Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1959)
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the original oral argument (Vol. 14:25 et seq).
The big question in the case now is presented by the composition of the Commission. Originally, Comrs. Doerfer, McConnaughey & Mack voted for Crosley, with Comi-s. Hyde, Bartley & Lee dissenting. Now, Doerfer is sole remaining member who voted for Crosley — because Craven said he won’t participate this time. New members to vote for the first time, ai’e Comrs. Ford & Cross.
WIBC’s arguments, presented by attorneys Harry T. Ice and Thomas W. Wilson, stressed local ownership and ownership-management integration, and attacked Crosley’s “concentration” of station ownership in the general area — since it operates WLWT, Cincinnati (Ch. 5); WLWD, Dayton (Ch. 2); WLWC, Columbus (Ch. 4). Crosley also owns WLWA, Atlanta (Ch. 11).
Crosley, through attorney Duke Patrick, stressed its considerable TV-radio experience and long record of pioneering in broadcasting. Patrick also made a point of the fact that local ownership isn’t necessarily permanent, noting that Indianapolis’ WFBM-TV & WISH-TV have both been sold to non-resident owners — Time Inc. and Whitney interests, respectively.
Boston Hearing Shaping Up: The Boston Ch. 5 “influence” hearing will start Feb. 16 instead of March 2, it was agreed in a pre-hearing conference this week — because examiner Judge Horace Stern has called off h s projected trip (Vol. 15:2). FCC counsel Edgar Holtz gave a tentative list of his witnesses, estimating that their testimony would run l%-2 weeks, and that the other parties’ cases might take another week.
Following are FCC’s witnesses: Robert B. Choate, publisher of the Boston Herald Traveler, which won Ch. 5 decision and operates WHDH-TV ; Forrester A. Clarke, of applicant Mass. Bay Telecasters; Former FCC Chairman George McConnaughey; John L. Taylor & W. Davis Taylor, Boston Globe; John B. Fisher, Washington public relations consultant and former asst, to Sen. Saltonstall (R-Mass.) ; Charles F. Mills, former member of the Renegotiation Board. Holtz also said that he may have statements for the record from unidentified Senators and Congressmen.
Also a possible witness is former Commerce Secy. Sinclair Weeks, although Holtz didn’t mention him. Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) once stated that Weeks aided Herald Traveler’s case.
Temporary operation on Ch. 1.3, New Orleans, to April 30, was granted by FCC this week to New Orleans TV Corp., a new company resulting from merger of WJMR-TV and Coastal TV Co. after dropout of competitor Okla. TV Corp. (Vol. 15:3). Commission said temporary operation not to be construed approval of merger, yet to be considered.
International Transmissions Inc., 480 Lexington Ave., N. Y. (Murray Hill 7-7744), new ovei’seas news service for radio stations, reports these customers to date: WTOP-TV & WTOP, Washington; WIIC, Pittsburgh; radio WMCA, N. Y.; WIP, Philadelphia; KWK, St. Louis; WEMP, Milwaukee; WOHO, Toledo; WRFD, Columbus, 0.; WBUD, Trenton. It has correspondents in 13 European capitals, plans more, offers 5 one-min. reports 3 times weekly, transmitted via cable and taped in U.S. Pres, is Sumner J. Glimcher, ex-Radio Free Europe and NBC. Exec. v.p. in Ivondon is Noel Bernard, ex-BBC. Sales v.p. is Frederick A. Bell, ex-Compton Adv.
Facility Changes: WSBA-TV, York, Pa. (Ch. 43) boosted power to 132-kw Jan. 9 . . . WKBN, Youngstown (Ch. 27) boosted power to 430-kw, using new 650-ft. tower, week of Jan. 26.
Cox Buys WSOC-TV, Charlotte : The $5,600,000 purchase of WSOC-TV Charlotte, N.C. (Ch. 9) & WSOC by Cox interests raises to 4 the vhf stations in which it holds ownership. Headed by James M. Cox Jr., the organization controls WSB-TV, Atlanta (Ch. 2) ; WHIO-TV, Dayton, 0. (Ch. 7), and holds 42.5% of WCKT, Miami (Ch. 7). Principal stockholder in WOSC-TV was E. E. Jones, who said he wanted to reduce his activities. He recently resigned as pres, of Pyramid Life Insurance Co. Pres.-gen. mgr. Larry Walker will remain in charge. According to J. Leonard Reinsch, managing director of purchaser, no changes in personnel or organization are planned. Cox interests also publish Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Miami Daily News, Springfield (0.) Sun & News.
NAB TV board agenda for Feb. 4 winter meeting at the Hollywood Beach Hotel, Hollywood, Fla. includes code amendments, FCC’s policies on boosters, community antenna problems, TV allocations and TASO report, pay TV, public relations. Radio board meets at the same time to hear reports from AM, FM, good practice standards, and tariff committees. Joint board session Feb. 6 will hear from committees on membership, finance, editorializing, freedom of infoi'mation, 1959 convention, Hall of Fame, and legislation.
Ex-FCC Comr. Richard A. Mack and friend Thui’man
A. Whiteside are still due to start trial in Washington Feb. 16 on charges of “coiTuption” in Miami Ch. 10 case (Vol. 15:4), Washington Federal District Court Judge Burnita S. Matthews having denied their request that the case be dismissed or moved to Miami. They had argued that the case was prejudiced by the fact that the Washington Star, 11 days before the grand jury acted, carried a leak from Justice Dept, that a true bill was being drawn. They had claimed that this prejudiced their case.
WRW, Reading, Pa. (1340 kc, 250 watts) has been sold by the Steinman interests for $290,000 to Phoenixville, Pa. meat packer Charles T. Weiland, Attorney Perrin C. Ham’lton of Philadelphia and Hugh L. Hamilton, who is majority owner of A. V. Smith Engineering Co., Narberth, Pa.
In Montana Microwave case (Vol. 15:50-51), the Court of Appeals this week den’ed a request by KXLJ-TV, Helena, that Montana Microwave be stayed from feeding the signals of Spokane stations to the Helena CATV system. Judges Washington, Danaher & Bazelon then scheduled argument in the case for early March.
CP Granted: Ch. 9, Hot Springs, Ark., to Southwestern Operating Co., headed by broadcaster-publisher Donald W. Reynolds (for other holdings, see Television Faetbook No. 27, p. 177). At same time, FCC denied petition of Henry
B. Clay to delete Ch. 9 from Hot Springs, add Ch. 10 to Shreveport, La. — Comrs. Doerfer & Hyde dissenting.
Call letter change: KIDO-TV, Boise, Ida. (Ch. 7), changes to KTVB Feb. 1.
Radio station sales: CBS announcer Olin Tice, owner of WREN, Dover, Del.; WCAY, Columbia, S. C.; WBLR, Batesburg, S. C. and WMYB, Myrtle Beach, S. C.) is buying WARN, Aiken, S. C. (990 kc, 1 kw D) for $117,000 from John Mare & Oliver Grace. Broker is Allen Rander & Co. Also being sold is WTRX, Bellaire, O. (1290 kc, 1 kw D) by public relations man Robert R. Richards and associates Walter Patterson and Fred Allmon for $130,000 to Frederic Gi-egg (owner of WCMI, Ashland, Ry.) and General Dynamics exec. Charles Wright. Richards and associates also own WRYR, Reyser, W. Va. and WRBZ, Muskegon, Mich. Broker is Blackburn & Co. [For news about other radio station sales, see AM-FM Addenda Z?.]