Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1945)

550 KC V (Continued from page 15) that there would be less need for the frequencies by the new applicants or for the maximum power ! by the existing stations, i Problems of far reaching importance, however, are presented by the request of the 550 kc group for (maximum power. The Commission must decide whether the public interest is best served by increasing , the coverage of existing stations or making new stations available in i areas not now adequately served by existing stations. Regardless of Merit \ Regardless of the merits of the ' group's contention that it should have priority on the use of the 550 frequency, the Commission will not be disposed to take action at the I expense of other applicants which have already been designated for hearing. Its experience has shown i that even though long delays are involved, every applicant prefers jto "have his day in court" rather I than consent to immediate settle I ment. While it is anxious to iron out j conflicting cases through the use of informal conferences, as it did last December in granting five local station applications in Virginia, it has found that, generally speaking, "it's a tough proposition." The 550 kc group requesting 5 I kw power is composed of KOY ! Phoenix, KSD St. Louis, WGR Buffalo, WKRC Cincinnati, KTSA San Antonio, and KOAC Corvallis, Ore. (educational) . All operate at 5 kw day and 1 kw night and would doubtless have been granted maximum night power were it not for Navy requirements. KSD is the only one of the group which has filed for 5 kw night and its application has been consolidated with new applicants for use of the frequency. The remaining stations expect to file their applications within the next two weeks. A seventh station on 550 kc, KFYR Bismarck, N. D., is permitted 5 kw power day and night because of its distance from coastal waters. r Applicants for new stations on f he POPULAR Station KVYV? Veteran Aided WHEN ART BROWN, swing organist at WHN New York, received a letter from an organist who had lost a leg in Navy service and feared he'd have trouble getting back into his profession unless he could get a lot of practice using his artificial leg on the bass pedals, he got busy. When the Navy man returns to New York he'll find letters from four organists offering him practice sessions at their instruments. 550 kc are Constitution Publishing Co., Atlanta, seeking 5 kw day and night; New Mexico Publishing Co. Santa Fe, for 1 kw day and night; Booth Radio Stations Inc., Saginaw, Mich., 1 kw day and night; Federal Publications Inc., Lansing, Mich., 1 kw day and night; Montana Broadcasting and Television Co., 1 kw day and night; Caprock Broadcasting Co., Lubbock, Tex., 500 w day and night. Consolidated with these cases are applications from WSVA Harrisonburg, Va., operating at 550 kc day only, seeking unlimited time; WJIM Lansing, for change from 1240 kc to 550 kc with 1 kw day and night; WOPI Bristol, Tenn., for change from 1490 kc to 550 kc with 500 w 1 kw power day and night; and KSD. The restriction on use of 550 kc was ordered Sept. 7, 1937 by the FCC to preclude possible interference with the international distress (SOS) frequency of 500 kc and the 542 kc frequency used for naval aviation. Under the policy then invoked, the Commision refused to consider applications for new stations or increase of power or time of existing stations on 550 kc unless the station was less than 300 miles from the coast. The Navy is understood to have advised the Commisison within the last two weeks that its need for the 542 kc frequency has considerably diminished and that restrictions on power are no longer required. Developments in the use of very high frequencies for aviation are believed to have occassioned the Navy action. SALT crry > Britain Claims Lead NEW television system demonstrated successfully in Cambridge, Eng., combining audio and video transmission and reception into single units, establishes Britain's lead over America and world in television, Transradio-Press quoted one of inventors as saying. A year ago, however, CBS ordered from Federal Telep. & Radio Corp. a single TV transmitter combining visual-sound transmissions on same carrier frequency, which permits simplified receiver design. CBS expects to demonstrate it before year's end. BERMUDA MEETING DELAYED TO NOV. 21 POSTPONEMENT of the AngloAmerican Telecommunications Conference in Bermuda from Nov. 13 to Nov. 21 at request of the British Government was announced last week by the State Dept. Strikes and storms held up sailing of the boat on which British delegates had passage. The conference will end Dec. 6, with the British leaving on Dec. 7. Although President Truman has not yet approved the U. S. delegates, it appeared likely that among them will be Assistant Secretary of State Clayton, Francis Colt deWolf, chief, State Dept. Telecommunications Section, FCC Chairman Paul A. Porter and possibly Comdr. Paul D. Miles who on Thursday becomes chief of the new Frequency Service Section of the FCC (see story page 18). Following commercial firms will send representatives : Western Union, AT&T, Press Wireless, RCA, RCAC, Radiomarine Corp., Aeronautical Radio, Tropical Radio. U. S. delegates will leave Washington Nov. 20 for New York by plane and fly to Bermuda by Pan-American clipper. Answers FTC Charge MONTGOMERY WARD & Co., Chicago, has filed answer to a Federal Trade Commission complaint charging the company with misrepresenting the number of tubes contained in radio sets it sells and with mirepresenting capacity of the sets for television. Asserting,., respondent has not sold or distributed sets since the spring of 1943, the answer denies its representations were false or misleading. It admits tuning beacon and rectifier tubes perform no function in detection, amplification and reception of signals but maintains they do perform important, necessary functions in operation of sets. Answer further admits that sets were incapable of receiving and reproducing picture signals in visual form, but contends they were equipped so they could be plugged in and used in connection with video sets for the purpose of amplifying and strengthening the sound produced and broadcast in connection with picture signals produced in visual form. Coincidence MUTUAL received a letter from a ten-year-old organist in Salem, Ore., applying for audition on "Tomorrow's Talent" a special broadcast which climaxed National Radio Week on Nov. 10, signed by Phil Carlin Jr. Name, coincidentally, is the same as that of the originator of the idea of the show — Phil Carlin, MBS vice-president in charge of programs. They are not related. Folks in the Tri-Cities are industrious. They eat more than the average U. S. family, spending 23% more for food.* This means the Tri-Cities is a phis food market! A major portion (52V2%) of the TriCities food sales originates on the Illinois side, in the Moline-Rock Island zone. WHBF is the favorite home station with plenty of local influence. In all, WHBF's primary area (.5 MV) reaches 1 % million people ... in the very heart of the Corn Belt. ♦As revealed by 1940 Census June?. OCK IS LAND -M 0 LINE, ILL. DAVENPMT, IA. 1270 KC 5000 WATTS BASIC MUTUAL NETWORK Affiliate: Rock Island ARGUS Howard H. Wilson Co., Nat'l Representatives BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising November 12, 1945 • Page