Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

GOVERNMENT continued used in some locality, the frequency could be used by another service. Mr. Noble also called for a general study of all allocations, both government and nongovernment. The present allocations formula — where FCC decides civilian assignments and the Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Council the government channels — is "obsolete," Mr. Noble declared. Congress should order and direct such a study, he said, and the result should be a 20-year program. Electronic Industries Assn. has such a project under way. EIA's board of directors voted to sponsor such a massive spectrum re-evaluation last month. In an oblique reference to what was in many minds at the meeting, Francis Ryan, AT&T, showed a chart indicating that broadcasting has 60% of the spectrum space in the area between 25 mc and 890 mc, with government 25%; amateurs 4%; mobile and safety 3%; citizens radio 1%, and common carrier 1%. Edward W. Allen Jr., FCC chief engineer, stated the Commission has no plans to reassign any frequencies in its current 25-890 mc study, and that after studying the voluminous comments [Government, Dec. 2] the Commission decides to make any changes, notices of proposed rule-making would have to be issued, comments and rebuttals received, oral argument held and other safeguards followed. The panel was moderated by former FCC Comr. Edward M. Webster. The two-day meeting attracted 300 registrants, who heard more than a dozen papers on mobile equipment and systems. They also heard Curtis B. Plummer, chief of the FCC's Safety and Special Radio Services Bureau, on how the FCC operates in the vehicular field, and Warren E. Baker, FCC general counsel, on FCC procedures. It was agreed that mobile communications use would increase three to five times its present level (1 million authorizations, 200,000 applications yearly) in the next few years. Mobile Services use 30 mc, 40 mc, 150 mc and 450 mc bands. John J. Renner of Jansky & Bailey Inc., Washington communications engineers, was conference chairman. FCC Proposes Texas Ch. 1 1 Move The move of ch. 1 1 from Galveston to Houston was proposed by the FCC last week, with comments requested by Jan. 3, 1958. The Commission rulemaking was in response to a request by ch. 1 1 KGUL-TV [Government, Oct. 28], asking permission to put its main studio in Houston and maintain secondary facilities in Galveston. The cities are 21.5 miles apart, city limit-to-city limit, KGUL-TV said. Two years ago, the station received FCC permission to move its transmitter closer to Houston after vigorous objections on the part of Houston's KPRC-TV and KTRK (TV). KGUL-TV is 90% owned by J. H. Whitney & Co. Longer Moves to Enlist Support Of Both Houses in Pay Tv Fight In the latest move in his fight against pay tv, Sen. William Langer (R-N.D.) has sent a copy of the measure he plans to introduce next month to other senators and representatives asking them to support and cosponsor the bill banning pay tv. Sen. Langer's office said last week that the bill is designed to ban closed-circuit or wired pay tv such as the Bartlesville, Okla., operation and others in the planning stage. In seeking the support of other lawmakers, Sen. Langer cited the results of his own pay tv poll in Bartlesville [Program Services, Nov. 11], as well as several other polls [Editorial, Dec. 2, et seq.], all showing that a large majority of the public is against paying to watch a tv program. The bill would add a new section to the Communications Act of 1934, as follows: "Sec. 508 (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to impose or attempt to impose, either directly or indirectly, any toll, fee, subscription, or other charge on the general public for the privilege of viewing television programs in private homes until such person has been so authorized by the Commission subsequent to the date of the enactment of this section. "(b) The Commission shall not authorize or permit the imposing of any such toll, fee, subscription or other charges referred to in subsection (a) of this section until it is authorized to do so by a law enacted after the date of enactment of this section. . . ." Schildhause Returns to FCC Sol Schildhause, former chief of the FCC Broadcast Bureau's renewal branch, has returned to the Commission as a hearing attorney. He left the Commission in November 1956 to become manager of KOMA Oklahoma City, in which he had purchased 14.24% ownership. Last spring, Mr. Schildhause sold his stock to Meyer Feldman, one of five partners in the station [Stations, May 27]. Panel Approves Moline Tower The Air Space Panel of the Air Coordinating Committee last week recommended FCC approval for a 1,043 ft. abovepround tower to be built by Tele-View News Co., one of four applicants for ch. 8 Moline, 111. Tele-View News is owned by local businessmen, who have an interest in the publication of Tv Guide. The other applicants for the ch. 8 grant are Community Telecasting Corp., owned by Mel Foster (25% owner of KSTT Davenport, Iowa) and associates; Midland Broadcasting Co., owned by H. Leslie Atlass Jr. (40%) and others, and Illiway Television Inc., owned by Stanley H. Guyer (20%) and others. GE Held to Transmitter Limit The FCC has turned down a GE petition to permit fixed operational non-broadcast stations in the 72-76 mc band less than 10 miles from tv station transmitters on chs. 4 and/or 5. Present rules require 72-76 mc. Page 70 • December 9, 1957 Broadcasting