Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1949)

That's what all buyers, of K-NUZ time give the fine results their clients get from K-NUZ's Texas style programming and spot schedules. CLIENTS' SALES INCREASE in Houston! AS K-NUZ HOOPERS INCREASE OCT-NOV. NOV-DEC. Morning 11.9 13.4 Afternoon 8.4 9.5 Evening 10.8 12.3 NATIONAL REP. FORJOE & CO. Dave Morris, Gen. Mgr. k-nuz "Your Good News Station" 9th Floor Scanlan Bldg. HOUSTON 2, TEXAS FCC Federal Status (Continued from page 28) delegations of authority to the staff may be made. "It should be recognized that this program is proposed as a temporary expedient designed to break the logjam which now confronts the Commission. Its purpose is to relieve the Commissioners of their burdensome work load which prevents them from devoting their energies to the basic and farreaching problems of communications regulation." Long-range planning activities, the group suggested, should be conducted on a continuous basis under the leadership of the chairman. It advocated a permanent planning committee of key staff members to assist the Commission in this work. Panels System In a discussion of the proposed system of panels for broadcast licenses, special radio licenses and common carrier regulation, they recalled that FCC had previously tried the system and abandoned it. "Apparently," the group concluded, "members were unwilling to specialize and too many matters required action by the whole commission." "There is serious risk," the report warned, "that the Commissioners would develop parochial points of view which would affect their approach to problems requiring action by the full Commission. "Moreover, if the panels should require a larger Commission in order to staff them, that would be most undesirable. On the other hand, if the panels were able to dispose of a large part of the work of the Commissioners without appeals to the whole body, they would relieve the members of much of the present pressure of work load and leave time for planning and broader issues." It was the opinion of the task force that these factors could best be weighed by the FCC and the use of panels should be left to their discretion. A panel system, the task force said, should not be required by law. It was suggested that the Commission "might find it advisable to postpone the adoption of panels until the other recommendations have been given an adequate trial." Fears that FCC might be taken out from under the wing of Congress and placed in some department under the executive branch prompted introduction of an amendment to a government reorganization bill (S-526). The amendment, offered by Sens. Edwin C. Johnson (D-Colo.) and Burnet R. Maybank (D-S. C), would prevent absorption of FCC by a large executive department [Broadcasting, February 21]. Sen. Johnson testified before the Senate Committee on Expenditures in Executive Departments on the amendment Feb. 28. No action was taken on the bill by the committee, which failed to reach a vote. The committee, according to its chairman, Sen. John L. McClellan (D-Ark.), is considering limitatations on the President's authority for government reorganization under the bill. Legislation (Continued from page 28) the risk of obsolescence in television sets as he does with other purchases. Comr. Hennock thought the public is entitled to a "calculated" risk. She proposed a requirement that manufacturers "indicate plainly of just what components the set is composed, what functions it and they will serve and, based on public notices issued frequently and regularly by the FCC, whether there are under consideration any changes in frequency allocation or standards for such equipment, which would, if adopted, render such equipment less valuable." Comr. Hennock also proposed that the manufacturer furnish the Commission data on adapting equipment. Comr. Hennock suggested the Federal Trade Commission have jurisdiction under such legislation, and work in close cooperation with the FCC. Color Question Another view was expressed by Comr. Jones, on the question of color television. The majority answered affirmatively a question asking whether consideration had been given to a frequency allocation plan to insure the use on a broad commercial scale of color. Reviewing the hearing of last September, the Commission recalled that it resulted in "fairly general agreement among those who testified that the 475 to 890 mc band should be used for black and white television" and a portion of that band should be reserved for further experimentation with color. There was agreement, too, that color was still not ready and more laboratory and experimental work was needed, the Commission reported. The Commission said it has not yet reached a decision on these matters. "In disposing of the questions raised in this proceeding," the report said, "the Commission must face the important policy questions involved in determining the future of television in this country. A decision must be mads on the question of utilizing UHF for highdefinition black and white, color, the present black and white system or any other system." Comr. Jones thought it is time nOw for color television and that modification of black and white transmitters and receivers would be minor compared to other considerations. FCC, he said, should be the first to provide standards for orderly development of color television. The investing and listening public, he said, should decide what it wants. "I do not think we are obligated to consider the private interests of any of these 55 licensees or the manufacturers who are tooled up for black and white transmission and receiver production," Comr. Jones said. FCC's only interest, he said, should be the public interest. Comr. Jones told the committee he was "distressed" because "the inventor of the color television art does not now have the enthusiasm consistent with the zeal ordinarily growing from such a discovery as 6 megacycle color television." Observers construed Comr. Jones' remark to be a reference to CBS color developments. Comr. Jones wrote: In my opinion color television can be provided for now. Everv day the prob lem of changeover becomes more severe. The modification of black and white transmitters and receivers is minor compared to the other considera;tions involved. This modification of receivers should not cost more than converters for present TV receivers to receive signals in the UHF band if and when UHF bands are opened to commercial broadcasting. I believe television will not be a fullgrown industry until color is provided. Color excites one of our most responsive senses. A travelogue in color, an oil painting reproduced in color, an advertisement for colorful clothing in color — what a difference in enjoyment the TV viewer would get. If we think in terms of opening the UHF in 6000 kc band width per channel so that licenses may be granted and licensees may operate TV broadcast stations in small markets where FM and AM broadcasters now serve the public interest, (Continued on page 6i) MEMO to: FRANK SILVERNAIL, BBD&O Looking for an established women's program? Your best buy is the Mary Monroe Program 2:15-2:30 P.M. daily, on WCKY with a 4.8* rating. * (Pulse Jan.-FebJ. ON THE AIR EVERYWHERE 24 HOURS A DAY WCKY CINCINKATI 50,000 WATTS OF SELLING POWER Page 62 • March 7, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting