Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

VOL 16; No. 50 g Auxiliary Services CATV LEGISLATION: “Non-duplication” seems to be the watchword in suggested CATV legislation. It’s the prime tenet of FCC’s probable recommendations to Congress (Vol. 16:49 p3), and it’s understood NAB’s CATV Committee, meeting in Washington last week, stressed the same element. FCC hasn’t finalized its recommendations yet, but there seems to be little doubt that the 2 important features will be: Non-duplication, ordered by the Commission when necessary; CATVs to carry local-station signals. It’s understood that NAB’s thinking is the same— and that it is not proposing that CATVs be required to get rebroadcast permission from stations whose signals they carry. Closed-circuit TV “diorama” made its debut in N.Y.’s Grand Central Station Dec. 8, utilizing a 30-in. direct-view tube installation designed by Thompson Kamo Wooldridge for the newly-formed Billboard TV Corp. Designed to catch the eyes of 400,000 daily commuters, the TV channel (“BBTV-Channel 1,” according to the firm’s Pres., Jules Baker) will feature newsfilm & reportage from UPI. Present opei'ating schedule of the closed-circuit system, which Baker hopes to expand to other N.Y. railroad & bus terminals, will be 8 a.m.-to-midnight and may ultimately expand to a 24-hour service. Baker hopes to sell commercial spot sponsorship in the system, and, if closed-circuit advertisers want “permanent identification with the project,” BBTV will — for a price — decorate the sign with a sponsor’s logo or emblem. ^ Vhf TV translator transmitters are now being offered by Industrial Television, 7270 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles 26. The firm announces that it is now offering a complete service for potential translator operators “from the initial survey & filing of FCC forms to the complete installation.” Through use of translators. Industrial Television says, high-quality multiple-channel TV can be provided in any medium-size community for an average cost of $10 per year per person. It claims to have installed more than 70 translator stations and over 40 microwave systems. The company also announced a new line of broadband TV microwave equipment, including a complete portable system for $5,130, including antennas. Dynair Electronics Inc., San Diego, Cal., has developed a video line-driving amplifier capable of sending a highresolution, 600-line TV picture-signal through 5,000 feet of KG 11/U coaxial cable or longer distances when lowerloss cables are used. Pres. E. G. Gramman said the amplifier will extend the usefulness of industrial & closed-circuit TV by extending the distance between cameras & monitors, and stations will find it useful, particularly for. remotes. H&B American Corp., Los Angeles, which recently bought Jerrold’s 9 CATV systems (Vol. 16:48 p2), is now negotiating for the purchase of several more, according to Pres. David E. Bright. “We may build some, too,” he said. He. also reported the resignation of Charles L. Glett, presr of CATV subsidiary Transcontinent Communications Systems. Bright will assume its presidency & chairmanship. Translator starts: K75AT Leadville, Colo, began Nov. I 22 with KBTV Denver • K77AV Palm Springs, Cal. started Nov. 29 with XETV Tijuana-San Diego • K80AV Pagosa Springs, Colo, started tests Dec. 5 with KOAT-TV Albuquerque. The FCC Multiple Ownership Proposal: Rule of FCC would be amended, under proposed rule-making started last week, to ease restrictions on minor, non-influential stockholders. As anticipated (Vol. 16:49 p5), the Commission proposed not to count, in figuring maximum holdings (ceilings are 5 vhf, 2 uhf, 7 AM, 7 FM), holdings of 5% or less — if the holder is neither an officer nor director nor otherwise exercises control of a corporation with 50 or fewer stockholders. Under present rules, any percentage held means just as much as 100% in corporations with 50 or fewer stockholders. In companies with more than 50, a stockholder is ignored if he has less than 1%. In any event, the Commission said: “In the case of both the widely-held & closelyheld corporation, any stockholder, no matter how small his holding, will be regarded as having an ‘interest’ if in fact he controls or has a substantial voice in the control or management of the corporation or its affairs.” Comrs. Ford, Hyde & Bartley dissented. Though they issued no statements, their past attitudes indicate that they believe the current proposal is an unwarranted relaxation. Comments are due Jan. 9. The language of the proposed new rule is as follows: “A person who is not an officer or director of a corporation shall not be deemed to have an interest in or to be a stockholder of that corporation unless he: (1) directly or indirectly owns 1% or more of the outstanding voting stock thereof if the corporation has more than 50 holders of voting stock; or (2) directly or indii'ectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting stock if the corporation has 50 or fewer holders of voting stock; or (3) owns any of the stock of the corporation whatsoever and in fact controls or has a substantial voice in the control or management of the corporation or its affairs.” Duopoly difficulties which held up FCC renewals of licenses of KING-.TV & KING and KIRO-TV & KIRO Seattle (Vol. 16:30 p9) have been resolved. The Commission voted the renewals following assurances that the Pacific National Bank of Seattle, of which KING-TV Pres. Mrs. A. Scott Bullitt is a dir. & stockholder, will dispose of its interest in KIRO-TV. The stations were given 90-day deadlines to advise FCC that the condition has been met. Comrs. iLee, Craven and King objected to the condition, however. Said Craven (Lee concurring) : “No cross-interests can possibly arise” because Mrs. Bullitt is forbidden by law to vote on any questions involving KIRO-TV anyway. Said King: “Nothing less than bureaucratic tyranny.” The fact Mrs. Bullitt is a dir., of the bank doesn’t mean — by any “stretch of imagination” — that KING-TV operates or controls KIRO-TV directly or indirectly, he said. Outer space frequencies should be assigned at once by FCC, American Rocket Society gen. counsel Andrew G. Haley, said in a court appeal from the Commission’s opinion that, such allocations aren’t needed now. Asking the Court of Appeals for reviews of FCC’s Docket 11866 (890 me & above) proceedings (Vol. 16:29 p4 et seq.), Haley contended that “the very nature of worldwide TV & radio requirements” makes quick assignments necessary. He argued that it’s “basically unsound” for FCC to look for a shared-frequency system to take care of space needs. “If exclusive channels are not made available, it is obvious that interference from other countries will destroy the very possibility of affording worldwide broadcasting & communications,” Haley said,