Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1953)

STATIONS TOTAL TVs AT 331, 30 Stations on the air continue to mount as a new group of four vhf outlets are slated to be on the air through Dec. 13. Three cities get their first home tv outlet. OPERATING tv stations totaled 331 last week, 218 vhf and 113 uhf, with 30 more, 20 vhf and 10 uhf, scheduled to get underway before the year is out. Five stations, all vhf, were slated to begin operation Dec. 11 through 13: KOAM-TV Pittsburgh, Kan., vhf ch. 7 (NBC, CBS, DuMont), represented by The Katz Agency. KHOL-TV Kearney, Neb., vhf ch. 13 (CBS, DuMont), represented by Meeker Tv Inc. KOMO-TV Seattle, Wash., vhf ch. 4 (NBC), represented by George P. Hollingbery Co. WEAU-TV Eau Claire, Wis., vhf ch. 13 (NBC, ABC, DuMont), represented by George P. Hollingbery Co. KTVA (TV) Anchorage, Alaska, vhf ch. 11 (NBC, DuMont), represented by Hugh Feltis & Assoc. This gives Pittsburg, Kearney and Eau Claire their first home video outlet, while Seattle and Anchorage get their second. Studio and live camera equipment of KTVA are General Electric and transmitter is DuMont, A. G. Hiebert, president-general manager, announced, adding "we have been astounded by the absence of engineering problems." KHOL-TV expects to be interconnected with AT&T to receive network programs by Feb. 1, Duane L. Watts, station manager, reported. WAIM-TV Anderson, S. C. (ch. 40), also expects to begin regular programming tomorrow as the basic CBS-TV affiliate in the Anderson-Greenville area, Wilton Hall, president, reported. Democratic Sens. Olin D. Johnston and Burnet R. Maybank, both South Carolina, will make guest appearances on the dedicatory program, he said. Asbury Park Tower Erection of a 465-ft. tower by WRTV (TV) Asbury Park, N. J., is set to begin this week, Harold C. Burke, vice president in charge of operations, reported. The uhf ch. 58 outlet which will cover Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties he said, will start regular operation early next month. WSTV-TV Steubenville, Ohio, reported AT&T crews are at work installing microwave equipment for its Christmas Eve debut. The station, on ch. 9, will feature CBS-TV programs. The construction of WMGT (TV) Adams, Mass. (ch. 74), transmitter building atop Mt. Greylock has been completed, the station said. The first outlet for that city is slated to begin commercial programming later this month. Change in antenna and transmitter site, now before the FCC, has postponed the starting date of WCMB-TV Harrisburg, Pa. (ch. 27), from Dec. 15 to March 1, Ed K. Smith, general manager, said. WSIL-TV Harrisburg, 111. (ch. 22), started commercial operation Dec. 6, the station reported. WTOV-TV Norfolk, Va. (ch. 27). which started programming Dec. 2, features ABC and DuMont network shows as well as local programs, Tom Matthews, program director, announced. Stations due on the air in the next 30 days are: ARKANSAS KATV (TV) Pine Bluff, vhf ch. 7, represented by Avery-Knodel Inc., Dec. 15. CALIFORNIA KTVU (TV) Stockton, uhf ch. 36, represented MORE SOON by George P. Hollingbery Co., Dec. 15 (granted STA Dec. 1). COLORADO KOA-TV Denver, vhf ch. 4 (NBC), represented by Edward Petry & Co., Dec. 24. CONNECTICUT WNLC-TV New London, uhf ch. 26, December '53. FLORIDA WINK (TV) Fort Myers, vhf ch. 11, represented by Weed Tv, December '53. WJHP-TV Jacksonville, uhf ch. 36, represented by Perry Assoc., December '53 (granted STA Nov. 30). WEAR-TV Pensacola, vhf ch. 3 (CBS), represented by George P. Hollingbery Co., Dec. 15. IDAHO KID-TV Idaho Falls, vhf ch. 3 (CBS. NBC), represented by Gill-Perna, Dec. 20. INDIANA WRAY-TV Princeton, uhf