Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

GOVERNMENT continued PERSONNEL RELATIONS with the signal of Storer's WJBK-TV Detroit. WSPD-TV has requested a transmitter site 6Vz miles northeast of Toledo and an increase in antenna height from 510 to 1,000 feet, with a power of 316 kw. Government Lifts Prohibition On Photos in Federal Buildings The General Services Administration has removed restrictions on taking news photographs in public areas of federal buildings, Rep. John E. Moss (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Government Information Subcommittee, announced last week. The new GSA order, signed by Administrator Franklin G. Floete, states: "News photographers may, without prior permission, take any pictures they desire in public space controlled by the General Services Administration, in single or multiple occupancy public buildings, except where applicable security regulations or a federal court order or rule prohibits such photography." GSA is the government agency charged with ownership and maintenance of federal buildings. In announcing the new order in a letter to Rep. John Bell Williams (D-Miss.), who had registered a protest with the subcommittee against the camera ban, Rep. Moss said his subcommittee had asked Mr. Floete to make sure that "unjustifiable restrictions would not be placed on photographic access . . ." to federal buildings. "The people have the same right of photographic access to information as they have to information gathered by pad and pencil reporters," Rep. Moss pointed out. The rescinded order required that "permission of the GSA building superintendent or custodian must be obtained to take photographs" in all corridors, lobbies and other sections of federal buildings. Photographers then could take pictures only "of murals or historic or other features" of federal buildings, according to Mr. Floete. KBET-TV Modification Grant Set for Hearing by FCC The FCC last week set for hearing its Dec. 9, 1954, action granting KBET-TV Sacramento, Calif., a modification of its construction permit. The action complied with a mandate by the U. S. Appeals Court in Washington, D. C. The modification had been protested by McClatchy Broadcasting Co. (KFBK Sacramento), losing applicant for the ch. 10 facility held by KBET-TV. The case, with a long history of litigation, has been before the courts — and the FCC — several times since KBET-TV received the ch. 10 grant in October 1954. This grant was upheld by the appeals court early in 1956 [Government, Jan. 30, 1956]. The FCC approved the KBET-TV application to move its transmitter site and decrease antenna height less than 60 days after the original grant! McClatchy appealed this action and asked for a hearing which was denied by the FCC on the ground McClatchy had no further standing in the case. The losing applicant then appealed again to the court, charging that the modification constituted a fraud. On this appeal, the court ruled in favor of McClatchy and returned the case to the FCC [Government, Oct. 22, 1956]. As a result, the Commission last week scheduled a hearing on the KBET-TV modification to determine, among other things, if KBETTV and/ or its president, William P. Wright, made false representations to the FCC. McClatchy was made a party to the proceedings. In the same order which set the case for hearing, the FCC denied a second McClatchy request that the modification grant be stayed pending a final disposition of the case. FCC Sets New England Trip To Inspect Uhf Operations A field inspection trip of uhf operations in New England is scheduled by the FCC this Friday. Sponsored by the uhf Committee for Competitive Television, five FCC commissioners plus top staff members will inspect ch. 22 WWLP (TV) Springfield, Mass., its satellite ch. 32 WRLP (TV) Greenfield, Mass., and its ch. 79 translator in Claremont, N. H. WWLP also holds construction permits for translators in Lebanon, N. H. (ch. 81), which includes Hanover, N. H., and White River Junction, Vt., and in Newport, N. H. (ch. 71). Scheduled to participate in the 24-hour flying trip are FCC Chairman John C. Doerfer and Comrs. Frederick W. Ford, Richard A. Mack, Robert T. Bartley and Rosel H. Hyde. Among staff executives are Harold G. Cowgill, Broadcast Bureau chief, and Mary Jane Morris, FCC secretary. Also among the guests are Dr. George W. Town, executive director, Television Allocations Study Organization, and Nicholas Zapple, professional staff member (communications) of the Senate Commerce Committee. FM Unlimited Favors Retention Of FCC Multiplex Requirement FCC was asked Thursday to deny WPENFM Philadelphia's petition for deletion of a Commission rule requiring fm stations engaged in functional music to convert to multiplex by Jan. 1 [Government, Nov. 4]. Filed in the form of an "open letter" to the FCC by FM Unlimited Inc., Chicago, sales and promotion representative firm for 30 fm outlets, the petition also asked for a re-examination "of the entire fm picture," because of the multiplexing situation and the interest of non-broadcast services in "all or part" of the fm band. It was signed by Charles Kline, FM Unlimited president, and sent to individual commissioners. The petition represented an all-out attack on background music operators, who were charged with feeling "they are responsible for the success of fm." It claimed the WPEN-FM petition poses a battle-line between "genuine broadcast service for the public" and the "use of fm channels for specialized services not intended for the public." WPEN-FM had claimed that, unless the FCC rule is deleted, fm stations will be unable to continue operation. RTDG-NABET Dispute at NBC Goes to Mediator George Meany The Radio & Television Directors Guild and the National Assn. of Broadcast Employes & Technicians had until last Friday to submit various memoranda to arbitrator George Meany, president of the AFL-CIO, to support their respective positions on their dispute governing instructions to technical crews working on NBC-TV programs [At Deadline, Personnel Relations, Nov. 11]. Both unions indicated they would have their briefs in Mr. Meany's hands by the deadline and have pledged to abide by the outcome of arbitration. At a meeting with the unions on Tuesday, Mr. Meany said a decision would be issued "shortly" after he received the memoranda. The dispute began the weekend of Nov. 1-2 when RTDG decided to implement a right it claims it has in its contract to give instructions on programs directly to NABET crewmen without liaison with NABET technical directors. By tradition, for more than 10 years, directors had operated through technical directors at NBC-TV. On Nov. 8, RTDG personnel walked off NBC-TV programs, charging a "lockout" because the network asked directors to operate under the conventional system. The following day, an agreement was reached to submit the dispute to arbitration and to continue the traditional system of operation until the arbitrator's decision is announced. Chicago AFM Local Nominates Petrillo for New Five-Year Term James C. Petrillo was a shoo-in last week for a new five-year term as president of the American Federation of Musicians Local 10, Chicago, starting next Jan. 14. Approximately 300 of Local 10's 12,000 members attended a meeting for nomination of officers. Mr. Petrillo, who has been president of the AFL-CIO American Federation of Musicians 1 7 years, was renominated Wednesday without opposition with his election a mere formality. Mr. Petrillo disclosed he makes $20,000 a year as head of the parent musicians union and $26,000 as head of Local 10. He said he favors regulation for proper control of international and local union treasuries to "prevent misuse of dues." Mr. Petrillo, vice president of the AFL-CIO, also favors other corrective labor laws, including proposed legislation on pension and welfare funds. WCKY Charges Secondary Boycott Unfair labor charges have been filed by WCKY Cincinnati against the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists and its Cincinnati local, according to the National Labor Relations Board. The station charges AFTRA is causing a secondary boycott through transcription firms which service WCKY. Seven announcers, members of AFTRA, have been on strike since Aug. 28. Earlier, the union filed an unfair labor charge against the station but withdrew it Sept. 18. Page ,102 • November 18, 1957 Broadcasting