Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

8 RADIO DAILY Wednesday, October 5. 1949 Resolve Color Issue Now, Stanton Urges COAST-TO -COHST (Continued from Page 7) he pointed out, "will be lower now than it will be as time goes along" and "the sooner we have color the more rapidly will television become established and economically selfsufficient." Stanton urged the FCC to "resolve this issue of color television once and for all . . . on the basis of this hearing." "I am sure," he said, "the Commission will not take precipitate action. On the other hand, I am confident that, by the end of this hearing, there can be enough information to permit of a final determination in the public interest." On the issue of performance, first of the four criteria suggested by Mr. Stanton for picking a color system, he said the best way to judge a system is to "see it in operation . . . to see whether the end result — the picture at the receiver — is good, bad or indifferent." "Yet it is remarkable how complicated this issue can be made to appear." he added. "There has been a tendency to get bogged down in confusion over questions of what one theoretically ought to see, instead of determining what one actually does see. I urge against overemphasis on theoretical details when it comes to judging any operating system." Points To Washington Tests "The Columbia system," he pointed out, "has been producing pictures here in Washington which I understand have been highly satisfactory." As regards an "untried" system which cannot be tested under normal operating and home-pickup conditions, he asked that there be "real assurance, based upon the most exacting scrutiny, that such a system will in fact meet all the requirements as to performance, and whatever cost, time and compatibility factors the Commission may deem necessary." Without such "real and absolutely certain assurance," Stanton said he did not believe that the public interest would be served by rejecting an "operating system which now produces an acceptable picture in favor of waiting in the hope that something better may come along." Such a delay, he added, would result in a double loss for the public, "in the vastly increased complexity of the transition by virtue of the fact that many more millions of black-and-white receivers lacking provision for adaptation and conversion will have been purchased," and "in the loss of color television service it would otherwise have during the interim period." On the issue of cost, Stanton said, "If a system, no matter how well it can perform, can be enjoyed only by the comparatively few people who can buy Cadillacs . . . public interest requires its rejection." In developing the CBS system, he "Freddy Martin Show" Adds Sponsor It is announced by the Frederic W. Ziv Co., that their transcribed "Freddie Martin Show Time From Hollywood" program has just been signed by the St. Louis Dodge Dealers for sponsorship via St. Louis' radio station KXOK. The Ruthrauff & Ryan agency handled this deal. "That's A Fact" Boston, Mass. — Stan Shaw and Jim Brokaw are presenting a new five-minute program titled "That's A Fact." The program will be heard Monday through Friday at 6:30 p.m. over WCOP and WCOP-FM starting September 28. Terl Appointed Executive Baltimore, Md. — Appointment of Armand Terl as WFBR, Baltimore, account executive has been announced by William R. Dothard, director of local sales of that station. Terl, recently with Sponsor Magazine, was formerly commercial manager of WSID, daytime station. KRNT Man Elected President Des Moines, Iowa— Charles McCuen, newscaster on KRNT, was elected president of the Iowa Radio News Association at its recent big fall meeting in Des Moines. Fifty delegates attended. The group attended and covered an outdoor rally feature of the national AMVETS convention, highlight of which was the address of President Truman. added, "it has been one of our primary objectives — an objective which I have noted RCA did not mention — to limit costs so that our system will be within the economic reach of the same general public which can buy black-and-white sets . . . We have avoided making full color television a luxury available only to a few." The issue of time, the CBS president stressed, is "of critical significance in the choice among systems," and he told the Commission the CBS color system is "ready today" for broadcasting, as it was in 1946. Columbia's general operating policy, he said, would be at the outset to "broadcast in color for a minimum period each day — perhaps an hour or so — regardless of how few color receivers may be in use. Within limits of ordinary economics, we will broadcast color with a view toward stimulating wider and wider manufacture and purchase of scanning adapters, color converters and complete color receivers. After that, I believe that competitive factors should control — and should be permitted to control by the Commission — the rate of broadcasting transition from black-and-white to color." Stanton estimated that if the Commission approved color, of the 14,000,000 sets probably in the public's hands by 1952, perhaps less than 10 per cent "will have any problem of receiving black-and-white pictures from color." TV Lessons For Students Baltimore, Md. — The public schools now are using TV lessons as part of their regular curricula. The lessons which originate in the studios of WBAL-TV were arranged by David E. Weglein, Public Service Counselor for the station, in cooperation with the committee on audio visual education of the School Department. TV lessons will continue once a week throughout the school year. Bartlett To Attend Meeting Syracuse, N. Y. — Kenneth G. Bartlett, director of Radio Center, Syracuse University, will attend the annual meeting of the N.A.E.B. at the University of Michigan, October 15 and through 17, and the School Broadcast convention in Chicago from October 18 through 20. New Series Over WCSS Amsterdam, N. Y. — The Bigelow Sanford Carpet Co. has contracted for a five day a week series over WCSS. The programming will come under three headings: "The Amsterdam News Wire," featuring a complete coverage of local news three times a week, "A Page in History," highlighting the history of Mohawk Valley, once a week, and "The Radio Workshop," featuring local student talent. Lever Headquarters Will Move To N.Y.C. (Continued from Page 1) moved into the new centralized offices in New York. Operation of the manufacturing units of the company and its subsidiaries will not be affected by this change. Construction of Lever's new headquarters, an ultra modern office building on the west side of Park Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets, is in addition to the $55,000,000 plant expansion program announced in July at ground-breaking ceremonies for the company's Los Angeles plant, Mr. Luckman declared. Magnavox Co. Sales Rise, But Earnings Disappear Fort Wayne, Ind. — Magnavox Co. sales in the four months ended June 30, 1949, were 23.6 per cent above the same period in 1948, but operating results were "unsatisfactory," according to an unaudited report issued to stockholders on Friday. Sales totaled $6,312,000 for the four months period, compared with $5,107,000 in 1948. Net loss, however, amounted to $893,057, as against net earnings of $102,000 during the comparable period during 1948. RADIO EXECUTIVES CLUB OF NEW YORK First Meeting of its Eleventh Season To Be Held Tomorrow October 6, at 12:30 P. M. in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Roosevelt Speakers — Donald W. Thornburgh, President and General Manager, WCAU, Philadelphia, and Philip H. Willkie, Indiana Legislator. Admission — $3 for members, non-members $3.75. Purchase tickets at the door.