Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1959)

Wyatt Building • Washington 5, D. C. • Telephone Sterling 3-1755 • Vol. 15: No. 3 SUMMARY -INDEX OF THE WEEK'S NEWS — January 17, 1959 ALL-UHF PLAN PROPOSED formally by Comr. Lee. Col WEEKLY NETWORK TV FIGHTS to continue despite Suleagues skittish, fail to second motion, put off considera preme Court decision dissolving IBC's ring monopoly, tion of suggestion for 30 days (p. 1). NBC & ABC see no change before June, at least (p. 5). OPPOSITION TO PAY TV tests may be softened by networks in switch of tactics. Harris anti-toIl-TV resolution leaves door open to limited tests (pp. 1 & 7). OPTION-TIME 'NECESSARY' to networking, FCC says in 4-3 decision. Next up for discussion: multiple ownership, network "pressure" on outside producers (p. 2). CUBAN TELECASTERS optimistic as new regime ends 7-year censorship; no major changes seen in TV setup. Mestre hails "return of free enterprise" (p. 3). STATEWIDE 'VIDEO CAMPUS' under construction in Florida; 1961 goal is network connecting all state colleges and at least 5 TV stations (pp. 4 & 5). NEW DIGEST FEATURE titled "Background" debuts this week. First of series gives important details, current status of TV Auxiliary Services (pp. 4 & 16). COX REPORT SUPPORTED by Chairman Magnuson of Senate Commerce Committee, other western Senators; Jerrold dissents. Other Hill developments (pp. 5, 6 & 7). DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA test program by TASO will measure results at WKY-TV, Oklahoma City; WBZ-TV, Boston. Time; 6 months. Cost; $150,000-$200,000 (p. 6). Manufatturing-Dhtribution-flnama END OF WARRANTY RACE by manufacturers urged at NARDA convention in Chicago. Dealers hear plea for "economic sense" in parts & labor policies (p. 12). CANADA PROTESTS ANTI-TRUST ACTION against GE, Westinghouse; says it's attempt to interfere with lawful operations of Canadian subsidiaries (p. 12). GE PUTS FLOOR UNDER PRICES by withholding co-op ad funds for listings below specified minimums (p. 14). rCC NIGHTY LEERY ABOUT ALL-UHF CONCEPT: A highly seasoned dish — an all-uhf TV proposal — was placed on , Commission' s table this week by Comr. Robert E. Lee, and his colleagues "walked all around it," we're told. Commissioners paid tribute to Lee's courage, talked about all kinds of allocation alternatives, including all-uhf, and put off consideration of Lee's ideas for 30 days. No one said: "Count me in." Here are major aspects of Lee's proposal: (1) Start shift-to-uhf rule-making now. Go through all procedural steps, including "show-cause" orders & hearings shifting each station, court litigation, etc., with first stations actually beginning on uhf in 1964. Thereafter, other vhf's would shift as their vhf licenses ran out. All would move by 1967. (2) Freeze all vhf granting activity now. No new CPs, no major modification of CPs, no drop-ins of new vhf assignments, etc. (3) As incentive for shifting, lift multiple ownership ceiling to 10. Lee has never made any bones about his optimism regarding uhf, so it's no surprise to find him making the first formal move. As for courage, Lee has plenty. He's son of a Chicago policeman, became a top FBI man, headed staff of House Appropriations Committee before being appointed to FCC in 1953. IS OPPOSITION TO PAY-TY TEST FADING? gui et change in tactics by chief opponents of pay TV — the networks — appears to be in the works. Publicly, their opposition to any form of toll-TV tests will continue — but privately, there's reason to believe that the feeling of at least 2 of the networks is: "If there has to be a test, let's get it over with — and let subscription TV fall flat on its face." Networks again will oppose pay TV at upcoming House Commerce Committee hearings — but there's strong probability that they won't trot out their heaviest artillery.