Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr - June 1951)

Immediate Policy Board (Continued from page 26) (WMAR) has frequently arisen in connection with government allocations. With a background of 30 years in communications in the Navy, member of the former Radio Commission, and successively as assistant chief engineer and chief engineer of the FCC, Mr. Jett is regarded as one of the world's foremost allocations experts. A retired naval officer, he is devoting parttime to a Pentagon assignment on international allocations. Throughout the report, special stress was laid on the important role privately owned companies played in the country's telecommunications system and that "it should continue to be the policy of the United States Government to encourage and promote the health of these privately-owned companies as a vital national asset." Established Last Year The Presidents Temporary Communications Policy Board was set up Feb. 17, 1950, for a one-year period, to study the present and potential use of radio and wire communications facilities by governmental and non-governmental users. The board was to present to the President evaluations and recommendations in the national interest concerning (a) policies for the most effective use of radio frequencies by governmental and non-governmental users and alternative administrative arrangement |j in the government for the sound effectuation of such policies, (b) policies with respect to international radio and wire communications, (c) the relationship of government communications, and (d) such related policy matter as the board may determine. The temporary board was headed by Dr. Irvin S. Stewart, former FCC Commissioner and now president of U. of West Virginia, and included: 1 Dr. Lee A. DuBridge, president of i California Institute of Technology; David H. O'Brien, retired vice president of Graybar Electric Co. and wartime director of distribution for the Army Signal Corps; William L. Everitt, head of the electrical engineering department of the U. of Illinois, who also served on the Condon Committee on color television; and Dr. James R. • Killian Jr., president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. . . Having completed its work, the board turned its report over to the White House Feb. 17. Earlier this month copies were submitted to members of the FCC with request for recommendations. It is believed that the Commission is in sympathy with the broad plan. In citing specific issues, the report, among other things, states that by better management of the spectrum, much more could be done with the frequencies now available and refers to "opportunity" for more effective, intensive and economical use of frequencies. Assignment of space in the spectrum among private users (including state and local but not government agencies) is a responsibility of the FCC. "The total amount of such space available for assignment, however, is not determined by the FCC," relates the report. "In effect, it is determined by the President, who is responsible for the assignment and management of those frequencies used by . . . government agencies." Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC) assigns frequencies to federal users. Accordingly, the report says: Thus far, no national policy has existed to clarify this dual control of a single resource and thus to aid in governing the apportionment of space between private users and government users as groups. No criteria has been established for use in choosing between the conflicting needs of a government and non-government user. Following these issues, the temporary Communication Board made recommendations : 1. Pressure on the radio frequency spectrum is steadily increasing as a result of the greater use of radio in telecommunications. 2. The means on which we have relied in the past for management of the spectrum are no longer adequate to resolve in the best national interests the problems produced by this increasing pressure. 3. Measured in terms of spectrum space rather than in numbers of discrete frequency channels, the federal government's share of the spectrum, though not so great as is commonly believed, is nevertheless large. While we do not know that it is out of proportion to the government's responsibilities, it must have the most adequate justification and careful management if the greatest benefit is to be obtained from it. 4. There is a need for a continuing determination of the changing requirements of federal government users both among themselves and in relation to the requirements of other users. 5. The recent rapid worldwide growth of telecommunications, combined with the needs of the current national emergency, makes the resolution of these problems a matter of great urgency. 