Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr - Jun 1952)

cational television station was a service designed primarily to train students in television techniques, supplemented by perhaps a few hours weekly of regular educational programs. The Fort Industry Company contended a commercial UHF station would be at a competitive disadvantage in the Miami market since a substantial number of VHF sets were in the hands of the publics Tampa — St. Petersburg 822. (a) Census Data. The Tampa-St. Petersburg standard metropolitan area has a population of 409,000. The City of Tampa has a population of 125,000. The City of St. Petersburg has a population of 97,000. (b) Tampa-St. Petersburg Educational Reservation. The Public School System of Hillsborough County, The Pinellas County School System, Pinnellas Broadcasting Co., and the JCET supported the reservation of VHF Channel 3 in Tampa-St. Petersburg for non-commercial educational use. The Public School System stated it would act in cooperation with the School System of Pinellas County and possibly other educational institutions to bring non-commercial educational television to the area; that several departments of the School system now develop and produce radio programs and that an educational television station would render a type of service which could not be expected from commercial television. The Pinellas County School System stated that the reservation was indispensable to the establishment of an educational television station. Pinellas Broadeasting Company stated that educational television was a new field, and that it would require time for the formulation of practical and detailed plans for the utilization of non-commercial educational purposes in St. Petersburg-Tampa area; that such an educational station could be financed by the Boards of Education of five surrounding counties, the University of Tampa, the General Extension Division of the University of Florida and the St. Petersburg Junior College. (c) Opposition to the Tampa-St. Petersburg Reservation. The Tampa Times Company and The Tribune Company opposed the reservation of VHF Channel 3 in Tampa-St. Petersburg and proposed that it be made available for commercial na Tne Fort Industry Company proposal that the Commission adopt a rule providing for a six-month review of steps taken by educational institutions to utilize the reserved channels has been considered in another portion of this Report. >* The Fort Industry Company filed a Motion to Strike those portions of the brief of The Board of Public Instruction which it is alleged introduce new evidentiary matter and raise new contentions in contravention of the Commission's Order of Hearing Procedure at such a time in the proceedings as to deny other interested parties an opportunity to reply. A response to this Motion was filed by the Board of Public Instruction of Dade County in which it contends that the material objected to is entirely appropriate for fair comment and argumentation in a legal brief. The Motion to Strike is GRANTED since the material objected to is clearly raised for the first time, not supported by sworn written testimony and not in accordance with Paragraphs 5fb) or 5fc) of the Commission's Order of Hearing Procedure. In view of the action herein taken it is unnecessary to rule upon the alternative request of The Fort Industry Company for other appropriate relief. Page 100 • April 14, 1952 Part II Final TV Report use. The Tampa Times stated there was a public need for the commercial use of Channel 3 as evidenced by the filing of five applications for television stations in the Tampa-St. Petersburg market; that there was a definite probability that educational organizations would not apply for a noncommercial educational television station because of a lack of funds; and that a channel in the 782-890 Mc. band could be assigned for non-commercial educational purposes if and when a need should arise. The Tribune Company opposed the reservation of non-commercial educational channels on the grounds that it was illegal under Sections 307, 309 and 326 of the Communications Act, and on the further ground that reservation was unwise.3*6 Valdosta, Georgia 823. Census Data. The City of Valdosta has a population of 20,000. Conclusions: Deletion of Proposed Assignments 824. In the Third Notice the Commission proposed the assignment of Channel 10 to Tampa-St. Petersburg and to Miami at a separation of 204 miles, and the assignment of Channel 8 to TampaSt. Petersburg and to Valdosta at a separation of 203 miles. Since these separations in Zone III are below the minimum for this area we are required to delete one assignment of Channel 10 and one assignment of Channel 8 to comply with the requisite separations. 825. With respect to Channel 10 we are presented with a choice of deleting that channel from TampaSt. Petersburg or from Miami. In the Third Notice the Commission proposed the assignment of 4 VHF channels to Miami and 4 VHF channels to Tampa-St. Petersburg. In both communities one VHF channel was proposed to be reserved for non-commercial educational use. The City of Miami has a population of 247,000 and the metropolitan area has a population of 495,000. The City of Tampa has a population of 125,000, the City of St. Petersburg has a population of 97,000 and the metropolitan area has a population of 409,000. It is our view based on the record in this proceeding and relative size of these communities that the deletion of Channel 10 from Tampa-St. Petersburg and the assignment of that channel to Miami is warranted. In replacement for Channel 10 in Tampa-St. Petersburg we are assigning Channel 30 to that community. 826. With respect to Channel 8 we are presented a choice of deleting that channel from Tampa-St. Petersburgh or from Valdosta. The City of Valdosta has a population of about 20,000. In view of the great disparity in the size in these communities we believe the deletion of Channel 8 from Valdosta and the assignment of that channel to Tampa-St. Petersburg is warranted. In replacement for Channel 8 in Valdosta we are assigning UHF Channel 37 to that community. Conclusions: Additional VHF Assignment in Miami 827. As indicated above each of the counterproposals submitted by the Miami parties for the additional assignment of one or more VHF channels to that community 105 The Commission's decision of July 13, 1951, disposed of this contention. would result in assignment separations below the minimum of 220 miles in Zone III. Accordingly, the counterproposals of Isle of Dreams, Fort Industry, Miami Broadcasting Company and WKAT, Inc., are denied in so far as these counterproposals request the additional assignment of one or more VHF channels to Miami. Conclusions: Miami and Tampa-St. Petersburg Educational Reservations 828. Educational institutions in Miami supported the reservation of VHF Channel 2 and educational institutions in Tampa-St. Petersburg supported the reservation of VHF Channel 3 for non-commercial educational use in their respective communities. The Fort Industry in Miami, The Tampa Times Company and the Tribune Company in Tampa-St. Petersburg opposed the reservations in their communities and requested the substitution of UHF channels for educational use. &29. We are of the view that the educational reservation in Miami and Tampa-St. Petersburg should not be shifted to the UHF. In the Third Notice we stated that a VHF channel would be reserved in all communities with three or more VHF channels where all such VHF assignments were not in operation. In view of the evidence adduced by educational institutions in Miami and Tampa-St. Petersburg on behalf of the reservation of the VHF channel we are of the view that no basis has been established in this record for a City Baton Rouge 10 28, *34, 40 Houma 30 Lake Charles 7 *19, 25 New Orleans *2, 4, 6, 7 20, 26, 32 Shreveport 3, 12 The foregoing proposed assignments would result in the following co-channel assignment separation below 220 miles in Zone III: Channel Cities Mileage 7 Lake Charles-New Orleans 189 (b) Census Data. The standard metropolitan area of Baton Rouge has a population of 158,000, and the City of Baton Rouge has a population of 126,000. The population of the City of Houma is 12,000. The standard metropolitan area of New Orleans has a population of 685,000 and the City of New Orleans has a population of 570,000. The City of Lake Charles has a population of 41,000. The standard metropolitan area of Shreveport has a population of 177,000 and the City of Shreveport has a population of 127,000. (c) Existing Station. WDSU Broadcasting Corporation is : licensed for the operation of Station WDSU-TV on Channel 6 in New Orleans. Baton Rouge 833. (a) Counterproposal of Baton Rouge Broadcasting Company, Inc. Baton Rouge Broadcasting Company requested the additional assignment of VHF Channel 2 to Baton Rouge by making the following changes in the assignments proposed by the Commission in the Third Notice: Third Notice Proposal Baton Rouge, La. New Orleans, La. Hattiesburg, Miss. Meridian, Miss. 10 28, *34, 40 *2, 4, 6, 7 20, 26, 32 9 17 11 30, *36 2f, 10 6, 7, *9f lit 9f 28, *34, 40 20, 26, 32 30, *36 deviation from the policy announced in the Third Notice. Accordingly, the counterpropos/al of Fort Industry, The Tampa Times Company and The Tribune Company in so far as they requested the substitution of UHF channels for the VHF channels reserved for non-commercial educational use in Miami and TampaSt. Petersburg are denied. Conclusions: Additional UHF Assignments in Miami 830. Miami Broadcasting Company requested the additional assignment of UHF Channels 27 and 33 to Miami. It is our view that the record supports the assignment of these channels to Miami. Accordingly, a counterproposal of Miami Broadcasting Company is granted in so far as it requests the additional assignments of UHF Channels 27 and 33 to Miami. Final Assignments and Reservations 831. The following assignments and reservations are adopted: Tampa-St. Peters *3, 8, 13 38 burg, Fla. Miami, Fla. *Z, 4, 7, 10 27, 33 Valdosta, Ga. 37 BATON ROUGE, HOUMA, LAKE CHARLES, NEW ORLEANS, AND SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA 832. (a) Proposed Assignments and Reservations: In the Third Notice the Commission proposed the following assignments and reservations : (b) Statement in Support of Baton Rouge Counterproposal. Baton Rouge Broadcasting Company urged that Baton Rouge is the third largest city and the Capital of the State of Louisiana; that the population of Baton Rouge had increased by 262% between 1940 and 1950; that the City of Shreveport with approximately the same population as Baton Rouge and the City of Alexandria with approximately one-fourth the population of Baton Rouge were each assigned two VHF channels. It was urged that the size and economic importance of Baton Rouge warrant the assignment of two VHF channels to that community. It was further urged that the assignment of Channel 2 would be in conformance with the Commission's standards for minimum separation of co-channel and adjacent channel stations. It was pointed out that under the counterproposal the closest resultant co-channel separation would be between New Orleans and Meridian, Mississippi on Channel 9 at a distance of 185 miles; and between Alexandria, Louisiana, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on Channel 11 at a distance of 187 miles.166 It was asserted that the operation of Channel 2 in Baton Rouge would afford a total gain of VHF service to a substantial area and population. The counterproposal would in addition result in a co-channel assignment separation on Channel 9 between Meridian, Mississippi, and Dothan, Alabama, of 210 miles. 166 In view of the action taken elsewhere in this Report this assignment separation in violation of the minimum would be removed. BROADCASTING • Telecasting ■