Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1953)

UHFs TO BARE TROUBLES AT N.Y. MEET Ultra High Frequency Tv Assn. has invited representatives from stations, networks, manufacturers and government to hear an exposition of what needs to be done to make uhf successful. THE troubles that harass uhf television will be discussed by those concerned — the stations — today (Monday) and then laid before related industry and FCC representatives tomorrow at a meeting of the new Ultra-High Frequency Tv Assn., to be held at the Lexington Hotel, New York. (See uhf promotion feature page 88). The meeting was called by Lou Poller, WCAN-TV Milwaukee, UHFTA president, and William A. Roberts, general counsel. Today's session is closed but tomorrow's meeting will be open. In announcing on short notice the meeting of manufacturer, network, station and government representatives, the association made a public appeal for speeding up of uhf equipment. The letter stated that while uhf growth has been "good," there remain "quite serious problems" to be worked out by stations and permit holders in cooperation with networks and manufacturers. Praises Progress Mr. Roberts sent a four-page letter to top industry figures. He praised progress already achieved but reminded manufacturers and networks that uhf offers them "the eventual market" for transmitting and receiving equipment as well as network programming. Pending advent of color, good uhf equipment and selling will provide "a sound sales-bridge," he stated. Manufacturers are given credit for "strenuous efforts" to improve uhf equipment but UHFTA is anxious to stimulate production of "genuine all-channel" receivers in all price ranges, feeling this is one of the industry's "most important needs." It's so important, Mr. Roberts said, that the association may recommend that uhf stations conduct campaigns to promote sale of sets made by manufacturers whose equipment is sensitive enough to give widespread reception without outside antennas. Other Needs The letter listed other uhf needs, specifying more powerful transmitters by Jan. 1, development of boosters for low spots in rugged terrain as an integral part of transmitting equipment, training of installation and repair crews to serve industry and public, and lower-cost set converters. "Refusal of networks to stand by affiliation agreements with uhf stations or to make firm agreements with uhf stations, sometimes under pressure of existing vhf facilities serviced by more than one network," is cited among "network difficulties." Also mentioned are "insufficiency of network programming other than NBC and CBS; restrictions on film showing dates and the high cost of good films, and inadequate revenue to uhf stations which precludes origination of satisfactory shows." As to the FCC, Mr. Robert's letter said, "Obviously circulation cannot be ignored, but if we must have intermixture the Commission must take the responsibility of preserving the uhf outlets who have invested their money until they can stand on their own feet." "Restrictive practices" in films, similar to those condemned in the motion picture industry, "should not be established in television or we'll suffer the same punishments," the letter warned. Mr. Roberts listed another uhf difficulty as "the fact that uhf operators do not know when they are going to get a secure position and this is due in some instances to allocation changes by the FCC in which shift of channels to intermixed markets destroys the established balance. The association will endeavor to prevent this by legal measures and to cause the Commission to move away from unbalanced intermixture as fast as possible." Among those invited to the conference were Brig. Gen. David Sarnoff, RCA chairman of the board; Frank Stanton, CBS president; Dr. Allen B. DuMont, head of Allen B. DuMont Labs.; Robert E. Kintner, ABC president; Dr. W. R. G. Baker, General Electric Co.; T. J. Newcomb, Westinghouse Electric Corp., and all FCC members. VOD Contest to Award Radio-Tv Set Prizes RADIO-TELEVISION sets to be donated to 52 state and territorial winners in the national Voice of Democracy contest will be provided by 23 manufacturers, according to Radio-Electronics-Tv Assn. Collection of prize awards is in charge of John F. Gilligan, Philco Corp., chairman of the RETMA Public Relations & Advertising Committee. Local and state chapters of U. S. Junior Chamber of Commerce will arange presentation of sets to state winners. Awards to the four national winners will be made in Washington in February. Robert K. Richards, NARTB administrative vice president, is chairman of the VOD committee. Youth Crime Prevention Benefited by Radio-Tv Texas judge relates help given by 'Dragnet' sequence. A RADIO-TV crime program contributed substantially in quelling an outbreak of juvenile deliquency in Houston, according to Judge W. C. Ragan, Precinct No. 1, Houston, Harris County, Tex. Judge Ragan has informed NARTB's Television Information Committee that use of the Dragnet sequence "seems to have had a most lasting effect and has brought to the attention of many parents the needs for a better supervision of their own children." He said the sequence was called to his attention by Lt.Detective Larry Fultz, who has used it in his supervision of the Houston Police Training School. Ordered to Listen Judge Ragan ordered parents of suspects in a "haircut war" at several high schools to listen to a Dragnet transcription dramatizing a similar Los Angeles firearms case that had led to a murder. "This sequence and similar ones will do much to bring out forcible lessons in an understandable manner," Judge Ragan wrote NARTB. "I am grateful for the assistance. If I have been in any manner able to save some boy from the mutilation and permanent injuries which could happen, I am deeply grateful." The NARTB committee cited a study of all programs in the four-station Washington tv market for the week of Sept. 27 which shows the family had a choice of watching one or more non-crime programs at every half-hour during the broadcast day for all seven days of the week. Of 531 programs carried during the week, only 69 had crime, police, mystery or cowboy plot motivation, according to the committee. GOING over final plans for the radio and television production group meeting of the AAAA's Eastern Annual Conference are (I to r) Wickliffe Crider, vice president in charge of radio and tv, Kenyon & Eckhardt; Planning Committee Governor Donald K. Clifford, head of Doherty, Clifford, Steers & Shenfield; Planning Committee Chairman Rodney Erickson (seated), vice president in charge of radio and tv. Young & Rubicam; James Douglas, vice president in charge of radio and tv, Ted Bates agency, and L. T. (Ted) Steele, vice president in charge of radio and tv, Benton & Bowles. Conference opens today (Monday) at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York. Page 50 • November 23, 1953 Broadcasting • Telecasting