6. The resolution of these problems can be secured only through adequate, energetic management, which demands that the government organize itself to take a comprehensive view of the telecommunications field. The report referred to "weak FREDERICK B. MANCHEE (at microphone), vice president in charge of marketing, BBDO, addresses a luncheon meeting of the New York Chapter of the American Marketing Assn. March 19 [Broadcasting • Telecasting, March 26]. At left is Lewis Avery, Avery-Knodel; looking on it right is Robert Hutton, Edward Petry & Co. Mr. Hutton was chairman of the luncheon meeting which featured a panel discussion by members of the Special Test Survey Committee for Analysis of Radio and TV Research Techniques. Messrs. Manchee and Avery are members of the committee. nesses" in present organization and practices, and stressed that due to "dual" authority of FCC and IRAC over the same entity, it is "essential" that there be full coordination between the two. It is further noted that FCC, as a member of IRAC, is, on one hand, afforded an opportunity to comment on assignments to government stations; on the other hand, when FCC considers it necessary to refer a proposal to IRAC, the latter committee has opportunity to comment. The report points out that final action by FCC does not require IRAC approval, but the reverse is not true. Along with other spectrum problems, the Stewart board report makes recognition of congestion and need for space for television , service. Cites Reallocation Referring to the proposed reallocation plan, it is stated: The proposed plan, if adopted, will reduce the total number of VHF television stations in the United States and the number allocated to some areas. It will, however, provide for additional UHF stations. The proposed plan contemplates the allocation of both VHF and UHF stations in the same community. There is little possibility that a UHF can compete successfully with a VHF station. Within practical power limits, a UHF station cannot serve as large an area as can a VHF station. For a considerable period after the UHF stations commence operation, particularly in areas where there are VHF stations, there will probably be few UHF receivers and consequently a limited audience. The report notes that "relationships between the Commission and the President are always conditioned by the views of Congress — and in particular of those Senators and representatives who take a special interest in broadcasting or other communications matters — as to the proper role of the Commission and the degree of independence from the President it should enjoy." The report further states: Many Congressmen take special interest in matters before the Commission which may affect availability of nationwide outlets for political debate, or which may affect communications activities in their home areas. These interests are largely concentrated in the field of broadcasting and television. We take account of this fact here because its effect on the Commission's freedom to emphasize the various parts of its total responsibility under the Communications Act according to its own sense of their importance or priority. Some Congressmen regard the FCC as an "arm of Congress" and are anxious that the Commission maintain a healthy independence from Presidential influence and control. F&P POSTS Brooke, Stanton Named APPOINTMENTS of John W. Brooke as eastern TV sales manager of Free & Peters and of George Stanton as midwestern TV sales manager of the station representative organization were announced Thursday by I. E. Showerman, vice president in charge of television. Mr. Brooke, a graduate of Dartmouth College, has more than a decade of sales experience in the broadcast field, including three years with Edward Petry Co., six years with ABC and for the past 2V2 years with the New York office of Free & Peters, where he assumes his new duties today (Monday). Mr. Stanton entered advertising with a summer job at J. Walter Thompson Co. while he was a student at the U. of Illinois. In 1935 he joined Blackett-Sample-Hummert in Chicago, moving in 1940 to McCann-Erickson, where he was made media director in 1942 and account executive on Standard Oil Co. of Indiana in 1946. He assumes his duties as midwest TV sales manager in the Chicago office of Free & Peters April 15. AT&T ALLOCATIONS X'S;" NEW ALLOCATION plan for dividing AT&T intercity connecting facilities" for television program transmission went into effect yesterday (Sunday) with the beginning of the second quarter of the year. While complicated in some of its detailed provisions, the plan in essence calls for an equal division of the telephone transmission facilities— coaxial cable and radio relay — among the four TV networks. If the network to which any time period on any link of the interconnective facilities does not want that time, it is offered to the other three in rotation, but the first network can recapture the time on 30 days notice if it secures station acceptance for its program. No Disputes Network representatives meeting with AT&T officials to work out the final allocations for the second quarter were agreeably surprised to find the process running smoothly, with practically no disputes arising. This was in marked contrast to the discussions preceding adoption of the equal-quarters formula which were both lengthy and acrimonious and were not concluded until the FCC had been called in as an arbiter [Broad casting • Telecasting, Dec. 18, 1950]. New facility allocations will hold through the second quarter, during which a new division will be worked out for the third quarter (July-September) in accordance with a schedule which calls for a tentative four-way division of facilities to be made by April 15, with each network specifying its needs and receiving tentative time assignments not later than May 15. On June 9, each network is supposed to report to the telephone company on the station acceptances it has secured for the various time periods and what circuit assignment it desires. Conflicts are then worked out in conference. Little difficulty is anticipated for the summer quarter allocations, but the time division for fall, when the new business year is beginning, may be harder. Telecasting • BROADCASTING April 2, 1951 • Page 59