Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1955)

Just Another Viewer WHEN Vice President Richard Nixon was interviewed by Bob Considine, in New York, last Tuesday night at Luchow's Restaurant, Mr. Considine arranged for a television set to be brought to the table so the Vice President and the reporter could view the $64,000 Question. In a matter of minutes the entire restaurant was cluttered about the table — not to view at first hand the Vice President of the United States — but to see the outcome of Capt. Richard McCutcheon's battle for the $64,000 (also see story, page 46). DAKOTA SATELLITE REQUEST PROTESTED Western Television files exception with FCC on KOTA-TV application for satellite in Lead, S. D. It's second such protest by a community tv system. COMMUNITY tv operators are getting their backs up. For the second time, an antenna system operator has protested to the FCC against a broadcaster's application for a satellite. The antenna system operator is Harlan L. Jacobsen, president of Western Television System Inc., Deadwood, S. D. He is objecting to the application of KOTA-TV Rapid City, S. D., for a ch. 5 satellite in Lead, S. D. Lead is about five miles southwest of Deadwood. Deadwood is less than 30 miles from Rapid City. All are in the western part of South Dakota. Some months ago, Pacific Northwest Tv Inc., Lewiston, Idaho, filed a formal objection with the FCC against the application of Orchards Community Tv Assn. for three translatorboosters for Clarkston, Wash., and Lewiston, Idaho [B»T, Aug. 1]. In the Deadwood, S. D., complaint, which was filed with the FCC even before KOTA-TV's application for Lead was filed, it was reported that the community tv system has been operating since last February with a three-channel system. The company has been relaying ch. 3 KOTA-TV Rapid City and ch. 5 KFYR-TV Bismarck, N. D., and utilizing the third channel for a closed circuit operation "running practically all live sports events as well as city council meetings from both cities (Deadwood and Lead), and county commissioner meetings. . . . We also run at least one regular live show daily plus local news, as well as national filmed programs," Mr. lacobsen said. Plan for the fall season, Mr. Jacobsen wrote, contemplated beginning the closed circuit operation at 2:30 p.m. and concluding with running "the late show" at 11:30 p.m. Mr. Jacobsen reported that KOTA-TV asked him to cease relaying its signals, "more or less hinting at legal trouble," but "we are still operating," he said. Mr. Jacobsen objected to the KOTA-TV ap TAPE DUPLICATION Unrivalled capacity, fast complete service — Multiple destination mailings. Experienced engineers— Ampex installations assure quality. RECORDED PUBLICATIONS LABS. 1558-70 Pierce Avenue Camden, N.J. Com.: WO 3-3000, • Phila.: WA 2-4649 plication for a Lead satellite on economic grounds. He also implied that he had planned to secure sponsors for the local originations, but this would be impossible with a local outlet on the air. He also indicated that he had hoped, if his closed circuit operation was successful to apply eventually for a broadcast license. At the same time he said, if the community tv system was successful, he had planned to extend it to Spearfish and Belle Fourche, both area communities, as well as bring in Denver tv signals if a pending common carrier application by Bartlett & Reed was approved. "We refuse to believe that FCC is going to reward us with a kick in the pants for bringing tv to these people before the big stations all over tried gobbling up the best channels with satellites and extending their coverage into other areas making it impossible for that area to ever have their own station," Mr. Jacobsen pleaded. Even the news of KOTA-TV's move has resulted in a cessation of subscriber-hookups, Mr. Jacobsen told the FCC. He asked the Commission to make an immediate decision on the KOTA-TV application so people would know as soon as possible whether there was to be a satellite operation in Lead-Deadwood area or not. Mr. Jacobsen's closed circuit operation brings to seven the number of community tv systems originating or with plans to originate their own programs, as far as can be learned [B«T, Aug. 22]. The first was Tv Cable Co., Oil City, Pa., which was closed down after a year of operation. Others are Potomac Valley Television Co., Cumberland, Md.; Trans-Community Tv Network Inc., Beverly Hills, Calif, (which plans establishment of "some 15 stations in western states"); Livingston Community Antenna Assn., Livingston, Mont, (with plans to extend this to Big Timber, Mont.); Richland Tv Cable Corp., Richland, Wash, (with plans to include Wenatchee, Wash.), and Cable Vision Inc., Key West, Fla. Solely a closed circuit originating organization is Ketchikan Alaska Tv Inc., Ketchikan, Alaska. Wayne Co.# WANE File Papers on McNutt Death COMMENTS on the effect the death of Paul V. McNutt has on the grant of ch. 69 at Fort Wayne to WANE there was submitted to the Commission last week by WANE and losing applicant Anthony Wayne Broadcasting Co. (composed originally of James R. Fleming and Mr. McNutt). Anthony Wayne, asserting the FCC denied its application solely because of questionable joint advertising practices in connection with Fort Wayne Newspapers Inc., said it has no control over the activities of the latter firm. The Commission supported this denial by finding that Messrs. Fleming and McNutt did not attempt to seek abandonment of the questioned ad practices, Anthony Wayne said, and called this "the flimsiest sort of pretext for making an adverse finding." Anthony Wayne stated that it was found superior in programming proposals and that "in no single respect was Radio Fort Wayne's (WANE) proposal found superior to that of Anthony Wayne." The final decision favoring WANE was awarded in October 1954, after the FCC reversed an examiner's initial decision favoring Anthony Wayne. The latter applicant appealed the decision to the U. S. Court of Appeals for Washington. The appeal was pending when Mr. McNutt died. The court then remanded the case to the FCC to determine the effect Mr. McNutt's death had on the proceeding. The Commission then called for comments. A fortnight ago, FCC's Broadcast Bureau held that the vdeath of Mr. McNutt did not alter the final grant [B»T, Sept. 12]. Anthony Wayne stated that the court has implied that the death of Mr. McNutt has removed the only possible basis for denying Anthony Wayne because of the questioned ad practices, attributable to a partnership. WANE last week commented that the "most important effect of Mr. McNutt's death is that Mr. Fleming as the survivor of the partnership is not financially qualified to construct and operate the station for which application was made." WANE further stated that "the death of Mr. McNutt cannot improve the comparative position of Mr. Fleming alone over that of himself and Mr. McNutt together" and that Mr. Fleming was equally responsible for the disapproved ad practices. Two Changes Authorized TWO tv stations were granted changes in facilities by the FCC last week — one an increase in power and the other a change in studio location . KFDX-TV Wichita Falls, Tex. (ch. 3), was authorized to increase power approximately twofold, from 55 kw visual, 33.1 kw aural to 100 kw visual, 70 kw aural. KTEN (TV) Ada, Okla. (ch. 10), was granted a change in studio location to the site of its transmitter location at State Highway 99, 8V2 miles north of Ada. This involved a waiver of Sec. 3.613 of FCC Rules. the Arthur Wilkerson * WLIL— Lenoir City 1,000 Watts 730 KC Arthur Wilkerson, Mgr. * WLIK— Newport 5,000 Watts 1270 KC Ira Crisp, Manager * WAEW— Crossville 1,000 Watts 1330 KC Clarence Stinnett, Mgr. 2 or 3 STATION PACKAGE DISCOUNT WRITE FOR YOUR RATE CARD WLIL ARTHUR WILKERSON General Manager THE WILKERSON BUILDING LENOIR CITY, TENNESSEE Broadcasting • Telecasting September 19, 1955 • Page 203