Broadcasting (Jan - June 1940)

Radio Raises $267,679 for Opera OF THE $785,708 raised in the Metropolitan Opera campaign. $267,679 has come from tlie radio audience in response to the appeals broadcast by the radio committee during the intermissions of the Saturday afternoon opera broadcasts on NBC. The radio appeals were tei-minated April 13. Decision on FM Delaved {Continued from page 28) WALTER B. HAASE. program manager and secretary of WDRC, Hartford, Conn., has scheduled a series of talks on frequency modulation during latter April. He will speak to the Hartford Engineer's Club on April 18, and to the Civitan Club April 26. WDRC operates WIXPW, first FM station in Connecticut. OPERATING schedule of W2XOR. New York, FM station of WOR, on April 4 was stepped up to 15 hours a day, from 9 a. m. to midnight. Increase followed "many requests commending the noise-free, high-quality type of reception now being offered by W2X0R," the station reports. be called to work out this phase. Whether the FCC will find it possible to take deliberate action in connection with FM, however, remains a question. Aside from public sentiment, reflected in the reported demands for receivers, a number of members of Congress have become acquainted with FM and are making inquiries about it. As a matter of fact, FM reception has been demonstrated in Washington to more than a score of members on both sides of Congress, all of whom are reported to have expresed deep interest, particularly since it indicates licensing possibilities for a multiplicity of stations all over the country. In reflecting on the hearings, PEOPLE + More people live within 50 miles of Greensboro than in any other area of equal size in the Southeast. PROSPERiTY^ + These people make more products, earn more wages and get more for their crops. POWER 'PROGRAMS WBIG serves the No. 1 spot of the South with 5000 Watts, power packed with pulling programs of CBS and fine local talent and news. Send for the facts about the Greensboro "Magic Circle" CBS AFFILIATE 5000 WATTS DAY 000 WATTS NIGHT Edney Ridge, Director GREENSBORO, N. C. which ran from March 18 to 28 [Broadcasting April 1], observers at the FCC point out that while the evidence was voluminous, a wellrounded plan for nationwide FM broadcasting was not presented to the FCC. Additional data will be placed in the Commission's hands by participants, in briefs scheduled for filing April 15. If, after analysis of these briefs, considered in conjunction with the testimony itself, the Commission feels it does not have sufficient data, it may decide to conduct studies of its own or call upon participants to supply additional data. The 'Limited' Problem The determination of FM Broadcasters Inc. to plump for full commercial status was motivated to some extent by the experience of television proponents under the "limited commercial" rules governing introduction of that medium, originally tentatively scheduled to become effective Sept. 1. It was thought that if the industry had not acquiesced to such a semi-commercial status, the current incident precipitated by the FCC's suspension of television rules and hailing of RCA to the carpet would not have developed. Moreover, the recent Supreme Court decision in the Sanders case bars the FCC from restricting commercial service, if FM moves out of the experimental classification. While testimony was given at the hearings that setting up of FM networks, using ultra-high frequency relays with automatic unattended repeaters, is technically feasible, the telephone industry apparently does not regard this as a realistic threat to the use of wires for program service at this stage. It was said there are technical obstacles in the path of immediate establishment of radio relay systems for FM broadcasting. Moreover, it was pointed out that the type of radio relays contemplated, as covered by witnesses at the hearing, would force all FM network outlets to carry the identical chain program of the originating station, with no way of breaking in for local programs. In other words, it would be an automatic network operation. Aside from technical considerations, the policy question of who will own or operate such FM network radio systems confronts the FCC. Within the industry there has been talk of setting up a mutual company, in which affiliated stations participate in cost, maintenance and operation. On the basis of preliminary digesting of the FM record, it was apparent the Commission has virtually decided that amplitude modulation should not be continued in the ultra-high frequency spectrum. The superiority of FM broadcasting, whether narrow-band or the Armstrong wideband system, was readily admitted by virtually all witnesses. Moreover, it appears to be generally accepted that FM stations are simply providing supplementary service to the present broadcast band for a number of ASCAP Assesses Nominal FM Fee Rate of $1 for 1940 Levied On Operations of Stations FM BROADCAST stations will hv licensed by ASCAP to perform it? music at the nominal legal consideration of $1 for the balance of 1940 until such time as regular commercial operation begins, when the current ASCAP scale of 59'r of the gross will be assessed, according to advices given FM Broadcasters Inc. by John G. Paine, ASCAP geneial manager. In a March 29 letter to Walter J. Damm, managing director of WTMJ, Milwaukee, and a member of the FM Broadcasters board, Mr. Paine confirmed a telephone conversation of that day with Mr. Damm regarding the arrangement. 'Highly Experimental' Mr. Paine stated: "We recognize that the performance of our works by means of broadcasting over this newly-developed method is still highly experimental, and therefore we will extend the license on the customary nominal legal consideration of $1 with the understanding that if during the period of the license hereinafter set forth, commercial broadcasts should be made by the stations employing this new method, payments will be made to ASCAP for such commercial broadcasts in accordance with the tei'ms of the agreement now existing between the Society and the radio companies or stations carrying on the new broadcasting operation. "Should any person, firm or corporation be given a license to broadcast on the FM principle that does not at the present time operate a broadcasting station licensed by the Society, such person, firm or corporation will also be extended by us the privilege of using our repertoire at the $1 nominal fee, and if such person, firm or corporation should, during the period of this understanding, sell commercial time, they may have the right to do so upon paying ASCAP the fees currently applicable to commercial broadcasting stations. That is to say, 57o of the gross received with the usual and customary deductions now allowed. "This understanding and agreement to remain in effect until Dec. 31, 1940. "I understand that you desire such an arrangement for your own station and that you would like to have the privilege of notifying others in the FM group of this proposal on the part of the Society, and I would assure you that this letter will constitute the license for your station and also an authority to you to make the same offer to all others now licensed by the FCC to operate FM broadcasting stations." years and that for rural coverage, in view of FM's lack of secondary signal, clear channel stations in the standard broadcast band must be retained. On that basis, it was thought the development would consist of a gradual transition to FM of regional and local stations if the listening public discards present receivers for FM types or for combination AM and FM receivers. National Representatives GEORGE P. HOLLINGBERY & COMPANY New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, San Francisco Page 54 • April 15, 1940 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising