Broadcasting (July - Dec 1943)

FM Stations to Get Four Letter Calls FDR Ottawa Rating PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S Ottawa speech, broadcast Wednesday, Aug. 25 on the four major networks and CBC, was heard by 12,636,000 persons in the U. S. thus attaining 24.9 rating, according to C. E. Hooper Inc. survey, CBS revealed. Canadian rating for the address was 40.1, as measured by Elliott-Haynes, Canadian firm using same methods as Hooper. New Designations From List of 4000 Become Effective Nov. 1 ELIMINATION of the existing letter-numeral calls for FM stations and substitution of regular four-letter calls used for standard broadcast stations, effective Nov. 1, was approved last Tuesday by the FCC to overcome complexities encountered under the existing method. Urged by FM Broadcasters Inc., which had petitioned the Commission for a change, the new procedure will immediately affect some 45 FM stations now in operation, as well as all future licensees. Existing licensees have been instructed to select their new calls prior to Oct. 1 from the list available at the FCC of some 4000 four-letter unassigned calls. Standard Call Option Where the licensee of an FM station also operates a standard broadcast station in the same city, he is given the option of retaining his standard call letter assignment followed by the suffix "FM" to designate transmission on the FM channel. If he desires a separate set of call letters, the selection may be made from the list available at the FCC. A breakdown of the 4000 fourletter calls available shows approximately 2900 "K" calls and 1100 "W" calls still unassigned. This number, the Commission said, appears to be adequate to supply calls for all additional standard, FM, commercial, television and nonbroadcast classes for the foreseeable future. All three-letter calls already have been assigned. Call letters beginning with "W" are east of the Mississippi and those beginning with "K" are west of the Mississippi and in the territories. The principal objection to the letter-numeral call, it has been found, was failure of general public acceptance. Moreover, since the system involved the frequency designation of the station, a change in station assignment would automatically entail a change in call letters. Thus, the good will built up in call letter designation would be lost. Change Timely Allocation changes are regarded as imminent in the post-war era, and it was felt that with only 45 stations licensed under the old system, the change now can be effected with minimum confusion to the listening public. Moreover, with transmitter construction frozen for the war's duration, the change-over comes at a propitious time. Under the existing system, the first letter of an FM call, either K or W, indicates the geographical position of the station; the number designation indicates the frequency on which the station operates and the last letter or letters are designed to indicate the city. Confusion was anticipated on the last designation because of possible duplications in city designations. FM stations were asked to have their requests, indicating a preference in call letters, filed with the Commission by Oct. 1. If no request is received by that date, the Commission, at its discretion, will assign a new four-letter call to that station. Stations were requested to list their first, second and third choices. In the event two stations seek identical call ietters, the request first received by the FCC will be given preference. In any event, all FM stations will use their new call letters on the air effective November 1. A formal petition from FMBI requesting the call letter change was submitted last month by Walter J. Damm, WTMJ-W55M, president of the association, through the offices of Philip G. Loucks, Washington counsel. Following is the full text of the FCC's public notice, dated Aug. 24, to FM stations: The Commission has adopted a plan to substitute letter calls for high fre ONE OF THE first missions of the OWI Radio News and Policy Committee named last week by E. Palmer Hoyt, Domestic Director, will be to consider resumption by Elmer Davis, OWI Director, of his weekly broadcasts reporting on the war effort. This became known last week in connection with current consideration being given by Mr. Davis to his return to the air. He has expressed preference for Sunday nights, rather than Fridays. Mr. Davis told reporters last week that he did not seek four networks combined for the Sunday broadcast and that two would be plenty or one might do. The previous Friday night series, interrupted when Mr. Davis went to London on a war mission, was carried Friday evenings on NBC, CBS and BLUE hooked in, with a repeat on MBS Saturday afternoons. Don Stauffer, Director of the OWI Radio Bureau, declared that it was appreciated that Sunday evening time is the most valuable on the air. He said that OWI had worked harmoniously with networks and stations and did not propose to "pressure" them on the Davis broadcasts or any other matter. The help and advice of the advisory committee would be sought on this matter, he added. Reports were current that the quency (FM) broadcast stations in place of the letter-numeral calls now being used by such stations. This change is based upon the past experience of FM broadcasters in the use of letter-numeral calls and the desirability of making the change at this time. Approximately 45 high frequency (FM) broadcast stations now in operation and all future licensees of such stations are affected. The Commission's plan provides that four-letter calls be used for FM stations, except in cases where the licensee of an FM station is also the licensee of a standard broadcast station and both stations are located in the same city the call letters of the standard broadcast station followed by the suffix "FM" may be requested for the FM station. No new three-letter calls will be assigned to FM stations. In order that the change in station calls may be carried out in an orderly manner all FM stations are required to begin using the new calls on November 1, 1943, and in all cases where a request for call letters has not been received by the Commission on or before October 1, 1943, four-letter calls will be assigned at the discretion of the Commission. FM licensees may request several of the four-letter station calls available in the order preferred, and in cases where the same letters are requested by two FM licensees the request first received by the Commission will have prior consideration. Presently unassigned four-letter call lists are not available for mailing, but such lists may be inspected at the offices of the Commission. networks were opposed to allocation of premium Sunday time for the Davis series. The previous series of broadcasts had stirred up considerable comment in congressional circles, notably among the Republicans, who contended that Mr. Davis as the "minister of propaganda" was "monopolizing" network time and forcing the public to listen to him. Mr. Hoyt has not yet announced the first meeting date of the newly appointed News and Policy Committee. He is out of town for the War Food Conference campaign and it was felt the Committee would not meet until after Labor Day. Members of the Committee are: William S. Paley, President, CBS; Niles Trammel, President, NBC; Mark Woods, President, BLUE; Miller McClintock, President, Mutual; Lewis Allen Weiss, VicePresident and General Manager, Don Lee; Leo Fitzpatrick, Executive Vice-President and General Manager, WJR Detroit; Herbert L. Pettey, Director, WHN New York; Martin B. Campbell, Managing Director, WFAA, WBAP, KGKO Dallas-Ft. Worth; and Neville Miller, President, NAB. FRANK GRAHAM, CBS narratoractor, has been signed to portray L'il Abner in the Columbia film cartoon series by that title. Winchell First in 'National' Ratings FIRST PLACE in the list of "First 15" evening programs released in the Aug. 15th "National" Program Ratings Report goes to the Walter Winchell program, in which Fulton Oursler, Louella Parsons and Robert St. John are substituting for Mr. Winchell. Mr. District Attorney rates second, and the first half -hour of Kay Kyser's program, third. Others among the First 15 are: Your Hit Parade, Screen Guild Players, Take It or Leave It, Can You Top This. Gabriel Heatter (Tuesday, Thursday), DuranteMoore-Cugat, Bing Crosby, Ellery Queen, Joan Davis-Jack Healy, Adventures of the Thin Man, Gabriel Heatter, (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), One Man's Family. Second half-hour of the Kay Kyser program leads the programs broadcast after 10:30 p.m. and which are not measured in the Eastern Time Zone. 'Your Hit Parade' Heads Recent Poll; Rates 17.7 HEADING the list of the 15 most popular network programs reported by the Cooperative Analysis of Broadcasting in its Aug. 23 release to subscribers is Your Hit Parade, with a rating of 17.7. Kay Kyser ranks second, followed by Lowell Thomas in the list of programs measured during the second weeks of July and August. The remainder of the list follows: Mr. District Attorney, Bing Crosby, Joan Davis-JackHaley ; Screen Guild Players, Take It or Leave It, Album of Familiar Music, Walter Winchell (substitute), One Man's Family, Jimmy DuranteGarry Moore, Ellery Queen, Phil Spitalny, and Vox Pop. Tower Marking Rules In Revised CAA Manual A NEW edition of the Obstruction Marking Manual, revised to Aug. 15 was issued last week by the Civil Aeronautics Administration of the Department of Commerce. The edition, part of the regulations and standards for the protection of air navigation, sets forth regulations to be observed by broadcast stations for marking radio towers for the protection of air navigation. Copies of the regulations can be procured from the Civil Aeronautics Administration, Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C. OWI^Policy^Group [Considers Return of Elmer Davis to Air Page 14 • August 30, 1943 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising