Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1956)

closed circuit: UHF SOLUTION? • Most optimistic report yet heard on combination uhf-vhf tuner, which would open way for all-band receiver, was given FCC last week by Comr. T. A. M. Craven after inspection trip to General Electric tube plant in Owensboro, Ky. New ceramic tube and tuner were demonstrated, picking up uhf and vhf stations in general area, and Comr. Craven reportedly told Commission he thought development has tremendous potential in solving both cost and service problems in production of all-band receivers. B»T CERAMIC tube development has been known in trade for about two years, but GE has been secretive during developmental stages. Comr. Craven was accompanied on Monday-Tuesday inspection by James E. Barr, assistant chief of Broadcast Bureau and Willmar K. Roberts, assistant chief of Laboratory Division, constituting top level engineering team. While prices and longevity factors were not divulged, impression was given that GE engineers believe tube-tuner can be produced on low cost automation basis and that life will be comparable to conventional uhf tubes. B*T GINGERLY CRACKDOWN • First disciplinary action under NARTB Tv Code Board's get-tough policy may be handled on indirect basis. Three eastern stations, which have been monitored closely and have had warnings, will be given final notice if code violations continue. Next step will be to offer them chance to resign. If they don't, board will instigate complicated procedure by which code subscriber is forced out of code structure. This requires action by Tv Code Review Board which then will refer matter to association's Tv Board for final decision. B»T IN ITS QUEST for successor to Arthur Loew, as president of Loew's Inc. [B*T, Oct. 8], executives of parent of MGM have on several occasions felt out Eric Johnston, president of Motion Picture Association of America Inc.. without avail. Conversations also were held with Sylvester L. (Pat) Weaver, among others, it's learned authoritatively. B«T BOOK OF BRAINING • Interoffice memos of NBC ex-Board Chairman Sylvester L. (Pat) Weaver, Jr. — which have gained legendary reputation for voluminousness, erudition, and sometimes bewildering depth and syntax— may find their way into public print. Mr. Weaver, now in Europe, reportedly feels wider exposure of his "communications philosophy" might help raise general broadcast standards. Officials of Simon & Schuster publishing house concede they "might do it"; Doubleday & Co. authority said his firm discarded idea after seriously considering it; spokesman for Random House did not comment. Possible hitch: NBC might consider memos its own property, though offhand feeling there appeared to be that network wouldn't be stuffy about it if Mr. Weaver got a publisher. B»T WESTINGHOUSE Broadcasting Co., which severed its NBC radio network affiliations, has been expanding its independent programming with emphasis on news. Management reportedly now is contemplating setting up its own national news bureau in Washington to service stations with special coverage at national and regional levels. B«T TEASER POSSIBLE • While FCC's Special Network Study staff has until end of fiscal year (June 30) to file its report and recommendations with FCC, there may be one or more interim reports on specific aspects prior to that time. One such report, it's indicated, will be on multiple ownership of broadcast stations (now limited to seven in each of three categories, am-fm and tv). FCC will consider revised M-O regulation again on Jan. 9, having deferred action month ago. It's presumed that "interim" report will be in FCC's hands prior to that date. B»T MORGAN BEATTY, veteran NBC commentator (Alka-Seltzer World News; Monitor) breaks out as author next month with publication of Morgan Beatty's Your Nation's Capital (Farrar, Straus and Cudahy). This Washington guidebook is first of series planned by Mr. Beatty, and will be in both hard-back and paper-cover editions. B»T PARAMOUNT SWITCH? • Does sale to National Telefilm Assoc. of Rainbow Films, with assets including six feature films (see story, p. 58), mean that Paramount Pictures has abandoned its "no feature films to tv" policy? Rainbow Films was wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Pictures, but Paramount spokesman refers all queries to NTA, declining to explain whether sale means Paramount has released feature films to tv. NTA's comment is that it has bought subsidiary from Paramount Pictures. B«T HOUSE Small Business Committee is expected to issue "summary report" this week from subcommittee headed by Rep. Joe L. Evins (D-Tenn.) which held hearings in 84th Congress on Federal regulatory commissions and agencies, including FCC. Subcommittee subpoenaed thousands of RCA-NBC and CBS documents last March and questioned WXEX-TV Petersburg, Va., principals on purported White House influence following Rep. Evins' charges that FCC had admitted influence of networks on Commission decisions [B»T, March 26, 19]. FCC denied but never was called to testify. B»T AMERICAN PLAN • With first anniversary of introduction of commercial television in England Sept. 22, renewed efforts to have ITA switch over to "sponsored tv" on American plan, rather than arbitrary rotation of commercials without anchoring to programs, is being revived. Advertiser's Weekly of London carried full page ad of B. Charles-Dean, film and tv producer and distributor, urging sponsored tv "which will put the medium on the right foot to the benefit of everybody concerned: Consumers Viewers Contractors Advertisers Agencies-Producers (et al)." B»T TV FILM producers are bound to get hurt in three-way union representation squabble building up steam in Hollywood. IATSE is fighting to push IBEW and NABET off major studio lots because of scale differentials. NABET last week charged IATSE pickets around Centaur Studios where Wayne Steffner Productions are filming ABC-TV's You Asked For It were unemployed dishwashers from local culinary union. I A TSE officials say they will picket NABET again but this time with IATSE members. B»T MEXICAN STAND-OFF • No official word yet, but through diplomatic channels Mexico has informed U. S. State Dept. that its tv industry has indicated it can't buy proposed FCC change of ch. 12 from Fresno (where KFRE-TV is now operating at that frequency) to Santa Barbara, Calif. So protest will undoubtedly be submitted [Closed Circuit, Oct. 1]. But, what makes situation unique is that since proposal meets U. S. standards and since there is no agreement on mileage separation with Mexico, what does U. S. do with Mexican protest if it decides to go ahead and deintermix Fresno? Mexico uses ch. 12 at Tijuana, 200 miles from Santa Barbara. B»T WHAT'S thinking among engineers on unsympathetic reaction to Commission's proposed uhf curves to be used in determining population coverage in pending deintermixture cases [B*T, Sept. 24]? Consensus seems to be that Commission will have to return to Sixth Report and Order curves (which now are part of rules) and also hold out welcome for measurements or other estimates to help guide decisions. Engineers feel averages for uhf measurements too open to attack because of wide variances resulting from different types of terrain, seasons of year, etc. Broadcasting • Telecasting October 15. 1956 • Page 5