Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

GOVERNMENT continued tions pending for fm stations at the end of October. The group noted that in 1945, when the FCC moved fm to its present 88-108 mc location in the spectrum, it did so after long and intensive consideration of the best space for the then new method of broadcasting. The organization asked also that the FCC maintain present engineering standards. Fm Broadcasters, founded about a year ago, is run by a steering committee comprising Ben Strouse, WWDC-FM Washington, D. C; Edward Wheeler, WEAW-FM Evanston, 111.; Calvin Smith, KFAC-FM Los Angeles; Merrill Lindsey, WSOY-FM Decatur, 111., and Gardner Greene, Browning Labs., Cambridge, Mass. Leonard H. Marks, Washington attorney, is counsel for Fm Broadcasters. Deadline for comments on the 25-890 mc study is Nov. 25. California Committee on Crime Commends Radio for 'Discipline' Radio alone among the mass media of communication wins praise for acceptance of responsibility for the effect of its programs on juveniles and for its self-discipline, according to the Citizens' Advisory Committee to the Attorney General of California on Crime Prevention. A slate of 31 recommendations by the committee, submitted to the attorney general following a study of juvenile violence throughout California, discusses radio, tv, motion pictures, newspapers and comic books, in addition to homes, schools, courts and other public agencies. Regarding radio, the committee comments: "While radio cannot be said to be completely free from harmful influences, the radio industry has, over a period of years, been facing its responsibility to eliminate undesirable programs and has demonstrated that an agency of mass media can effectively discipline itself." Films, both in theatres and on tv, "are increasingly concentrating on what can only be described as education in crime . . . Tv has a greater obligation to the public to maintain high standards because of its access to millions of homes. While the industry indicates its intention to meet this obligation, this committee believes that the number of hours devoted to serious crime, aggressive behavior and over-emphasis on sex creates grave doubt that they are in fact doing so." The report urges newspapers to "handle crime statistics with greater caution and avoid sensationalism in reporting juvenile offenses." It charges that "too many comic books, to a far greater degree than comic strips in the press, over-emphasize brutality, aggression and other undesirable forms of behavior." The committee recommends "no legislation or censorship" for mass media but asks the attorney general to urge the state legislature to appoint a committee to study the effect of mass media on crimes of juvenile violence. Page 100 • November 18, 1957 WIDE WIDE WHIRL A 500-mile-high astronomical space platform, carrying a giant 36-inch telescope whose pictures would be transmitted to earth via television, is one of the projects in the early planning stages by the Navy. Tentatively scheduled for launching in about four years, the $500,000, one-ton platform would circle the earth once every 90 minutes with its telescope peering out into the galaxy. It would have a life of 20 years, it was estimated. Attached to the eyepiece would be a standard vidicon camera modified for 1,000line definition, which would feed into a transmitter for direct broadcast to astronomers on earth. Not yet determined is the power or wavelengths to be used for this tv function, but Navy and industry scientists have indicated that regular, commercial equipment would be used. Power would be gained through solar batteries, it was explained. The telescope would be electronically focused from earth. The Navy's plans were made known by Dr. Martin Spitzer, professor of astronomy at Princeton U. Dr. Spitzer is chief adviser on astronomic problems to the Office of Naval Research. Dr. Spitzer also disclosed that film cameras have been used in 83,000-foot balloon nights in recent months. Getting a telescope this far above the earth's atmosphere has resulted in clearer views of the sun and stars, Dr. Spitzer explained. Radio-Tv Columnist Sentenced; She's Released Pending Appeal Radio-tv columnist Marie Torre of the New York Herald-Tribune Tuesday was held in criminal contempt of court and sentenced by U. S. District Judge Sylvester J. Ryan to 10 days in jail. Miss Torre, however, a witness in the $ 1 .4 million libel and breach of contract suit filed by actress Judy Garland against CBS Inc., was released in her own recognizance pending determination of appeal. Miss Torre earlier had been asked by the court to name the unidentified CBS "source" who, according to the complaint filed by Hess, Mela, Segall, Popkin & Guterman, Miss Garland's counsel, allegedly had made disparaging remarks about the star. When Miss Torre declined on constitutional grounds, the court served a show-cause order on the columnist. Miss Torre again refused. Her quotation from the CBS executive ran in a Jan. 10, 1957, column in part about Miss Garland's proposed CBS-TV spectacular which never came off. The columnist's counsel, Cahill, Gordon, Reindel & Ohl, Tuesday filed an appeal with the second Circuit Appellate Court in New York. Sheldon Oliensis of CGR&O said he and his associate, Mathias F. Correa, are prepared to take the appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court, if necessary, to establish once and for all whether a reporter can be forced to identify confidential sources. The law firm argues that if Miss Torre is com pelled to name her source, it not only would be an encroachment on the press but also a "possible interment of the right of the public to read all the news." Lionel Popkin, Miss Garland's attorney, said that if Miss Torre is sustained, his associates will be prepared to call to the stand "all CBS chief executives" and "confront them" with Miss Torre. The appeal probably will not be returned until early next year. Movies or No, It's Pay Tv At Bartlesville, Says Longer Sen. William Langer (R-N. D.) doesn't care what Henry Griffing, president of Video Independent Theatres Inc., calls his method of distributing motion pictures to televiewers — it's pay tv to the senator, and he's against it. .In a Nov. 1 3 letter to Mr. Griffing, Sen. Langer said Telemovies, which is what Video Independent terms its movie distribution system, is the same as any other form of subscription tv and he is going to introduce a bill in Congress in January to prohibit any form of toll tv, off-the-air or wired. Sen. Langer's letter was in response to a communication from Mr. Griffing last month explaining the difference between toll tv and Telemovies [Special Report, Nov. 4]. The North Dakotan said: "I wish to assure you that I am fully aware of the various forms of pay-as-yousee television, be it toll television, Telemovies, or whatever name you wish to give it. The important thing in my mind is that the public will have to pay under any method of transmitting programs through television sets. Telemovies, as you call it, can be wired or wireless and can be expanded to include tele-boxing, tele-baseball, tele-grand opera, tele-musicals, and on and on until programming to be transmitted to free television will be impaired and the television public will be damaged." Hearing May Be Necessary On WTVQ (TV) Sale, Says FCC Loren Berry and Ronald B. Woodyard, who more than four years ago filed for FCC approval of the sale of ch. 47 WTVQ (TV) Pittsburgh to Edward Lamb, last week were notified by an FCC McFarland letter that a hearing may be necessary on the sale. In the letter, the FCC said the permittee's principal reason for not proceeding with construction of the station (awaiting FCC action on the transfer) does not meet requirements of the Communications Act. Any delay in constructing WTVQ has been due to a voluntary decision, FCC said. Sale of WTVQ for $5,000 to Mr. Lamb was filed at the FCC July 22, 1953. The station, which was granted in 1952, has never been on the air. A second McFarland letter informed Storer Broadcasting Co. that its application for modification of the construction permit of WSPD-TV Toledo, Ohio, appears to necessitate a hearing. This is indicated, the Commission said, because the proposed modifications would make the Grade A contour of WSPD-TV overlap substantially Broadcasting