Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

GOVERNMENT Hearing Aboard Aircraft Asked in Selma Tower Case UNIQUE suggestion which would get a talltower tv hearing "off the ground" has been filed with the FCC by the Air Transport Assn. which asked reversal of a hearing examiner's earlier ruling. The ATA petitioned to have the hearing into the proposed 1,993-ft. tower of WSLA (TV) Selma, Ala., reconvened aboard an airplane for the purpose of flying over the tower site. Previously Hearing Examiner H. Gifford Irion in effect had denied a request for such a flight by saying such a ruling would be outside his jurisdiction, ATA said. The association asked the FCC to reverse Mr. Irion, paving way for the airborne proceeding. The WSLA tower proposal is among those objected to by Dept. of Defense officials and other groups because of alleged hazards to air navigation. Historically, ATA pointed out, juries have been taken to the "scene of the crime" to view evidence which cannot be brought into the courtroom; numerous court statements recommending such procedure were cited by the association. In the WSLA case, ATA said, conventional means of presenting evidence are inadequate and only by a flight over the tower site can the examiner best evaluate and understand the true situation. The proposed flight would be via Eastern Airlines, out of Atlanta. Each counsel and the examiner would be allowed to bring with him an expert to explain technical matters involved, and a reporter would transcribe the full hearing. ATA said. ATA stated that it would bear all expenses involved in the trip, including transportation to and from Atlanta. WBAP Pioneer Praised HAROLD HOUGH, director of WBAPAM-FM-TV Fort Worth, was praised for pioneering radio and tv in Texas, in remarks entered in the Congressional Record by Rep. James C. Wright Jr. (DTex.). Citing a hundred years of progress in that city, he said: "Just bring out something new and it will find a home in Fort Worth. In 1921, Harold Hough held the torch of vision which had lighted the wilderness for Cowtown's early planners when he pioneered radio with WBAP. Twenty-seven years later, Fort Worth had the first television station in Texas." WFNM Withdraws Protest WFNM De Funiak Springs, Fla., named party to a hearing following its protest against the grant of a construction permit for another De Funiak am station [B*T, Jan. 9], last week asked the FCC to dismiss its protest and vacate the hearing order. WFNM had protested a grant of 1280 kc, 5 kw to W. D. Douglass, alleging probable economic injury as well as questioning Mr. Douglass' character and financial qualifications. In asking for permission to withdraw, WFNM said it lacked sufficient financial resources to carry its assigned burden of proof. THREE TV STATIONS AUTHORIZED BY FCC New video outlets — all uncontested cases before the Commission— to be located in Yuma, Ariz., Ensign, Kan., and Santa Fe, N. M. NEW TV STATIONS in Yuma, Ariz., Ensign, Kan., and Santa Fe, N. M., were authorized last week by the FCC. All were uncontested cases. Wrather-Alvarez Broadcasting Inc. is the permittee of Yuma's ch. 13. The station is to operate with 24 kw visual effective radiated power and 12 kw aural ERP, and the antenna is to be 620 ft. above average terrain. Estimated construction and first year operating costs were set at $620,000 and the first year's income was estimated at $400,000. The permittee is the licensee of KFMB-AMTV San Diego, Calif. President J. D. Wrather Jr. (38.8%) has a construction permit for Boston's ch. 44 (WJDW), has 25% interest in Superior Television Inc. (one of the applicants pending for Corpus Christi, Tex., ch. 10), and is a non-stockholding director of KOTV (TV) Tulsa, Okla. Vice President-Treasurer Maria H. Alvarez (38.8%) is 25% Superior owner and is also a non-stockholding director of KOTV. Station representative Edward Petry & Co. holds the remaining stock. Southwest Kansas Television Co. was granted use of ch. 6 in Ensign, Kan. Southwest's permit calls for ERP of 26.9 kw visual, 16.2 kw aural and an antenna 720 ft. above average terrain. The station will operate primarily as a satellite of KTVH (TV) Hutchinson, Kan., and expects first year income of nearly $120,000. Stock is held by about 300 persons, among whom are Vice President Wendell Elliott, general manager of KGNO Dodge City, Kan., and Jess C. Denious Jr., KGNO owner. Santa Fe's ch. 2 was awarded to Video Independent Theatres Inc., owner of 12.5% of KWTV (TV) Oklahoma City and an applicant for a new vhf to operate in Hot Springs, Ark. C. B. Akers, a Video principal, is assistant secretary, director, general manager and approximately two percent owner of KVOO-TV Tulsa and 5.267% owner of KGLC Miami, Okla. The station is to operate with 490 w visual ERP and 246 w aural ERP with an antenna 208 ft. above average terrain. Building and first year costs were estimated at $140,000 and first year income at $100,000. WJIM-TV Survives Protest To Its 980-Ft. Tower Boost WJIM-TV Lansing, Mich., which a fortnight ago protested to the FCC about a 1,000-ft. tower proposed by WNEM-TV Bay City, Mich. [BoT, Jan. 23], last week survived an objection to its own planned tower height increase when the Commission denied a protest filed by WNEM-TV. In turning down WNEM-TV's request for reconsideration of FCC action which granted WJIM-TV a change of transmitter location and increase in tower height from 440 to 980 ft., the Commission found that WNEM-TV's allegations of expected interference from the proposed Lansing operation were not based on supportable engineering evidence. The FCC said that WNEM-TV failed to establish status under both its economic injury and interference claims. Broadcasting • Telecasting KHOL TV'S New Satellite Station, Built by Viewers' Funds, Gives You Bonus Coverage at No Extra Cost in Nebraska's 2nd Big Market KHOL-TV and Satellite Station cover rich Central Nebraska — the State's 2nd Big Market. KHOL-TV picks up where Omaha leaves off — you buy no duplicate coverage. One buy on KHOL-TV gives you bonus Satellite coverage at no extra cost. Investigate Nebraska's 2nd Big Market today — contact KHOLTV or your Meeker representative. KHOL-TV Owned and Operated By BI-STATES CO. CBS • ABC SOUTH DAKOTA NEBRASKA COLORADO CHANNEL 1 3 • KEARNEY, NEBRASKA Channel 6 Satellite Station, Hayes Center, Nebr. Represented nationally by Meeker TV, Inc. Page 48 • January 30, 1956