Broadcasting (Jan - June 1940)

WPAY CASE RAISES MOJSOPOLY PROBLEM A NEW test of the issue of purported local monopoly in public opinion was foreseen in the recent action of the FCC denying the application of the Brush-Moore Newspapers Inc., chain of Ohio dailies, for acquisition of control of WPAY, Portsmouth, 0., in which it holds a 50% interest. WPAY is the only station in Portsmouth and the Portsmouth Times is the only newspaper in the city. Chester A. Thompson, newspaper representative of Cleveland, who ows 50% of the station, sought to transfer his interest to the Brush-Moore Newspapers for approximately $20,000. In denying the application without a hearing, the FCC did not make public its detailed reason. It was reported, however, that by a 4 to 1 vote the Commission decided it desired to see a test of the issue of local monopoly, and as a consequence rejected the application. It is presumed that WPAY will file a petition for rehearing and perhaps be granted oral argument. Should the Commission again deny the application, an appeal to the TJ. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia would be the next step. Voting to deny were Chairman Fly and Commissioners Walker, Thompson and Payne. Commissioner Craven dissented. The same issue was raised last year in connection with the transfer of WSAN, Allentown, Pa., to the Allentown Call, only newspaper published in the city, which owned WCBA, timesharing station. The FCC finally granted the transfer, however. The Brush-Moore Newspapers also own WHBC, Canton, 0., in conjunction with the Canton Repository. New WATW on Air WITH N. C. Ruddell as general manager, the new WATW, Ashland, Wis., 100 watts on 1370 kc, is scheduled to begin operatingMay 1. It is licensed to WJMS Inc., licensee also of WJMS, Ironwood, Mich., of which Mr. Ruddell is also manager. John K. Hubbard Jr., formerly of WJMS and WMAM, Marinette, Wis., has been named commercial manager; Mrs. Ruth Wright, formerly with the Wisconsin Research Alumni Foundation, program director; Claude S. Pray, formerly of KFIZ, Fond du Lac, Wis., and WIBU, Poynette, Wis., salesman-announcer; Warren Hites, formerly of WAAF, Chicago, announcer. Chief engineer of both stations is R. L. Johnson, with John Pedri as assistant and Neil Lockhart as operator. Gates equipment has been installed, with a 175-foot Lehigh tower, General Radio frequency and modulation monitors and Presto turntables. 'Go to Church' Campaign NATIONAL Committee for Religious Recovery, New York, is planning a series of one-minute announcements to be spotted at one-hour intervals Saturday evenings on local stations throughout the country urging people to go to church the following Sunday and to send their children to Sunday school. Purpose of the tall<s, to be repeated each week for six months, is to revive religion, which the Committee feels "is surely as important to civilization as business recovery." PRESTO offers a new Dual Turntable Transcription Recorder . . . complete in a single unit This new, moderately priced Presto Model F recorder makes the perfect installation for broadcasting stations, colleges, advertising agencies and personal recording studios. It records continuously, without interruption, on records up to the 1714" master size and also re-records from one record to another. The quality of the recordings made on the model F recorder makes them suitable for use by any broadcasting station. Note these operating conveniences: • The exclusive Presto rubberrimmed turntable driven directly by a steel pulley on the motor shaft, a drive system that eliminates idler wheels, belts, gears and other parts subject to rapid wear. Speed shiftlever changes instantly from 78 to 331/^ R.P.M. fidelity cutting head which records uniformly a range from 50 to 8,000 cycles and completely modulates the groove at a pitch of 112 lines per inch. • A vertical damper eliminates vertical modulation in the groove and prevents rapid changes in groove depth due to surface irregularities in the disc. • A time scale on the cutting arm shows the correct starting point for all sizes of discs and elapsed recording tinTe at both 78 and 33^ R.P.M. • Amphfier gain 125 DB, output 10 watts. Amplifier controls include a two microphone mixer, playback gain control, combination control which increases the high frequency response for 333/^ R.P.M. recording and attenuates the high frequencies when playing commercial records, low frequency equalizer and a switch for changing instantaneously between cutters for continuous recording or re-recording. • The complete equipment mounts in a wood table (Length, 67"— Depth, 21"— Height, 49") attractively finished in two tones of gray with silver trim. Height of turntable above floor level, 32". Tables are equipped with the Presto 1-C high For descriptive folder and price quotations, write: PRESTO RECORDING CORPORATION 242 West 55th St., New York. N. Y. BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising May 1, 1940 • Page 45