ch. 52, represented by Walker Representation Co., Dec. 15. KANSAS KOAM-TV Pittsburg, vhf ch. 7 (NBC. CBS. DuMont), represented bv The Katz Agencv, Dec. 13. LOUISIANA KSLA (TV) Shreveport, vhf ch. 12 (NBC, CBS), represented by Paul H. Raymer, Dec. 15. MAINE WCSH-TV Portland, vhf ch. 6 (NBC I, represented by Weed Tv Inc., Dec. 16 (began test patterns Dec. 2). MARYLAND WBOC-TV Salisbury, uhf ch. 16, Dec. 25. MASSACHUSETTS WMGT (TV) North Adams, uhf ch. 74. represented by Walker Representation Co.. Dec. 25. MICHIGAN WWTV (TV) Cadillac, vhf ch. 13 (CBS, ABC. DuMont), represented by Weed Tv Inc., Jan. 1 (granted STA Sept. 29). WKAR-TV East Lansing, uhf ch. *60, Jan. 1. MISSISSIPPI WJDT (TV) Jackson, vhf ch. 3 (NtJ), represented by George P. Hollingbery Co., Dec. 28 (granted STA Oct. 19). MISSOURI KOMU-TV Columbia, vhf ch. 8 (ABC, CBS, DuMont, NBC), represented by H-R Tv Inc., December '53. KDRO-TV Sedalia, vhf ch. 6, Jan. 1. NEBRASKA KHOL-TV Kearney, vhf ch. 13 (CBS, DuMont), represented by Meeker Tv Inc., Dec. 13 (granted STA Oct. 29). NEW JERSEY WRTV (TV) Asbury Park, uhf ch. 58, January '54. NEW YORK WTRI (TV) Schenectady, uhf ch. 35, Jan. 15. NORTH CAROLINA WAYS-TV Charlotte, uhf ch. 36 (ABC), represented bv The Boiling Co., Dec 15. WNCT (TV) Greenville, vhf ch. 9 (CBS, DuMont), represented by John E. Pearson Tv Inc Dec. 20. OHIO WMAC-TV Massillon, uhf ch. 23, represented by Edward Petry & Co., Jan. 1. WSTV-TV Steubenville, vhf ch. 9 (CBS), represented by Avery-Knodel Inc., Dec. 24 (granted STA Sept. 16). WUTV, (TV) Youngstown, uhf ch. 21, represented by Edward Petry & Co., Jan. 1. OKLAHOMA KWTV (TV) Oklahoma City, vhf ch. 9 (CBS), represented by Avery-Knodel Inc., Dec. 20 (granted STA Nov. 13). KCEB (TV) Tulsa, uhf ch. 23, represented by The Boiling Co., Jan. 1. OREGON KPIC (TV) Salem, uhf ch. 24, Dec. 15 (granted STA Aug. 4). PENNSYLVANIA WQED (TV) Pittsburgh, vhf ch. *13, Jan. 1. WARM-TV Scranton, uhf ch. 16, represented by George P. Hollingbery Co., Jan. 1. SOUTH CAROLINA WAIM-TV Anderson, uhf ch. 40 (CBS), repre A TV STATION goes into am as contract for radio broadcast equipment is handed by W. D. (Dub) Rogers (c), president of KDUB-TV Lubbock, Tex., to Bill Brady, sales engineer. Gates Radio Co. Looking on is Rudy Starnes, chief engineer of KDUB-TV, licensee of which recently was granted am facilities on 1340 kc with 250 w, fulltime. Winds Stymie Stations STRONG WINDS that swept across the neighboring states of Colorado and Wyoming last week toppled the television towers of two stations that are due to begin operations this month. In Denver, the 300-ft. tower of KOATV, located atop Lookout Mt., crumpled to the ground Dec. 6, causing sr>me damage to the transmitter building, after 80miles-per-hour winds lashed the mountain top. Three operating stations there, KFEL-TV, KLZ-TV and KBTV (TV), had to suspend programming momentarily at various times because of interruptions caused by the windstorm. Damage of tower and buildings have been estimated at $25,000. KFBC-TV Cheyenne, Wyo., saw 100-ft. of its planned 500-ft. tower collapse Dec. 8 as high winds which continued to plague the two-state area, brought down the tower that is in construction. No damage to transmitter building or other equipment was reported. KOA-TV and KFBC-TV are to begin operations by Christmas. Don Searle, KOA-TV executive vice president-general manager, reported that around-the-clock repairs and equipment installation will enable the station to meet its target date. KFBC-TV is rebuilding its tower in anticipation of a Christmas debut, William C. Grove, manager, said. Broadcasting • Telecasting December 14, 1953 • Page 65