NAEB Newsletter (October 1, 1966)

VOL. 31, NO. 10 WASHINGTON, D.C. OCTOBER, 1966 COMSAT'S SATELLITE PLAN The Communications Satellite Corpora¬ tion, authorized in 1962 by Congress as a commercial organization to run a world¬ wide communications satellite system, has suggested this alternative to the Ford Foundation proposal for financing ETV: Comsat would tax users of space circuits, turn revenues over to a designated agency for disbursement to ETV. Comsat president Dr. Joseph V. Charyk said that satellite users will benefit in sav¬ ings resulting from eliminating conventional facilities such as land lines, cables, etc. ETV could operate on a reduced rate, per¬ haps free, if permitted by law and the FCC. Dr. Charyk offered no estimate on how much money might be raised, indicated that it would be more than the Ford figure. Since the Comsat idea is based on satellite users relinquishing small percentages of savings, the greater the saving, the bigger the economic boost to ETV—all to come about if large satellite users are permitted to deal directly with Comsat Charyk said. ETV Trust Territory Study NAEB has been awarded a study grant by William Norwood, High Commissioner, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, to select and direct a team which will survey the Territory’s total education system and evaluate needs of both public and private schools. Earlier investigation showed that televi¬ sion could serve 85% of the area’s chil¬ dren. The Trust Territory encompasses a distance greater than the continental U. S., indicating that a variety of different trans¬ mission systems will have to be established. NY ETV Politicasts New York state Democratic and Repub¬ lican convention activities were covered by WNDT Newark, WMHT Schenectady, WCNY Syracuse, WXXI Rochester, WNED Buffalo. WNDT’s Robert Potts and Mitchell Krauss were part of the six- man telecast team, which was headed by New York’s deputy mayor Robert Price and Democratic political leader Edward Costikyan. The FCC in Review RM-764: NAEB has opposed ABC’s pe¬ tition which states that the FCC has al¬ ready properly evaluated the issue of ETV vs. commercial assignment of Channel 8, Metford, Oregon. The Commission has re¬ jected request for reservation from the State of Oregon, acting through the Board of Higher Education. ABC is likely to get its third outlet in the community—population under 25,000. NAEB argued that Metford is not a large enough market to warrant a third prime channel broadcasting commercial fare when an educational applicant is ready, willing and able to operate ETV immedi¬ ately. Furthermore, closer scrutiny of who gets VHF is vital, instead of automatic evaluation by a standard formula that keeps relegating ETV to UHF bands. Economic disadvantages are more acute from the educator’s standpoint, have prompted federal enactments such as the ETV Facilities Act and provide the basic premise for the recent Ford Foundation plan for domestic satellites. RM-881: Symphony Network Associa¬ tion, Inc. has requested reservation for a 3-year period of 94 FM assignments in 41 States in the educational FM band for a national symphony network. NAEB wants their petition denied on these grounds: Ed¬ ucational FM channels are now in use at a higher rate than ever by nonprofit educa¬ tional groups. Studies of outstanding li¬ censes show that 20% of all educational ra¬ dio stations have been licensed since 1962, reflecting accelerated growth—predicted to move faster in the next few years. “The pressures for wise and efficient use of spectrum space are mounting. These scarce frequencies should not be diverted from their prime purpose—provision of compre¬ hensive non-commercial educational FM service, embracing all aspects of education, instructive and informative programing and cultural and entertainment services. Multi¬ purpose use is the key to educational use,” NAEB said. The FOC named NAEB to the Advisory Committee for Testing Sharing of Televi¬ sion Channels by Land Mobile Radio Serv¬ ices. Charles Prohaska, director of oper¬ ations, WET A, Channel 26, Washington, D. C., will serve as individual representa¬ tive for the Association. IMD Election Procedures Individual members in Regions III and VI will elect directors this fall to serve three-year terms on the NAEB Board. Un¬ der terms of NAEB By-Laws, incumbents IMD Board chairman Robert Suchy, Re¬ gion III and John Crabbe, Region IV may not succeed themselves. After consultation with Suchy, Crabbe, and Harold Hill, NAEB vice president and IMD executive director, NAEB president William Harley named the following nom¬ inating committees: REGION III: Robert Suchy, chairman—director, ETV department, Milwaukee public schools, 5252 West Vliet St., Milwaukee, Wis¬ consin. Walter Emery, Michigan State Univer¬ sity professor of radio and television, Mass Communications Center, E. Lans¬ ing. Lee Dreyfus, University of Wisconsin, WHA-TV general manager, Madison. REGION VI: John Crabbe, chairman—general manag¬ er, KVIE, Central California ETV, Inc., P. O. Box 6, Sacramento, Calif. 95801. June Dillworth, director of school broad¬ casting, KCTS, University of Wash¬ ington, Seattle, Wash. 98105. Larry Frymire, ETV coordinator, tele¬ vision advisory committee, State Cap’- tol, Sacramento, Calif. 95814. Members of Regions ITT and VI are in¬ vited to submit nominees from their regions to respective committee chairmen —no later than October 15. Nominees will be announced at the con¬ vention, then elected by mail in time to take office by January 1, 1967. Convention Interviews Applicants for the position of curriculum director, Delaware ETV, will be interviewed at the Convention Hotel. Requisites: Knowledge of elementary and secondary curriculum requirements, current ITV pro¬ gram sources; ability to coordinate pro¬ gram planning with studio production staff. Production-direction experience helpful. Salary open. Contact Dr. William Hanford, executive director, Delaware ETV. 1