Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1959)
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Stereo and the FCC : stiipped of all the hystereo, when the chips ai’e finally down in FCC’s coming stereo broadcasting deliberations (see p. 4), the most important question facing the Commission will be: Wide-band or narrow-band ?
The subsidiary questions, which NSRC may resolve for the FCC, are: What is good stereo? Can a narrow-band system give good stereo ? Question is important because FM functional music operators want to get in on home stereo without giving up their piped-music subsidiary operations, which often mean the difference between profit and loss to them. The wide-band stereo multiplex proponents are already saying that FM broadcasters should be forced to choose between stereocasting and functional music They maintain that good quality stei’eo can’t be tx’ansmitted without using the whole channel for stereocasting.
Commission staffers studying the issue don’t seem much worried about the “compatibility” problem. The feeling is that either wide or narrow-band FM systems can be devised with compatibility feature.
Six stations currently have developmental authorizations for FM stereocasting. They are: WBAI, New York, testing the Crosby wide-band system; NBC’s WRCA-FM, New York, to test Crosby and other systems; Westinghouse’s KDKA-FM, Pittsburgh, to test all systems; Fordham U’s WFUV, to test compatible version of Halstead nai’row-band system; KMLA, Los Angeles, to test Calbest system, another compatible narrow-band method (somewhat similar to Percival system now being tested by BBC in England); WPJB-FM, Providence, to test Crosby system.
Some hi-fi component manufacturers already have multiplex converters on the market to equip FM tuners for stereo multiplex^ — and this is source of worry to FCC. In one case, the Commission cut back a station’s experimental stereo multiplex hours because parts distributors were promoting and selling converters to the public — converters which might become orphans after FCC sets up final stereo FM standards.
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Dismissal of indictments against ex-FCC Comr. Richard A. Mack and Miami lawyer Thurman A. Whiteside was requested by counsel Nicholas J. Chase in hearing before Federal District Court Judge Burnita S. Matthews in Washington Jan. 23. Mack and Whiteside are charged with “corruption” in Miami Ch. 10 “influence” case (Vol. 14:39). Chase argued: (1) Justice Dept, leaked word to Washington Star reporter Howard Dutkin that true bill was being drawn, violating grand jury secrecy rule. (2) Fair trial couldn’t be conducted in Washington and the case should be moved to Miami.
Transfer of WMBV-TV, Marinette, Wis. to MurphyBridges interests by W. E. Walker, J. D. Macklin & associates (Vol. 14:20-21) was finalized this week by FCC. Oi’der noted that protestants WFRV-TV & WBAY-TV, both Green Bay, had waived rights to file exceptions to initial decision. At same time, hearing examiner Forest L. McClenning, in initial decision, approved move of WMBV-TV’s transmitter site and increase in antenna height from 780 to 960 ft., WFRV-TV & WBAY-TV having withdrawn objections.
Participation in Boston Ch, 5 “influence” case was gi’antcd by FCC to Boston Globe this week, as commission finalized its tentative decision (Vol. 15:3). Globe's intervention is limited to issue No. 1: “possible disqualification of one or more of the commissioners.”
CP Granted: Ch. 10, Px’esque Isle, Me., to WLBZ Television Inc., operator of WCSH-TV, Portland (Ch. 6) & WeSH, Portland; WLBZ-TV, Bangor (Ch. 2) & WLBZ.
New and Upcoming Stations: New owners of WHCT, Hartford (Ch. 18) pulled switch and resumed programming Jan. 24 as planned (Vol. 15:3), after formal transfer of property earlier in month from CBS to new Capitol Bestg. Inc. for $250,000 (Vol. 14:46,49). On-air count changes to 547 (84 uhf. In Canada, CJDC-TV, Dawson Creek, B.C. (Ch. 5) began operation Jan. 15, becoming that country’s 55th outlet.
WHCT pres.-gen. mgr. & 54% owner is Edward D. Taddei, ex-gen. mgr. of WNHC-TV, New Haven (Ch. 8). David K. Harris, v.p. 23.7% owner, is programming director ; Bruce Compton, gen. sales mgr.; Anthony Guardino Jr., 1.67% owner, chief engineer ; Jack Borden, news director. Ba.se hour is $400. Rep. is Young.
CJDC-TV has 200-watt GE transmitter, 70-ft, tower with Alford antenna. H. L. Michaud is pres. & gen. mgr.; Mike LaVern, station mgr.; R. W. Michaud, sales mgr. ; Mel Lang, chief engineer. Base hour, $75. Reps: Donald Cooke (U.S.) ; TV Representatives (Toronto, Montreal) ; Hunt Scharf (Vancouver) ; A. J. Messner (Winnipeg).
In our continuing survey of upcoming stations, these are latest reports from principals:
WAFG-TV, Huntsville, Ala. (Ch. 31) has ordered Continental transmitter from General Precision Labs, but doesn’t expect to begin programming until next Aug., writes pres. John S. Gregory Jr. Plans for studio-transmitter building are complete, but construction hasn’t started. It will use 150-ft. U. S. tower with GE 5-bay antenna. Rates not set. Rep not chosen.
KUAT, Tucson (Ch. 6, educational) now is without tai'get, although 500-watt RCA transmitter has been wired and hooked to antenna on 250ft. Utility tower, reports Wesley T. Johnson, radio-TV engineer of grantee U of Ariz. He explains work remaining on used transmitter is scheduled for completion by end of Jan., then station must compile proof of performance data. ■
New WJAR-TV Offer: J. s. (Dody) Sinclair, gen. mgr. of WJAR-TV & WJAR, Providence, took the stand this week in a Rhode Island Supei’ior Court hearing on his fight to block sale of parent Outlet Co. (Vol. 14:49-.50). He submitted check for .$1,000,000 as down payment on an offer to buy all stock held by the company’s trustees — about 55% — ^for $6,760,000 ($122.50 a share), together with a written guarantee he would operate the Providence department store for at least 2 years, rather than spin it off and retain only the stations. He also testified he had unsuccessfully sought to buy the stations for $6,000,000 from William Zeckendorf, head of Webb & Knapp realty firm, last month in New Yoi’k. N.Y. realtor Roger L. Stevens had option to buy Outlet Co., but presumably transferred his option to 90165 Corp., jointly owned by Zeckendorf & John C. Mullins. The 90165 Corp. then offered to buy up all Outlet stock at $120 a share. Sinclair seeks injunction to block sale of the stock (33% of total) held in trust for him.