Broadcasting (Jan - Mar 1950)

PHONEVISION HIT WAVE-TV TAKES PLEASURE IK CONFERRING THE TITLE ■ OF TELEVISION PIONEER ON Broadcast ing Publications, Inc. WHOSE FORESIGHT AND CCX^PERATION HELPED TO INTRODUCE TELEVISION INTO THOUSANDS OF KENTLfCKY AND INDIANA HOMES. Storer Criticizes McDonald E. F. McDonald jr., president of Zenith Radio Corp., is performing a disservice to TV and the public by advocating Phonevision, according to George B. Storer, president of the Fort Industry stations. He stated his views in a letter to Comdr. McDonald. "Periodically I receive a commu Mr. Storer WAVE-TV Louisville is sending out to some of fhe trade these certificates in recognition of "foresight and cooperation" in helping to introduce television in the area served by the station. STATION BIDS 20th Century-Fox Drops Five TO CONCENTRATE on theatre television, 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. last week withdrew its five pending broadcast TV applications. The applications, on file since 1948, were for Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, and Kansas City. The San Francisco bid was one of six for that area on which FCC * hearings were held before the current TV licensing freeze was imposed in September 1948. The others also would have been involved in competitive proceedings. In petitions filed Friday, the film company said it "should for the time being devote the time and resources which it has available and can obtain for television activities to the special field of theatre television." The petitions noted that the company has been engaged in research and developmental activities whose purpose is "to establish a nationwide system of theatre television and to obtain from the Commission an allocation of radio frequencies for use in connection therewith." Withdrawal of the broadcast applications came a week after FCC called an initial hearing on the theatre television question [Telecasting, Jan. 16]. The film company operates an experimental theatre TV station in New York (KA2461). The withdrawals leave some six applications pending for Boston, four for Seattle, five for Kansas City, four for St. Louis, and five for San Francisco-Oakland. The petitions were filed by 20th Dr. DuMont Speaks FIRST ANNIVERSARY dinner of WDTV (TV) Pittsburgh tomorrow (Jan. 24) will feature an address by Dr. Allan B. DuMont, founder and president of the Allan B. DuMont Labs, and DuMont TV Network. WDTV was formally dedicated Jan. 11, 1949. Prominent leaders in civic, business, religious and industrial fields attended. Century's Washington radio counsel, Vincent B. Welch of Welch, Mott & Morgan and Kenneth C. Royall of Dwight, Royall, Harris, Koegel & Caskey. nication from you which indicates that you are master-minding the ladio industry," Mr. Storer wrote. He recalled that Comdr. McDonald originally was "a great protagonist for the development of FM." "While we all endorse the advantages of FM from a technical standpoint," Mr. Storer continued, "practically it came too late and has cost our industry vast sums of money, even forcing some broadcasters to sell or reorganize their enterprises. "Now you come along with an attack upon the development of television and are performing a very great disservice to the American public by again confusing the issue. Only last week I heard of a gentleman who was not buying a television set because he had read some of the 'phonevision' publicity which made him think he would have to pay for the programs received on his television set. "For your information television is enjoying a healthy growth and in two of our three stations we are currently earning a very modest profit, and anticipating substantially greater earning potential. "Apparently your idea is that people should not go into television because it is going to cost too much money. "The development of this great country was solely accomplished by fearless pioneers in all fields and the propagation of the idea that we should not go into television because of its high ultimate cost is utterly fallacious. "If inexpensive entertainment and educational service through investment in television can be supplied to the American public, with the hope of ultimate profit, then such action is the obligation of every good broadcaster and manufacturer. . . . "I am reliably informed that the main source of earnings for your good company, which certainly occupies a most outstanding position in the radio manf acturing industry, is currently derived from the man ufacture and sale of television sets. Therefore, it would seem that you are harming the very industry which is currently supporting you." i; RCA COLOR Single-Tube Nearly Ready By J. FRANK BEATTY RCA DEMONSTRATED a refined version of its compatible color TV in private Washington showings last week and at the same time disclosed it is about ready to unveil a single-tube color system. Better uniformity in color was attained in last week's showings as the result of a change in technique. This consists of a burst inserted in the transmitted signal that tells the receiver's oscillator the correct frequency and phase. With the added pulse, a simple receiver adjustment locks it at the proper point. Within a few days RCA plans to deliver two 16-inch single-tube color receivers. One will go to the Bureau of Standards (Condon) committee, conducting a detailed color study, and the other to the FCC Laurel laboratory. RCA refused to give details of the type of single-tube system it will demonstrate. It plans to turn out additional sets at the rate of two a week for use in FCC's TV hearing. The improved three-tube system was shown at RCA's laboratory at 7836 Eastern Ave., at the District of Columbia line. A half-dozen color sets are in operation along with a receiver equipped to receive CBS color transmissions. One of the large laboratory receivers used in RCA's test last autumn was employed in last week's demonstration. It is a direct-view type, with three 10-inch tubes whose separate images are blended through a dichroic mirror system. First picture was a still of a woman in a red blouse. Some magenta was noted across the top edge, ascribed to the mirror system. The same program was shown on an adjacent 10-inch black-and-white set Live programming opened with a hula dancer wearing red bra and red shredded skirt. Background was a light blue. Color was uniform left to right and top to bottom and did not change noticeably during the performance. Occasionally red appeared in the dancer's hands when they moved rapidly across the screen but this was not conspicuous. Close examination of the color and black-and-white images showed a dot effect in both but this disappeared at a viewing distance of three or four feet and was ascribed to the sampling and combining process inherent in RCA's system. Second live program presented Gene Archer, baritone, wearing sand-colored shirt and blue tie against green-blue background. Buzzer interference was introduced. Its effect on the color picture was no worse than on the blackand-white image. Color fidelity was shown by a dish of fruit. The yellow shade in two bananas differed in proportion to the intensity of studio lighting. The orange appeared natural as did an avocado. Slight variation was shown in the color of an apple as camera angle was changed. With colors locked in phase, RCA's system was practically free from the wandering noted at demonstrations last fall. At that time each set had different color values but relative uniformity was noted last week on the half-dozen color receivers in the laboratory. One of the sets was built into a small cabinet through use of special short-neck 10-inch metal-cone tubes. RCA officials at the laboratory said they feel they now have demonstrated a basic all-electronic system but did not contend it was by any means "perfected color." The system was shown last week to a number of FCC staff officials. The color signals were transmitted on Channel 4 by WNBW Washington and could be received in black-and-white on normal sets. a-: !1Z Page 12 • TELECASTING January 23, 1950 BROADCASTING • Page 70