Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

4— TELEVISION DIGEST JANUARY 7, 1963 CURRENT CAPSULES There were 2 operating TV satellites in orbit for first time last week, after defects in both NASA's RCA-built Relay and AT&T's Telstor were corrected and successful TV transmissions conducted — both on Jan. 3. Relay, whose power supply had not been functioning sufficiently for wide-bond transmission, corrected itself as expected, and 24-min. test pattern was sent & received in U.S., followed by "very clear" reception in France Jan. 4. Telstar's command-decoder was successfully diagnosed and treated from ground with "trick" signal which triggered it into working again. Test was followed by live appearance Jan. 4 of Bell Labs' scientists explaining situation. Discussion was picked up by ground stations in England, France & Italy, and was followed by pictures of French & British communications officials, received in U.S. Operation of Telstar was reported "as good as ever." CBS has gone to Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit (N.Y.) to contest FCC's decision that original affiliate compensation plan violates Sec. 3.658(a) of Commission rules (Vol. 2:45 p4). Appeal is not on FCC's "tentative" ruling that CBS's amended plan is still illegal, violating Sec. 3.658(e). CBS contends that FCC is trying to regulate rates, something it isn't empowered to do: that even if Sec. 3.658(a) were applicable, plan didn't "penalize" affiliates for carrying other networks' programs; that "in the guise of interpreting an existing rule, the Commission in substance promulgated a new rule when it held that the CBS TV Network compensation plan was unlawful" without going through proper rule-making procedure. Order for 15 color-TV Eidophor large-screen projection systems has been received by Theatre Network TV Inc., U.S. distributor for the Swiss-made instruments, in what TNT described as biggest single order for large-screen projection TV in history. Units will be used at U.S. Air Force bases in visual flight simulators being built by Link div. of GPI. The units sold operate on field-sequential color system and will be used in connection with new fieldsequential camera developed by Compagnie Francaise Thomson-Houston. TNT has also developed lab models of Eidophor equipment designed to accommodate compatible NTSC color system, but these were not involved in Air Force contract. Pres. Collins will head NAB witnesses Jan. 7 at opening session of 2-day FCC radio development hearings. Other witnesses: George Hatch, radio KALL Salt Lake City, Carl E. Lee, radio WKZO Kalamazoo, George C. Davis & Jules Cohen, Washington consulting engineers, George W. Bartlett, NAB engineering mgr., Merrill Lindsay, radio WSOY Decatur, 111., William S. Duttera, NBC. Jan. 8: Robert M. Booth Jr., attorney; Everett Dillard, Commercial Radio Equipment Co.; Rogan Jones, International Good Music Inc.; Lazar Emanuel, Communications Industries Corp.; Lauren A. Colby, attorney; Joseph J. Kessler, WBXM Bcstg. Co. Specialization in “ethnic” programming seems to be attracting many prospective & new uhf operators. Latest ones are Chicago’s WCIU (Ch. 26), due to debut in May specializing in programs for ethnic groups, and N.J. TV Bcstg. Corp. (Ch. 47) New Brunswick, which plans to start in late 1963 with broadcasts of New Jersey interest by day and programming appealing to metropolitan N.Y. minority groups at night. Va. ETV network plans have been released by state’s Advisory Council on Educational TV — calling for 21 stations, supplied by film & tape from 4 production centers. Washington engineering firm of A. D. Ring & Assoc, made suiwey. WIBW-TV Topeka can’t help finance operation of a Clyde, Kan. vhf translator, FCC ruled. Commission denied request by Clyde Community TV for waiver to allow it to accept $500 donation from WIBW-TV, whose programs it planned to rebroadcast. Extension of a station’s service into new area by translator, whether licensed dii’ectly or financially supported, would result in increased coverage at relatively little cost and with no responsibility for meeting needs of new community, FCC said. Chmn. Minow & Comr. Hyde dissented. Revocation of license of radio WBMT Black Mountain, N.C. is proposed by FCC. Commission charged o^vners with misrepresenting financial qualifications & legal status, concealing fact that partnership had been dissolved, construction & operation of station by persons other than dissolved partnership, false affidavits & statements. Hearing will be held in Asheville. Kaiser’s Ch. 50 Detroit application has been granted; it also holds CPs for Ch. 44 San Francisco, Ch. 52 Los Angeles (Corona), has pending bids for Ch. 38 Chicago, Ch. 41 Philadelphia (Burlington, N.J.). In Santa Fe, proposed grant of Ch. 2 satellite to KGGM-TV Albuquerque has been issued by FCC Examiner Giffoi’d Irion, after competitors dropped out. “Obscenity” case, denial of license renewal of I’adio WDKD Kingstree, S.C. (Vol. 2:31 p3), was reaffirmed by FCC last week. It’s understood Commission turned down petition for reconsideration, but won’t make action public until full text of decision is available. Kennedy European TV show is being arranged with BBC and French & West German TV-radio networks. Program would be filmed in U.S., following pattern of President’s Dec. 17 interview by 3 U.S. networks (Vol. 2:52 p4). Sale of 58.82% of KLYD-TV & KLYD Bakersfield, Cal. by Lincoln Dellar, Edward E. Umer, Bryan J. Coleman & Maurice St. Clair to Dellar Bcstg. Co. (Dellar & wife) for $117,640 has been approved by FCC.