Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

2 Capital TV & Bcstg. Co., No. 40 (second); Lake Charles, La.. Southland Telecasters, No. 25; Baltimore , WITH, No. 60; Buffalo , Chautauqua Bcstg. Corp. , No. 17; Easton, Pa. , WEEX , No. 57; Hazelton, Pa. , WAZL, No. 63; Danville, Va. , WBTM, No. 24. $ $ $ '* Of grantees without local AM interests. Peoria CP-holder is 50% ov/ned by Hugh R. Norman, president of KSTT, Davenport, which has application for Cedar Rapids, 50% by consulting engineer Walter F. Kean. Baton Rouge CP is held by partnership comprising attorneys James B. Donovan, John W. English and dept, store owner James R. McBrier; Mr. English also holds 14.8% of application for Erie, Pa. • Lake Charles grantee is partnership of Charles W. Lamar Jr. & T.E. Gibbens. They hold CP for Pensacola, have minority stock interests in WAFB-TV, Baton Rouge. Principals of Buffalo grantee are theatreman Gary L. Cohen and liquor dealer Sherwin Grossman, whose company also has application pending for Jamestown, N.Y. [For detailed listings of week's CPs, with reference to Addenda containing full data on principals, see TV Addenda 15-W herewith.] * * * # In first court ruling affecting allocation plan, U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington gave WGAL-TV, Lancaster, go-ahead to shift from Channel 4 to 8 on temporary basis - denying WLAN’s petition for injunction. Next step is comparative hearing between the two before FCC, on date to be set, to determine which has right to regular license on Channel 8. Court's decision came immediately after oral argument Dec. 18; opinion may be issued later. WGAL-TV should be able to shift in a few weeks, boosting ERP from 1 kw to 7.2 kw. At same time, fringe area interference to and from WNBT, New York, and WNBW, Washington, will be removed — and WNBT & WNBW will be able to hike their powers to maximum as fast as FCC grants modifications and equipment is installed. STATION AND WIRED TV RATTLE IN ASHEVILLE: Signifi cant showdown on community antenna system came in Asheville, N.C., Dec. 18 when city council reversed previous 4-3 vote and ruled 5-2 to prohibit installation proposed by Community TV Systems Inc. Council's action climaxed fight between the community system company, headed by Murray Borkon of Philadelphia, and uhf CP-holder WISE, owned by Harold H. Thoms. Thoms had previously told council he would consider dropping CP if Community TV were permitted to wire up town and provide service from WBTV, Charlotte. Community TV countered with offer to post bond guaranteeing it would build a TV station itself — if Thoms dropped grant and FCC awarded it a permit. Thoms contended he could buck local station competition but questioned his ability to compete with outside signals. WSKY and WLOS are competing for city's only vhf channel — No. 13. Town had been split wide open between those eager for any kind of TV now and those anxious to foster local stations which would provide free signals. Asheville now has small community system feeding about 60 homes at edge of town. It won't run afoul council's ruling unless it seeks to expand, using city's streets. Council's power over systems derives from its control of streets. Community TV had already obtained permission to use poles from power & phone companies. $ $ No other city has had similar crisis, as far as we know, but TV applicants and C?-holders are beginning to wonder about community systems' impact. Some are seriously considering going into the business themselves (Vol. 8:49). We checked two other cities where we thought friction may be generated — Williamsport and Harrisburg, Pa. In former, 3 community systems are operating and WRAK-TV holds uhf CP. In latter, one system operates and uhf WHP-TV is building. Manager of WRAK George E. Joy says he's done a little thinking about problem, intends to consult attorneys, but he doesn't seem as upset as Thoms was. One of Williamsport's community systems is being built by company owned by Jerrold Electronics Corp., manufacturer of community TV equipment, allied with the powerful J.H. Whitney & Co., New York investment organization. There's no problem in Harrisburg, according to WHP mgr. A.K. Redmond. He