Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

Flint's direct line to sales Party Line With Betty Clarke Meet Betty Clarke, WFDF's moderator with the "mostess." Listeners, that is. Loyal listeners use her Party Line show to solve their own household problems. It's all done on the air with live phone responses from the Party Line ladies who have answers ready for the questions Betty's fans call in on the same show. If what you sell appeals to women, get on the Party Line for direct sales now. WFDF FLINT, MICHIGAN 5,000 WATTS at 910 The Katz Agency line is always open . . . phone for complete details GOVERNMENT continued Air Space Panel's recommendation for FCC approval to construct a 1,043-foot tower for its ch. 8 outlet in Moline, should it receive the grant [Government, Dec. 9J. Conelrad Converted For 1 958 Storm Duty Last spring and summer's destructive tornadoes and hurricanes in the Gulf Coast and Plains States graphically demonstrated that a more efficient method is needed to warn the public of approaching storms. The FCC, the Weather Bureau, the Air Force and stations, such as KMOX St. Louis and WOAI San Antonio, immediately thought of the nation's tailor-made attack warning network — Conelrad — which had been lying practically fallow. And, just 10 days ago [At Deadline, Dec. 9], the Commission amended its rules to permit all broadcast stations to use Conelrad to alert the public of approaching turbulent weather, effective Jan. 6. Comr. Robert E. Lee, FCC civil defense head, indicated such a move was being planned at the NARTB convention last April. Adding fuel to the proposal, KMOX submitted an elaborate plan to the FCC for using Conelrad in weather emergencies. The method was devised by KMOX's operations engineer. Larry Burrows, after the Midwest and Southwest had been hit by a series of tornadoes last spring. Conelrad participation is now mandatory for all broadcast, public safety, industrial, land transportation and experimental stations, while all other radio services are subject to Conelrad participation on a voluntary basis. Several hundred licensees have Conelrad alert receivers which are tuned to one of the 24 hour-a-day skywave key stations. Under the new plan, the meteorologist in charge of the U. S. Weather Bureau will initiate the emergency weather warnings. The key stations then would activate Conelrad receivers which always are turned on with the speaker normally muted until activated by a special attention signal (two 5-second carrier breaks and 15 seconds of a distinctive tone). The speaker then would receive Conelrad warnings, which in the case of weather information can be rebroadcast. In broadcasting Conelrad warnings, am, fm and tv stations take the following steps: (a) discontinue normal programming, (b) cut the transmitter carrier approximately five seconds (sound carrier only for tv stations), (c) return carrier to air for approximately five seconds, (d) cut again for five seconds, (e) return to the air, (f) broadcast 1,000 cycle steady tone for 15 seconds and (g) broadcast the emergency weather warning. The Commission stressed that stations will be permitted to participate in the storm warning during regular broadcast hours only, stating that "nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing a daytime only or limited time station to operate during unauthorized hours." As originally established, Conelrad was to be used only in the case of an enemy attack to prohibit enemy planes or missiles from "homing in" on a station's signal. Broadcast stations, on an Air Force alert, Page 66 • December 16, 1957 Broadcasting