Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

ORIGINAL UNIT NOW AVAILABLE DIRECT FROM MANUFACTURER Tv Probe Plans Still On Despite Some Hitches Sen. Magnuson reaffirms Jan. 17 starting date despite temporary personnel complication and delay in letter to FCC. PLANS by the Senate Interstate & Foreign Commerce Committee to begin hearings Jan. 17 in its probe of tv networks and uhf-vhf troubles were unchanged last week, despite a few last minute hitches. One of these was the resignation of Robert L'Heureux, Republican counsel for the investigation, to join the FCC as legislative liaison (see story, page 60). This leaves temporarily vacant the GOP counselship for the probe. Another was a delay by Committee Chairman Warren G. Magnuson (D-Wash.) in approving a letter addressed to the FCC and drafted by the committee staff. The reason for Sen. Magnuson's delay in signing the letter was not officially explained, but was believed to be due in part to his preoccupation with other Senate business, including hearings last week by the committee's Aviation Subcommittee. The letter in its first draft reportedly informed Chairman George C. McConnaughey and his fellow commissioners that they would be first on the witness stand and went into some detail concerning subjects on which they would be questioned. Sen. Magnuson had not signed the letter by late Friday. Meanwhile, Kenneth A. Cox, Seattle lawyer appointed three weeks ago by Sen. Magnuson as Democratic counsel for the investigation, was to have arrived in Washington last Friday for his first close-up look at plans for the upcoming probe. In an announcement. Sen. Magnuson reaffirmed plans to start the hearings Jan. 17. He said the committee hoped to have a progress report from a voluntary ad hoc committee of industry engineers, headed by Prof. Edward Bowles of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in time for the hearings. But he said that group's final report, on allocations, is not expected for several months. Hearing May Be Necessary On WIIC (TV) Application APPLICATION filed by WWSW Inc. (WIIC [TV]), Pittsburgh for modification of its construction permit (ch. 11) to allow power and antenna height increases, change studio location and make other physical changes may require a hearing, the FCC indicated last week. Hearing has already been ordered by the FCC on WWSW Inc.'s original grant for the ch. 1 1 facility, following a protest by ch. 16 WENS (TV), Pittsburgh. Crux of the hearing on the grant are financial qualifications, overlap con ' -nations and whether WWSW Inc. has undergone ownership changes in violation of FCC rules. Last week's action grows out of charges — also made by WENS— that WWSW Inc. had completed 85% of the" construction on its studio before filing an application to change its location; that construction had been underway on tower height specifications in anticipation of its request for such increase, rather than under the terms of its outstanding construction permit. WENS also charged that materials being used in studio construction belie applicant's stated intention to build less elaborate studios. The FCC determined that WENS' allegations were sufficient to warrant a hearing. TYPE 1 20-D FIELD INTENSITY METER Type 120-D Field Intensity Meter is a portable instrument for the measurement of a wide range of radio signal intensities in the broadcast band of 540 to 1600 kilocycles. Its range of sensitivity from 10 microvolts per meter to 10 volts per meter, makes it equally effective for interference studies at low signal strengths and for close-in measurements on high-power directional arrays. Accuracy of measurement is assured by a calibration method that compensates for variations in tube characteristics and for voltage variations in the selfcontained battery power supply. Operation is simple and measurements can be made rapidly, for the meter is direct reading on all ranges and requires the use'of no charts or multiplication factors. Since tubes are of the filament type, no warm up period is necessary before taking readings. 3ST E Js/L S • CLARKE Incorporated 919 JESUP-BLAIR DRIVE SiLVER SPRING. MARYLAND FOR COMPLETE DESCRIPTIVE SPEC SHEET WRITE OR WIRE DEPT. P TODAY Broadcasting • Telecasting January 9, 1956 • Page 69