Broadcasting (July - Dec 1936)

inability to build and retain an audience "straight across the board." He added: "It is interesting, as well as painful, to note that the results of our operation under this arrangement through the years 1930 to 1934, inclusive, resulted in a net aggregate loss of $1,509,191.99, or a loss in 1930 of $305,888.74; in 1931 of $306,256.97; in 1932 of $325,997.53; in 1933 of $361,009.71, and in 1934 of $294,041.04." Discussing the profits of duplicated operation on the clear channel, Mr. Read then recounted the fact that in 1933 WTIC lost $361,000 whereas in 1934 it reduced this by $66,000. In 1935 the station again reduced its losses, the aggregate amounting to some $204,000. There have been decided profits to the listening public also, Mr. Read said. There have never been substantial objections from listeners to the duplicated operation, he said. Only two complaints were received — one from Canada and the other from Michigan. Also indicative of listener response was the fact that before simultaneous operation NBC received from listeners 4,676 letters concerning programs broadcast over WTIC. In 1934, during the latter part of which there was simultaneous operation, this letter response increased to 9,605. In 1935 it increased to 32,000 and from January through August of this year it reached 56,000. H e emphasized that these letters were to NBC concerning their network programs and did not include letters sent to WTIC concerning non-network programs. Mr. Read asserted that from his personal observations and from engineering reports he knew that WTIC served the primary area of a clear channel station operating on a frequency without duplication. He concluded that the duplicated operation has permitted WTIC to give a well-rounded uninterrupted program service to a rather large and heavily populated area which heretofore had been served only in very unsatisfactory manner. Moreover, duplication has permitted Travelers to reduce its big operating losses to the vanishing point. KRLD Concurs in Views MR. READ also read into the record a statement on behalf of KRLD. Carrying the programs of CBS, whereas WTIC carries NBC, the station said that since simultaneous operation it has enjoyed an increase in the number of its listeners and a resulting increase in revenue, all due to the regular use of its assigned frequency. Mr. Read added: "During the entire period of experimentation KRLD has received no complaint of any interference from its listeners, and has received much satisfactory comment from a radius of approximately 100 miles. This would indicate that the listeners who depend upon KRLD for their radio service have no objection to the presence of WTIC on the same channel, and probably know nothing whatsoever of the simultaneous operation. It would therefore appear that such operation is an advantage both from the standpoint of the station and of the listeners, and that its continuation on a permanent basis should be encouraged both from an engineering and a commercial standpoint, and in the furtherance of an economic use of a desirable frequency." Supplementing the testimony 940 Kc. Occupants ASK REGIONAL BOOST THE EXPERIENCE of stations on the 940 kc. regional channel in their coordinated technical operation was described to the Broadcast Division Oct. 14. Paul M. Segal, counsel for the group, explained that for six years these stations have cooperated and long ago initiated consideration of 5 kw. power for a regional frequency and filed applications for them. These applications were denied in 1932 by the former Radio Commission, the principal reason for the denial, he said, being the then prevailing quota system. The presentation, he said, was for the purpose of indicating the general considerations to be borne in mind on the 5 kw. question. As the engineering witness for the group, Mr. Segal introduced Raymond M. Wilmotte, former British engineer now in consulting practice in New York. Mr. Wilmotte in 1931 designed and built for WFLA, Clearwater, Fla., the first directional antenna for a broadcasting station to be approved by the Radio Commission. Mr. Wilmotte, as did preceding engineers, described graphically various characteristics of wave propagation, emphasizing particularly the importance of the sky wave as a means of serving rural areas. A regional station, he said, of Mr. Read, J. C. McNary, Washington radio engineer, related Oct. 19 the results of the duplicate operation of the stations. Field observations, he said, show that WTIC, with 50 kw., covers a primary service area of approximately 30 to 40 miles. The station fades 40 to 50 miles from its transmitter. In each case, Mr. McNary explained under cross-examination, the stations are not using antennas that give them the maximum coverage efficiency. The primary service of KRLD at night is limited by fading to distances of 40 to 90 miles. The primary night service area of KRLD, he added, appears to be free from objectionable interference from WTIC. Pointing out that during the past year the stations have been operating with synchronous carrier frequencies, Mr. McNary said this operation has furnished a basis for observations of interference between the two stations transmitting different programs having a small carrier difference. "So far an exact analysis of effect of carrier synchronization with different programs has not been arrived at," he said. "Practical observations, however, indicate that there is a distinct benefit to be obtained through the use of this expedient although program crosstalk is still the limiting interference factor." Concluding, Mr. McNary said that the experimental operation demonstrates that stations under conditions similar to those of WTIC and KRLD can operate simultaneously on a common frequency without a common program and still render their primary service area free from heterodyne or other types of interference. In addition to