-News. Mr. Ingie is editor of the High Point Enterprise. SECRET PROBE OF PENTAGON SECRECY Rep. Moss to investigate, but just what is under wraps The staff of the Government Information Subcommittee is investigating the government's controversial news dissemination policies in the Cuban crisis. Sam Archibald, staff director, said investigators have questioned information officers — including those at the policy-making level — at the White House, Defense and State Depts. about policies broadcasters and newspapermen have criticized (Broadcasting, Nov. 6). He said a report will be submitted to Rep. John E. Moss (D-Calif.), subcommittee chairman. He said the report will enable the subcommittee to decide — if it's reconstituted in the next Congress as expected — whether to hold hearings. There is some question about how much will be made public in the inquiry. Mr. Archibald said details have been given the staff, but the information involves military security and he can't release it. He said if hearings are held, the classified nature of the material would require the subcommittee to hold most of its hearings behind closed doors. Opportunity To Explain ■ But he said hearings will enable government information officers to explain their acts and the subcommittee to "weigh the adequacy" of the administration's information policies. Rep. Moss has said his subcommittee will review government plans for releasing information under varying conditions of emergency. Mr. Archibald said Rep. Moss wants to know if there is such a system in existence or if policies are improvised as situations arise. The Pentagon has been criticized for requiring that personnel report the substance of interviews with reporters to supervisors. The State Dept. has a similar order. Another controversial point is Assistant Secretary of Defense Arthur Syl 54 (GOVERNMENT) vester's statement that news is part of the government's "weaponry" in the Cuban crisis — which caused newspapers to charge the government is attempting to manage the news. Richard S. Salant, president of CBS News, said the Sylvester statement makes it "imperative" that the government remove the restrictions the White House asked newsmen to impose on themselves in covering the Cuban crisis (At Deadline, Nov. 5). The Defense Dept. said it may set up a centralized office to establish standards for classifying and declassifying information. A spokesman said the office would help "increase the flow of news." The Moss subcommittee has urged creation of such a centralized office, holding it would permit reporters to appeal for declassification of information they do not feel should have a secrecy label. Harkins asks ch. 20 for Phoenix pay tv A former broadcaster-theater owner last week asked the FCC to allocate ch. 20 to Phoenix and announced plans to apply for a pay tv station there if the channel assignment is made. Dwight Harkins, a pioneer in fm multiplexing who developed a system in wide use, made his request of the commission in a one-paragraph petition. He said he proposed to operate a pay tv outlet only, with no commercials or free programming at any time. Mr. Harkins said he would use a pay tv system he has invented, different from all other systems proposed or in use. "I would rather not expose the technical details ... at this time," he said. But he said both the audio and video signals would be scrambled. Ch. 20 is not currently assigned to BROADCASTING, November 12, 1962