Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1955)

ACC TO STUDY TALL TV TOWER QUESTION Air Coordinating Committee will pursue the problem of 'hazards' inherent in tv towers above 1,000 ft. in height. A bill limiting towers to that height is being prepared for Congressional approval. A JOINT government-industry "tall tower" study of purported hazards to air navigation by 1,000-ft. and higher tv towers — to be prepared within 60 to 90 days — will be undertaken by the Air Coordinating Committee, it was decided Thursday. The Committee, which includes top government executives of sub-cabinet rank, made its decision following a four-hour meeting during which it heard representatives of the radio-tv and aviation industries comment on the proposal by the ACC's Airspace Subcommittee that tv towers be limited in height to 1,000 ft. above ground [B»T, Nov. 29, 1954, et seq.]. At the same time B»T learned that a bill was being drafted by Rep. Carl Hinshaw (R-Calif.) to limit tv towers to no more than 1,000 ft. above ground. Rep. Hinshaw, second senior Republican on the House Commerce Committee last year has been primarily active on aeronautical matters. He represents the 20th California (Los Angeles County) district and is a civil engineer by profession. Mr. Hinshaw was the author of a bill in the 83d Congress which would have redefined the term "broadcasting" in the Communications Act to prevent subscription tv from using broadcast bands in the spectrum. During the comments by broadcast repre sentatives, Victor A. Sholis, vice president and director of WHAS-TV Louisville, Ky., announced that the Louisville Courier-Journal and Times station was seeking a 2,005 ft. above ground tower-antenna at a site 17 miles southeast of its home city. It is now operating with a 600 ft. above ground antenna, radiating 316 kw on ch. 11, from a site across from its studio building in downtown Louisville. Mr. Sholis revealed that WHAS-TV had considered 13 sites, and had discussed five of them with CAA officials. To indicate the arbitrariness of the Airspace proposal, Mr. Sholis said that WHAS-TV could build a 2,005-ft. observation tower without any approval by CAA or aviation interests. The only approval required would be compliance with local zoning restrictions, he said. In discussing aviation accidents involving radio and tv towers, Mr. Sholis observed: ". . . this proposal Implies that the tower is the villian whenever a» plane flies into it. This is a bewildering premise in light of the history of such accidents during the past four years. The facts are that, but with one exception, all of them occurred at altitudes well below 500 ft. And, when a broadcaster looks at those that took place at such breathtaking heights as 75, 90, 100 and 145 ft., he has a legitimate right to feel he is the one entitled to protection." Mr. Sholis also reported that WHAS-TV would begin a series of tests of a new system of tower and guy-wire lighting developed by its engineering staff. This is the subject of a study now under way by the Airdromes, Air Routes and Ground-Air Subcommittee (AGA) of the ACC [B*T, Aug. 23, 1954, et seq.}. WHAS-TV is now serving 1,380,000 people within its 100 microvolt contour, Mr. Sholis said.' With a 2,005-ft. tower, it would serve an additional 800,000 people, he said. The joint study committee, which will be formed to include representatives of government, broadcasting and aviation interests, will be co-chaired by the FCC and CAA members of the ACC, it was understood. Comr. Edward M. Webster is the FCC member; CAA Administrator F. B. Lee is the CAA representative. Both Comr. Webster and Administrator Lee headed a similar joint study in 1952. The result of that look into the "problem" of tall tv towers was an agreement that all applications for airspace clearance would be processed on a case by case basis and related to criteria which were accepted by both the broadcasting and aviation industries. ACC directed the Airspace Subcommittee to continue processing tv tower applications under present criteria. The subcommittee had recommended that it refuse to approve any tower higher than 1,000 ft. pending a decision on its ceiling proposal. Following the Airspace Subcommittee recommendation, the Technical Division of ACC considered the matter and, unable to agree on a course of action, submitted it to the top level ACC itself [B.T. Dec. 20. 1954]. Representing the broadcast viewpoint at the ACC meeting last week were Vincent T. Wasilewski, NARTB; Robert E. L. Kennedy, Assn. of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers; Robert M. Booth Jr., Federal Communications Bar Assn.; Lowell Wright, aeronautical consultant, and Walter B. Emery, Joint Committee on Educational Tv. Aviation was represented by retired Brig. ' Gen. Milton W. Arnold, Airline Transport Assn. operational vice president; and representatives of National Business Aircraft Owners Assn.; Airport Operators Council and the Assn. of State Aviation Officials. WMIL Preparing to File For WEMP Facilities APPLICATION for the facilities of WEMP Milwaukee (1340 kc with 250 w unlimited) is being prepared by WMIL Milwaukee, at present operating on 1290 kc with 1 kw daytime only, it was learned last week. The move came less than a month after purchase of WEMP by Gordon and Barton R. McLendon and associates for an estimated $200,000 [B«T, Dec. 27, 1954]. The Messrs. McLendon. executives in the defunct Liberty Broadcasting System, own KLIF Dallas, KELPAM-TV El Paso and hold a grant for KTLG (TV) Corpus Christi, Tex. WEMP has negotiated for the purchase of WCAN Milwaukee (1250 kc, with 5 kw unlimited) from Lou Poller for $250,000 [B#T, Dec. 20, 1954]. This purchase was made contingent on the sale of the present WEMP facilities. WEMP, owned by A. M. Spheeris and associates, also is 30% stcokholder in ch. 12 WTVW (TV) Milwaukee which has been sold to Hearst Corp. (WISN Milwaukee) for an overall figure of $2 million [B»T, Jan. 10]. Hendrickson Named for Post FORMER Sen. Robert C. Hendrickson (RN. J.), who was chairman of the Senate Juvenile Delinquency Subcommittee during hearings on tv programming during the 83d Congress, last week was nominated for the ambassadorship to New Zealand [B»T. Dec. 27. 1954]. Mr. Hendrickson after the hearings said the subcommittee would make a special report on whether tv programs cause delinquency in children [B»T, Oct. 25, 1954]. AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS INVOLVING COLLISION WITH RADIO AND TELEVISION TOWERS, 1950-53 Feet 1000 750 500 250 280' 150' £N t l45' 105 ♦100' 600 t 300' 400' 400 lHitbelo. 400' 1 ■ No problem below this level soys ASP. * No problem below this level says AGA, Subcommittee. CIVIL AIRCRAFT COLLISIONS' 'WITH RADIO AND TELEVISION TOWERS AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT ARMY AIRCRAFT COLLISIONS* COLLISIONS' THIS CHART was used at Air Coordinating Committee meeting last week to show heights at which aircraft crashes involving radio and tv towers occurred. Figures atop each tower indicate tower height, figures with dots show the height at which crashes occurred. Data was secured from special committee studying methods of making towers and guy wires more visible to pilots, under auspices of Airdromes, Air Routes and Ground Aids Subcommittee (AGA) of ACC [B«T, Dec. 27, 1954]. ASP on chart stands for ACC's Airspace Subcommittee, which recommended that a ceiling of 1,000 ft. be placed on all tv towers. The chart was prepared and presented by Lowell Wright, aeronautical consultant to WHAS-TV Louisville. Page 76 • January 17, 1955 Broadcasting • Telecasting