NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1941)

FCC TELEVISION REPORT The FCC will meet with the National Television Systems Com¬ mittee on Monday, January 27, at which time the latter will make a progress report on its study of the television situation. The conference, which is not in the nature of a hearing but will be open to the public, will be held in Hearing Room A of the Interstate Commerce Commission Building, starting at 10 a. m. The various panels assigned to specific studies will report through their respective chairmen. The National Television Systems Committee, comprising engi¬ neers representative of the industry, was created July 31, 1940, by the Radio Manufacturers Association in cooperation with the Commission for the purpose of exploring existing television systems with a view to developing and formulating standards which w'ould be acceptable to the industry as a whole and so expedite the in¬ auguration of a basically sound national television system. As a preliminary to receiving this over-all report of the National Television Systems Committee, members of the Commission will visit New York Friday, January 24, for the purpose of witnessing various demonstrations of late television developments. INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST STATIONS The FCC has extended to July 1 next the time in which inter¬ national broadcast stations in this country must operate on power of at least SO KW. This is the minimum power deemed necessary by the Commission to render satisfactory international service, particularly to South America. This extension has been granted in view' of the fact that 11 of these stations have construction permits authorizing installation of new equipment but plead that time has not permitted completion of the w'ork. The single exception is WCAB, Newton Square, Pa., licensed to the VVCAU Broadcasting Co., which w'ill be deleted upon erection of a new international broadcast station by the Columbia Broadcasting System to supplant WCAB. All international stations will be expected to conform to the minimum pow'er requirement during this period, as no further extension of time is contemplated. LICENSE REVOCATIONS The FCC has authorized issuance of orders to revoke the licenses of radio broadcast stations WTMC and WDLP, in Ocala and Panama City, Florida, respectively. False testimony and concealment of ownership are charged. Investigation disclosed that in both cases the actual operator is John H. Perry, of New York and Florida, who owns the Panama City News-Herald, the Pensacola New's-Journal, and the Jackson¬ ville Journal. Inquiry was instituted when applications were made to transfer control of these stations to Perry properties. Station WTMC, which operates on 1500 kilocycles with 100 watts pow'er, is licensed to the Ocala Broadcasting Co., Inc., of w'hich John T. Alsop, Jr., of Jacksonville, was declared to be the principal ow'ner. Transfer was sought to the Pensacola News-Journal Co. Station WDLP, operating on 1200 kilocycles with 250 watts power by day and 100 watts at night, is licensed to the Panama City Broadcasting Company, which sought transfer to the Bay County Publishers, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Pensa¬ cola News-Journal Company which publishes the Panama City News-Herald. The revocation orders allege that the real party in interest from the outset in the present licensees has been Perry, and that his interest in the licensees has been deliberately concealed from the Commission. UNLICENSED OPERATOR CAUGHT Field inspectors of the FCC’s Huntington. W. Va., office, acting in cooperation with the local Flnited States Marshal, apprehended at Hubbell, that state, a youth who is alleged to have engaged in unlicensed broadcast which caused interference to authorized radio programs. Using the non-existent call letters WBBQ, this offender trans¬ mitted entertainment that "collided” with regular services. Ama¬ teurs, particularly, complained of the resultant interference. The illegal station, which used a transmitter of approximately 25 watts and a steel vertical radiator, w'as located by means of the Commission’s new' direction finding equipment. The operator has been charged with violation of Sections 301 and 318 of the Communications Act. FROM THE FCC MAIL BAG doctor inquires about requirements that broadcast program continuities regarding foods be submitted to medical authorities prior to transmission. The Federal Communications Commission has no such regulations. Existing legislation places the initial responsibility for the selection of program material upon the indi¬ vidual stations. The Commission, however, will consider specific complaints regarding broadcast material in connection with a station’s renew'al of license. The National Association of Broad¬ casters has a code of ethics for the guidance of broadcasters, and many of its provisions deal with advertising. The Federal Trade Commission is the Government agency vested with authority to consider matters involving misrepresentations or fraudulent meth¬ ods of competition in interstate commerce. Various inquirers are informed that there is no provision in the Communications Act, nor has the Commission promulgated any rule or regulation, specifically concerning the solicitation of new bank accounts by radio, or the broadcast of grain price quotations. A New' York firm w'ants to know whether an additional charge may ire made for broadcasting a program by means of FM simul¬ taneously with the same program over standard broadcast facilities. The provisions of the Communications Act which authorize the Commission to pass on the amount of charges for communications service relate to common carriers only. A person engaged in radio broadcasting is not deemed a common carrier under this statute. Hence the Commission has no say in individual program rate charges. .A letter requests "forms” to be used in making complaint con¬ cerning alleged violations of law by a radio station. The Com¬ mission does not have or supply forms for this purpose. The person is told that he may summarize and submit to the Commis¬ sion, in an affidavit executed before a notary public, any facts in his jiossession to support his complaint. Such affidavit should, among other things, state the type of station referred to. its call letters and location ; the name of the owner and operator ; the various dates and, as nearly as possible, the definite time the alleged violations were committed. This information should be accom¬ panied by the names and post office addresses of witnesses, together with a brief summary of the facts to w'hich they would testify. •A lawyer who asks about the effect of designating applications for broadcast facilities for hearing on the same day is advised: Such action does not in and of itself operate to consolidate the hearings on these two applications, nor does it have the effect of making each applicant an intervener in the hearing on the other’s January 24, 1941 — 85