Broadcasting (Jan - June 1936)

Extra-Broadcast Rules Approved {Continued from page 22) respect he reflected the arguments advanced by Prof. George. After Mr. Baldwin's original opposition to promulgation of the regulations on "so short notice", Comdr. Craven said he thought the best procedure was to place them in effect tentatively, and that if they proved too harsh there would be plenty of opportunity to modify them. He explained that the June 15 hearings might produce evidence which would make it advisable to revise the rules, but that it was deemed most desirable to have the new allocations and the tentative rules on the books at this time. The apex rules precipitated the main discussion. Mr. Ring brought out that there are already 28 stations licensed while 60 new applications are pending. Mr. Baldwin contended that extreme caution should be exercised and he questioned the writing of very temporary or indefinite rules. He said he felt there would be definite regulations preceding entrenchment of stations in apex broadcasting. Heavy competition among stations immediately would result from the promulgation of the rules, he added. The requirement for dual announcement of call letters over all experimental stations operated in conjunction with regular stations was a subject of discussion. It was contended that in many cases this would mean the hiring of additional men at stations simply to make station identification an nouncements over the experimental outlets. The rules as written specify that separate announcements shall be made over each facility, Mr. Ring declaring this is necessary to enable monitoring stations to identify the experimental outlets. The objections were taken under advisement. There was much discussion oyer phraseology of regulations. P. J. Hennessy Jr., NBC Washington counsel, contended that certain of the rules specifying that licensees shall receive no compensations either directly or indirectly for experimental operations, might, because of phraseology, become serious since indirectly all regular stations profit from use of experimental stations. There was discussion of the possibility of limiting the number of apex I censes to be allocated to particular cities in order to bring about an "equitable distribution". This developed after Mr. Baldwin had observed that there probably would not be enough apex assignments to go around. Mr. Ring declared that a proposal on limitation of allocations would be made to the Broadcast Division. Respecting television, Mr. Ring announced that one change already had been decided upon as a deviation from the rules as written. He said the FCC would not specify the aural and visual channels which would be assigned licensees under the single license until after the June 15 hearings. It was then that Dr. George FEDERAL TELEGRAPH CO. RADIO TUBES FAMED FOR PERFORMANCE LONG LIFE • UNIFORM CHARACTERISTICS Made under Federal Telegraph Company-Owned Patents Federal Telegraph Co, Tube F-3S7A Half Wave Rectifier (Interchangeable with U. V. 857 and W. E. 266AI ^ ©F-357A, half wave rectifier illustrated above, represents just one of a long line of Federal Telegraph Co. Radio Tubes "Famed for Performance" throughoutiheworld. Federal Telegraph Co. engineers have greatly improved this type of mercury vapor tube by shielding it. In F-357A the arc is confined within the shield which reduces bulb blackening and materially reduces the tendency to arc back. A special filament core material insures permanency of the oxide coating and prevents flaking. Write for catalog. FEDERAL TELEGRAPH COMPANY, 200 Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Newark. N. J. protested the scrapping of television station assignments on the lower band. He argued that while the picture is not so good, rural coverage is afforded. The day might come, he said, when two or three superpower television stations on these low bands might cover the country. When this claim was challenged by others he said that possibly one way of procuring the service would be that of establishing government owned television stations on these waves. A. F. Murray, television chief of Philco, brought out that television should be on one standard rather than two. Manufacturers, he said, probably would not want to develop a separate receiver capable of picking up the medium frequency 60-line broadcasts, along with the projected 440 or 460 line systems in the ultra-high field. While at present it appears