Broadcasting (Jan - June 1942)

Easing of Rigid Video Rules During War Period Is Urged FCC Hears Industry Views; Shortage of Men and Equipment Declared to Be Impeding Progress RELAXATION of rigid operating requirements governing both commercial and experimental television for the duration was urged by a majority of the two-score representatives of television licensees or permitees who attended the FCC special television conference last Thursday in Washington. The FCC en banc heard views of the television industry, the development of which has been seriously impeded by the war. Restrictions on materials, loss of technical manpower to the military services and the virtual stoppage of receiver production have combined to bog down public and industry interest, it was indicated. The main topics were whether television should be discontinued for the duration; whether the present requirements of a minimum of 15 hours per week of operation, staggered according to prearranged schedule, should be reduced, and whether experimental operations should continue. The consensus appeared to favor reduced operation for the duration, to work least possible hardship. Permittees Canvassed Following the session the FCC announced it is canvassing all television permittees for progress reports prior to enunciation of the war-time policy. It will learn the percentage of completion of installations under outstanding construction permits ; amount of money and material thus far used; additional money and materials required for completion; anticipated dates of completion; man hours already invested, and anticipated requirements and related comprehensive data which will enable it to appraise the status of all licensees and construction permittees. Several spokesmen indicated the desire to suspend operations during the war because of inability to procure necessary materials. Television, it was stated, is not entitled to any higher priority ratings than standard broadcasting, which has an A-10 rating. Moreover, the new WPB ban on construction in excess of $5,000 might tend to block allocations of necessary materials. Flexible Standards Arguments advanced that television could serve effectively in civilian defense instruction were discounted on the ground that service is restricted to a few areas and that receivers in use are so sparse that it could only be a very minor phase of this activity. W. R. G. Baker, vice-president of GE, as chairman of the National Television Systems Com,mittee, recommended that the present flexible television standards be continued without change. C. A. Priest, GE television engineer, said his company desired to continue present commercial service and had no objection to the 15hour per week requirement. He pointed out, however, that audience may be seriously reduced when present tubes burn out and require replacement. Dr. C. B. Jolliffe, former FCC chief engineer, as spokesman for RCA-NBC, said he felt television CBS War Words PHRASES and slogans now sign off sustaining shows over CBS. Beginning April 12, the network began to use copy relating to rumors, loose talk, conservation and morale. CBS slogans run along these lines: "If it's a secret, keep it; if it's a rumor, kill it." HISTORIC MOMENT in the 20 year history of WMAQ, Chicago's oldest station. Here D. F. Kelly, pr;gsident of the Fair Store and part owner of the station in 1928, is shown signing two aspiring comedians and an announcer for a local program to be called Amos 'n Andy. (L to r) Bill Hay, the late Mr. Kelly, Charles Correll and Freeman F. Gosden. The latter two portray Amos and Andy respectively. should be kept alive if it is of importance in national defense; otherwise it should be closed down for the duration. Post-War Progress W. E. Eddy, for Balaban & Katz, Chicago licensee, recommended that television service be maintained, particularly in the light of possible post-war developments. Operation requirements, however, he said, should be reduced during the emergency. Allen DuMont, who holds construction permits for stations in both New York and Washington, urged continuance of experimental television, though he doubted whether it could expand appreciably because of priority limitations and sparsity of receivers. He declared he is proceeding with construction of his two stations. D. B. Smith, engineer for Philco, said television would be vital in the post-war economy but urged that the 15-hour per week requirement be relaxed. The rigid schedule, specifying that programs be broadcast in particular brackets each day, should be made more flexible, he advocated. He estimated there are 400 television receivers in Philadelphia, about 5,000 in New York, and from 100 to 125 in Chicago. Adrian Murphy, CBS television director, asserted that if television continues it should be declared essential in the war effort. Otherwise, he said, engineers will be lost via the draft and diverted to other war operations. He said CBS will apply for necessary priorities to complete its Chicago station. A. F. Murray, representing Hughes Production Inc., said his company is proceeding with station installations in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Paul Raibourn, for Television Productions Inc., likewise declared his company was going ahead. Those Present In addition to the seven Commissioners, FCC Chief Engineer E. K. Jett; George P. Adair, assistant chief engineer in charge of broadcasting; William H. Bauer, of the legal department in charge of television; John E. Doane, FCC television engineer, and Nathan David, attorney in charge of the FCC Defense Section, participated. Industry representatives present were: Paul Kolisch, Dr. C. S. Szegho, Gaumont British Corp. of England and the Raulord Corp., Chicago; B. J. Weigel, U. A. Sanabria, American Television Labs. Inc.; C. A. SILEN IS BELIEVED PRISONER OF JAPS BERT SILEN, general manager of KZRH, Manila, and NBC's correspondent in that city until it was captured by the Japanese, is presumablv a prisoner of the invaders, according to a cable received by NBC from Martin Agronsky, NBC correspondent now in Melbourne, Australia. Agronsky said he received the report from a friend of Silen's who recently arrived in Melbourne. Don Bell, Silen's colleague with whom he made the memorable eyewitness broadcast Dec. 8, 1941, of the bombing of Manila, was tortured by the Japs and finally bayoneted to death, according to a recent report in Life magazine by Melville Jacoby, Life correspondent with Gen. MacArthur. The report on Silen indicates that, although he had an opportunity for evacuation with the group joining Gen. MacArthur on Bataan, he preferred to remain behind in the city and take his chances. BMI Signs 616 TOTAL number of new BMI eightyear licenses signed by broadcasters reached 616 last week, according to Carl Haverlin, vice-president in charge of station relations, who added that 89 have pledged their signatures, making the total 705, including the pledges. States solidly signed with BMI now number 12, while 16 States can be counted as solid according to signed renewals or pledges, Mr. Haverlin stated. Tobacco Test RUM & MAPLE TOBACCO Corp., New York, on April 6 started a test campaign of weekly spot announcements for Rum & Maple tobacco and Three Squires Type Mixture on stations in six States. Account is handled by Brown & Spector, New York. Priest, B. J. Rowan, General Electric Co.; George R. Town, Stromberg-Carlson Tel. Mfg. Co.; Frank G. Kear, Metropolitan Television Inc.; Adrian Murphy, Peter Goldmark, CBS; Arthur Levey, Scophony Ltd. and Scophony Corp. of America; A. B. Hanson, C. B. Jolliffe, N. E. Kersta, RCA-NBC; Bernard Goodwin, W. E. Eddy, Balaban & Katz; Seymour Turner, Television Productions; W. R. G. Baker, L. C. F. Horle, Bond Geddes, National Television Systems Committee; A. F. Murray, A. L. Lodwick, Hughes Production Inc.; Harner Selvidge, Kansas State College; W. J. Damm, Milwaukee Journal; J. E. Brown, Zenith Radio Corp.; Allen B. DuMont, Charles B. Mclnnis, Mortimer W. Loew, Allen B. DuMont Labs. Inc.; Louis G. Caldwell, D. B. Smith, F. J. Bingley, Philco Radio Corp.; J. E. Baudino, L. B. Wailes, Westinghouse Radio Stations; Thompson L. Guernsey, General Television Corp.; Lewis Allen Weiss, Don Lee Broadcasting System; Robert Collyer, Office of Emergency Management; Paul Raibourn, Television Productions Inc.; George C. Davis, Bamberger Broadcasting System. Page 14 • April 13, 1942 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising