Broadcasting Telecasting (July - Sept 1952)

Joint Applicants ( Continued from page 57 ) wn, president of KWFT, and d Kelley, president of KTRN, •xplain the action. It stated: ;e combined experience and techl know-how of the joint applicants give valuable guidance to the ating staff of the proposed new vision station. It would assure topity, successful TV operation for important metropolitan area. fficers of Wichita Falls Teleon Inc. : President Brown ; Vice sidents Houston H a r t e, :RN); John H. Rowley NFT), and Rhea Howard TRN); Mr. Kelly, secretary; v Treasurer Frank M. Dowd, las. he application specifies an ef;ive radiated power of 22.3 kw lal with an antenna 495 ft. ter was located, roposed location for studios and ismitter will be a plot of land ire KTRN's original FM transter was located. e are subordinating our own re:tive interests in TV stations at hita Falls in order to bring TV to city several years earlier. Comitive hearings on the separate apations of our firms for Channel 6 ild conceivably delay by several rs the day when Wichita Falls TV owners could receive programs on channel. he fact that there are already three licants for the only two vhf chanallocated to Wichita Falls prets a problem . . . and a challenge, have met this challenge with a to sacrifice our own personal inst in favor of the larger public rest. We are advised by our atleys that pursuit of individual apations by both firms would tie up channel for up to two years, istead, we have formed a new coration which will represent interests both local broadcasters in joint, but ependent operation of a first-class vision station at Wichita Falls. \llen M. Woodall, president and 3-third owner of WDAK, is also e president and one-third owner WBML Macon. He is vice presiit of the joint Macon applicant, i'icon Television Co. An earlier >ry incorrectly stated Mr. Woodwas not an officer in Macon I levision. rewart Succeeds Vasoll | C. STEWART, general manager Kenyon & Eckhardt, New York, s been elected treasurer and a :mber of the executive committee, cceeding Charles H. Vasoll, treaser, who retires Sept. 30. Mr. isoll will continue as a consulnt. P REVOCATION Df WBRN Asked by WCEN EVOCATION of Paul Brandt's nstruction permit for WBRN | g Rapids, Mich., because of \i leged overlap with his WCEN it. Pleasant, Mich., is requested ; a petition filed with FCC last ,• aek by Nathan Williams, conlting engineer at Oshkosh, Wis. . Mr. Williams charges that 29% the rural area and 24.9 of the >pulation living within the priary contour of WBRN is also ithin the primary contour of •CEN. CLEVELAND radio sales managers give two departing compatriots a sendoff: L to r (seated). Jack Maurer, WHK sales manager, who becomes part owner and manager of WHKK Akron; Keith Baldwin, WERE sales manager, who joins WAKR Akron as assistant to the president; Bill Brusman, Mr. Maurer's successor at WHK; Bob DeTchon, who recently became WJMO general and sales manager; Standing, Hal Waddell, WJW; Hal Gallagher, WTAM; John Garfield, WGAR; Jack Kelly, WSRS; Charles Phillips, WTAM; Walberg Brown, WDOK, and Bill Dix, WTAM. STEEL SHORTAGE Threatens New Station Construction THERE will be "virtually" no starts permitted on new major radio-TV station construction involving heavy use of steel until next spring, it was learned last week. The Defense Production Administration is preparing an order which will preclude new industrial and * commercial building not adjudged "essential" or "defense-supporting" and requiring more than nominal quantities of materials permitted under self-certifying procedures. The new government order, expected the middle of this week, will carry forward basic recom-' mendations agreed upon last August by DPA and a construction industry advisory committee. These set forth rigid criteria for construction as an aftermath of the steel strike. It was indicated at that time that new radio and television construction involving substantial quotas of steel, copper and aluminum would be deferred until after Dec. 31, 1952 [B*T, Aug. 11]. Allocations of copper and alumi PAUL E. FAUST Advertising Veteran Dies FUNERAL services were conducted in Evanston, 111., Saturday morning for Paul E. Faust, 75, secretary-treasurer and partner of Feature Radio, Chicago. He died last Wednesday in St. Mary's hospital, Evanston, where he had been recovering from a heart ailment since June. A 52-year advertising veteran, he was a founder of the American Assn. of Advertising Agencies. Mr. Faust is survived by three sons and two daughters. Sons are Holman Faust, formerly active in Mitchell-Faust agency and Schwimmer & Scott, Chicago, and now an advertising consultant and researcher, and Dudley Faust, eastern sales manager for CBS Radio in New York. num will remain virtually at the same level for the first quarter of 1953 — from January through March. But the effects of the steel cut-off will rule out any new building starts until after April 1. It was understood that applications for steel on projects already underway — either approved or promised by the governments — would be granted. The steel impasse is expected to break during the second quarter of next year. In the meantime, of course, broadcasters still may self-authorize up to 4,000 pounds of aluminum, 5,000 pounds of copper and the usual 25 tons of steel without approval of the National Production Authority, operating arm of DPA. This will cover minor alteration and remodeling projects. How this would affect potential TV station grantees was not immediately ascertained. It was believed, however, that the steel shortage would reach a more normal situation, particularly in sheet and strip steel. New television station broadcasters generally face no problem in this respect, because of advance planning on studios and equipment, it was presumed. It was conceded that more steel would be available for broadcast and other industrial building after April 1. DPA authorities acknowledged that broadcasters will be hard pressed to claim priority status under last August's criteria order. The categories set forth at that time covered construction (1) "necessary for defense"; (2) "industrial new starts to meet expansion goals" and (3) "hardship and ROADCASTING • Telecasting 16mm FILM SUIT 'Conspiracy Case' — Dixon FORCED release of old theatrical films to TV is sought by the government in its anti-trust suit against major motion picture concerns, according to William C. Dixon, chief of the Dept. of Justice's West Coast Anti-trust Division. American Federation of Labor has criticized the 16mm conspiracy suit. There are no political motives involved, Mr. Dixon insisted, describing it as a "conspiracy case." He said there may be resultant economic hardship to the movie industry should release of new features be demanded. Mr. Dixon, scheduled to act as chief prosecutor when the case comes to court in about two years, pointed out that set rules governing release to TV would be difficult to establish. "The government's only question in pressing the suit is a matter of law enforcement, not to be guided by the interests of any special groups," he said. AFL strongly condemned the Dept. of Justice's suit against the motion picture industry in a resolution passed at its convention in New York Monday. Resolution was sponsored by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, the Screen Actors Guild and the California State Federation of Labor. Claiming the suit seeks to "force the motion picture industry to allow the free showing on television of multi-million-dollar theatrical motion pictures in direct competition with theatre box offices," the resolution adds many of the 22,000 American motion picture theatres would be forced to close if the action is successful. "This capricious and unreasonable suit by the Dept. of Justice jeopardizes the livelihood of many of the 250,000 workers in the film industry, who for the most part are organized in AFL unions," the resolution stated. An AFL executive council probe of "all factors" in the suit was asked. substantial unemployment." A spot check reveals that community TV antenna firms having commenced construction will get sufficient materials to finish their projects. At least one known broadcast licensee— WTOP Inc. (WTOPAM-FM-TV Washington) — had applied for materials but had not begun construction. Agency authorities held out the possibility that applications would be approved during the first quarter of 1953, with materials assured in subsequent quarters. It was acknowledged that steel is more vital to radio-TV broadcasters than to set manufacturers because receivers need less quantities of the metal. Steel for radio-TV towers also is affected, but broadcasters have been using prefabricated products falling in the Class "B" listing — that comprising non-defense production. September 29, 1952 • Page 117