that the ultra-high service will be purely urban, he declared developments may come which will make possible rural service also. Economic Angles THE QUESTION of economics in television also was raised. The low-definition service designed foi' rural coverage, it was brought out, probably would not attract advertising sponsors. Dr. George, however, are-ued that either government service, or possibly the sponsorsh'p of national advertisers interested in the rural field, might be the answer. When Mr. Baldwin asked whether there w^ould be enough television channels "to go around", Chairman Ring asserted there could be no estimate of that until it was determined through experimentation how wide a band television would need to accommodate it. He expressed disapproval of time-sharine for television stations, pointing out that when it arrived commercially all of the part-timers would seek full time, much as has developed in conventional broadcasting. Respecting the "requirement for frequency monitors for experimental stations, Mr. Ring said that perhaps a two-month extension from the original effective date of July 1 would be granted to allow for manufacturers to develop the meters. If additional time is needed, he said, it would be allowed since the FCC is not disposed to cause anv hardship or become arbitrary on any of the regulations. After a round of discussion on Dr. Jolliffe's formal motion to postpone the effective date for 90 days, on the ground that "no harm" could come from the postponement. Chairman Ring announced the matter would be submitted to the FCC Broadcast Division. Simultaneously, he said, the other suggested changes would be taken up with the Division. He explained that all licensees who oppose the rules have the recourse of protesting and thereby bringing about formal hearings before the Division. The text of the new rules was published in the June 1 issue of 15R0ADCASTING. At present 277 stations licensed in the various services aie affected, but Mr. King estimated that eventually some 6UU to 700 stations will be assigned in these bands. Attending the June 8 hearing were the lollowing: Comdr. T. A. M. Craven, Andrew D. Ring. J. P. Buchanan Jr., G. C. Davis, G. SL. Sterling, Ralph L. Clark, FCC i-ngineering Department. Dr. C. B. Jolliffie, RCA. I. R. Baker and T. A. Smith, RCA Victor Co. E. K. Cohan, CBS. Charles W. Horn, NBC. W. J. Purcell, General Electric Co. C. E. Gregory and W. Ward Darrell, Westinghouse E. & M. Co. James W. Baldwin, NAB. L. G. Pattee, Harold G. Peery and Harry R. Lubcke, Don Lee Broadcasting System. John V. L., Hogan, W2XR, Long Island Citv, N. Y. Philo T. Farnsworth and Frank J. Somers, Farnsworth Television Inc. A. F. Murray and John R. Holland, Philco Radio & Television Corp. Oswald F. Schuette, Short Wave Institute of America. William D. Kelly and A. Q. Ranft, WFBR, Baltimore. Frank V. Becker, WFIL, Philadelphia. W^. T. Wood, WMBG, Richmond. S E. Warner, WIXBS, Waterbury, Conn. M. C. Scott Jr., W4XB. Mavnard Marquardt, ^yCFL, Chicago. John Fetzer, WKZO, Kalamazoo, Mich. i Sidney W. Bassford and Martin L. Jonesj WCAO, Baltimore. I U. L. Lynch, WSVA, Harrisonburg, Va. Paul A. DeMars, Yankee Network. D. W. Gellerup, WTMJ, Milwaukee. R. J. Rockwell. WLW-WSAI, Cincinnati. W. J. Scripps and C. H. Wesser, WWJ.'i Detroit. Prof. R. H. George, W9XG, Purdue University. Harrv Harvey, KFAB. G. K. Jacobsen, W9XAT, Minneapolis. Rav V. Hamilton, St. Louis Star-Times. E. ' H. Twambley and R. J. Kingsley, WBEN, Buffalo. [ Prof. Edwin H. Armstrong, Columbia; University. Consulting Engineers — C. M. Jansky Jr., Stuart L. Bailey, Fred O. Grimwood, Paul Godley, Joseph Chambers, Edward A. Loftin, Harold B. Rothrock. Washington Attorneys — Frank D. Scott,| Philip G. Loucks, John M. Littlepage,' William A. Porter, P. J. Hennessy, S. A. Milne (NBC. New York), George S. Smith, Ben S. Fisher, John W. Guider, I Karl A. Smith, Reed T. Rollo, Horace L. Lohnes. 1 looohShadovugraphed Ins/oecfed Federal Telegraph Company, a Mackay Radio auhsidiary, maintains a lube service organisation that realty wants to serve you. Canadian Distributor GENERAL RECORDING EQUIPMENT CO. 48 Chatsworth Drive, Toronto, Ont. At least one of our TEN different specifications will give you top performance and the minimum of surface noise at a very moderate cost. Samples, discounts, and prices at your request. PHONOGRAPH NEEDLE MFG. CO., INC. 42-46 Dudley Street, Providence, R. I. Page 52 BROADCASTING • June 15, 1936