the primary service some secondary service is rendered by each station depending on transmission conditions. should be expected to serve contiguous rural territory. Irrespective of power, he said, a station which only serves the city and town in which it is located is simply a local station. Adjacent Channel Effects MR. WILMOTTE brought out that by increasing the power of stations on one regional frequency, adjacent channels will suffer and that the increased power will mean increased interference on these adjacent frequencies. "If it is desired to retain a status quo of interfering patterns, the power on the adjacent channels would have to be increased in proportion," he added. Mr. Wilmotte said there is a fundamental difference between the engineering problem of the proper allocation of stations on a single frequency and the allocation of these stations relative to stations on adjacent frequencies. The separation and power required by stations on a single frequency to provide good service is practically independent of the design of the receiver, he said. The allocation of stations within a single frequency is therefore entirely within the control of the FCC. The separation between stations on adjacent frequencies, is only indirectly controlled by the Commission. "In this case, there are two forces acting toward each other," he said. "One is the effort of the Commission to adjust the separation of stations in adjacent channels to fit the selectivity of the receivers in use, and the second is the efforts of manufacturers of receivers to design receivers which can satisfactorily meet the interf e r e n c e which the Commission thinks proper." Mr. Wilmotte used graphs and diagrams to show possible coverage without interference from adjacent channels under various conditions. He recommended that because of man made interference, this country should do something in a legislative way to curb it as has been done in France and proposed in England. Increasing Service Areas CONCLUDING, Mr. Wilmotte said there are many ways of increasing the service areas of certain stations. Use of the sky ray or wave, he said, would bring this about. He added that there are too many stations <?n a single frequency under existing allocations and that consequently their usefulness is limited to serving densely populated areas where the interfering noise level is high. He said: "I would like to urge the Commission that, in granting licenses, it give careful consideration to the location of stations, not only relative to other stations but relative to the nearest town, so that better synchronization, directional effects, etc., may be used when wanted to the best possible advantage. Our present knowledge and future developments (to the extent that we can forecast them) should be allowed full opportunity and as much latitude as possible so that our total knowledge may be usable to provide the best service possible. "I make a special plea that future engineering developments and the progress of broadcasting be not endangered by freezing the space available on the basis of our present knowledge and technical skill. There should be room, much room for evolution." General Electric Supports CLEAR CHANNELS OPPOSITION to any widespread reallocation, but support of clear channels and superpower was advocated in a statement submitted for the record by Chester H. Lang. manMr. L,ang ager of broadcasting of General Electric Co., which owns WGY, Schenectady; KOA, Denver, and KGO, Oakland, all managed by NBC. "We have a broadcasting system that has proved itself to be fundamentally sound," he said. "Clear channels and high power are available for the distribution of program material to wide areas, especially to a large rural section in which listeners might otherwise be deprived of reliable reception. In the 'Allocation Survey' released by the Commission on Sept. 1, it is observed that more than 76% of the listeners canvassed prefer to listen to clear channel stations. Shared channel stations are decidedly secondary in favor. The survey further discloses the wide preference for the highest powered station in the country, indicating clearly, it would seem, the desirability of power increases for the cleared channels in the interest of optimum service to the listener." 500 Kw. Seen Menace TO LOCAL STATIONS SUPPLEMENTING the plea for local stations made by Edward A. Allen, president of National Independent Broadcasters, George 0. Sutton, Washington attorney, as counsel for the organization, appeared Oct. 19 to present the case in chief. Complaining of congestion on the local frequencies, Mr. Sutton said the practical result of it has been the reduction of service not only of local stations but also of regionals. In recent months, also, he said, the number of local stations has been increased considerably, aggravating this condition. From 1928 to the end of 1934, he said, only 50 new local stations were licensed. During 1935 and the first six months of 1936, he said, there were 68 such grants. Should 500 kw. stations be authorized, Mr. Sutton pointed out, there would be increased interference with local stations on adjacent channels, because of the lack of geographical separation. Local stations have been placed at another disadvantage, he said, in that in power increases regional stations have been permitted to increase day-power by a ratio of 5 to 1 or from 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts, whereas locals have been permitted an increase of only 2% to 1 since their top daytime power is now 250 watts. "Since congestion makes it possible for the local station only to reach its outlying rural area in daytime, the restriction of daytime power actually serves to reduce this possibility," he said. Moreover, he added, local stations have not had recourse to the use of directional antennas, as Page 58 • November 1, 1936 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising