Broadcasting (Jan - Jun 1944)

No Stopping Television, Fly Tells REC Chairman Lauds 'Great Job' Of RTPB By BRUCE ROBERTSON THERE IS going to be no stopping of television, FCC Chairman James Lawrence Fly declared last Thursday. Commercial television has been fully authorized by the FCC, he stated, and there is no question as to the continuance of "a steady green light". Mr. Fly was one of three speakers at the opening session of the television seminar of the Radio Executives Club, which will continue for a 15-week term of Thursday evening meetings in NBC studio 6-A., RCA Bldg., New York. Murray Grabhorn, manager of National Spot Sales for the Blue Network and chairman of the seminar, introduced the speakers. Richard Hubbell, television producer and writer, conducted the question and answer session that followed the addresses. Niles Trammell, NBC president, who opened the seminar, declared that advertising and radio executives should not only keep abreast but ahead of television because, "if a radio or advertising executive chooses to remain ignorant about television, the chances are, in a few more years, he is not going to be a radio or advertising executive any more." Television will present "actual, living events in the same instant that they are taking place miles away, will present them both to the eye and ear, in motion, exactly the way they look and sound," and will present them "primarily in the home, where the whole family can look and listen with the utmost convenience, economy and relaxation," he stated. For these reasons, Mr. Trammell said, "television is going to be the greatest thing in radio since broadcasting was invented and the greatest medium for advertising since the invention of the printing press." Opening his talk, delivered from penciled notes, Mr. Fly said that he would not follow Mr. Trammell's "gentlemanly example" of avoiding controversial issues. In a hard-hitting discussion of the status of television, he decried the statements of newspaper editorial writers and other "amateurs who will not admit they are amateurs" on such highly technical problems as the increase in "ghost images" in television pictures transmitted on higher frequencies. He declared that there has been entirely too much talk on matters that can be settled only by research and urged that everyone concerned "stop talking and get back to the research laboratories and experimental stations". Lauding the Radio Technical Page 10 • May 22, 1944 Planning Board for a "great job", Chairman Fly said that the television panel of the board has two recommendations "in the making". First is a somewhat improved system of 6-mc black-and-white picture transmission — and he said he saw no reason why the FCC should not incorporate the proposed changes in its television engineering standards. Second RTPB suggestion is that provision be made for 30 channels, each 20-mc wide, in the upper frequencies to be used for experimentation in the immediate future and subsequently for an improved commercial service. Encouragement to Industry Both proposals are "highly meritorious," he said, stating that it is important that "no one erect commercial, technical or legal barriers" to television progress. The Commission has given the industry "full authority and encouragement to move forward", he stated, adding that as improvements are developed, the Commission will lift its engineering standards' accordingly. Pointing out that while much of the wartime scientific progress is cloaked in military secrecy, there is reason to believe that many developments have been made which can be applied to. post-war television, Mr. Fly predicted that as the war progresses this research information may be reclassified and made available to video engineers. Lack of critical material has also halted any expansion of commercial television for the present, he continued, but he declared that materials are available for research and experimentation. This "beneficent stalemate" of commercial television by the war affords the industry an opportunity for scientific advancement which A SINGLE company or organization may own or control a maximum of five television broadcast stations in lieu of the three heretofore specified, under an amendment to the television regulations adopted last Tuesday by the FCC. The action came on a petition filed last February by NBC, which was granted in part and denied in part. NBC, coincident with filing of applications for five commercial television stations, supplementing the license it now holds in New York and a previously pending application in Washington, sought to have the Commission amend its regulations to specify a maximum should be utilized to the utmost, Chairman Fly declared. "Why talk today of freezing television standards at their present level of efficiency, or at any level below that achieved by the military and to be made known to industry?" he asked. Companies Control Development Pointing to the possibility that these military developments may enable post-war television to start with a broad sweep that will give better pictures, perhaps in full color, from the outset, Chairman Fly admitted that he could not say for a certainty that this will happen, but he challenged anyone to say that it will not. He reiterated his statement that this question cannot be settled by propaganda, but that the best technical advice is needed. The speed and degree of development will be largly controlled by the companies themselves, he stated, with RCA possibly in the best position to set the pace and project the outcome. It is "a grave responsibility", he added. The long range interest of the manufacturers must ultimately conform to that of the broadcasters, Mr. Fly averred, pointing out that if they make a false start to the detriment of the public, it will certainly boomerang. If, with only 7,000 pre-war receivers sold to the public, there is an editorial demand that standards be frozen, he said, there will never be any progress when the public investment runs into the millions. No one should delay television and its service to the public, Mr. Fly concluded, expressing disbelief that anyone, for a momentary advantage would do anything to interfere with the ultimate progress of this new means of communica m of seven commercial television stations to a licensee. The Commission, in granting the NBC application in part, modified its regulations to specify five such stations. Commissioner C. J. Durr dissented and Commissioner Norman S. Case was absent. NBC last February filed applications for new television stations for Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Simultaneously, NBC filed applications for five FM stations — in Washington, Cleveland, Denver, San Francisco and Los Angeles — but has pending two applications for new (Continued on page 62) tion. "Television is too important for that", he said. Television is no "one-man show' but rather "a cooperative effort oi major complexity and magnitude,' Dr. A. N. Goldsmith, consulting radio engineer and vice-chairmar of the Radio Technical Planning Board, told the opening evening audience. Beginning with the public, whose willingness to supporl this new art and applaud its improvements will supply incentive and encouragement to the op erators of television, Dr. Goldsmith first noted the broadcasterelij as playing a major role as pro) I gram originators and distributors! Then he listed the collaborating! industries, such as motion-picture J producers, "who may be called upor to provide transcribed programs on film and perhaps even packagec shows utilizing live talent" ; a "vasl industrial group" to manufacture transmitters and receivers; th< advertisers who will sponsor videt programs and the agencies whe will represent the advertisers, ant finally, the Government, which wil "through its appropriate agency study the needs and practices oJ television, promulgate the govern ing regulations and doubtless en deavor broadly to guide certain oi; the trends of television broadcast ing operations." Fears Dual Operation In the question-and-answer peri od that concluded the meeting Chairman Fly was asked to com ment on the proposal made severa months ago by Dr. Goldsmith thai while commercial television opera tion goes on at one level, researcl continue at a higher level and wher a better system has been developec an interim period of dual operatior be permitted, to avoid obsolete receivers too rapidly. After a suit able time, commercial operatioi would be allowed only on the im proved standards. Mr. Fly expressed fear of dua operation, pointing out that if th< industry had to develop and main tain a 20-mc system embodying color as well as a 6-mc system oi black-and-white pictures, with dif f erent programming, it would be ai almost impossible burden. In addi tion, he said, dual operation woulc require the allocation of many mow frequencies to television thar would be needed otherwise. Mr. Trammell, asked if in vie\^ of Chairman Fly's insistence or improved standards he had relaxec his opposition to the CBS proposals, answered that if he understood Mr. Fly correctly, the Chairmar was in favor of television going for^ ward without delay after the war J "That is the identical position oi NBC", he stated. "The public should get television without anj undue delay of two or three years We will give it to the public on the best possible standards as soon ai possible after the war." BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advert'tsin 5 Video Outlets May Be Owned By One Company, FCC Rules Supersedes Former Maximum of Three as FCC Acts On NBC Request for Seven Television Stations