Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1962)

experience," he said. The majority decision, he said, does not provide the FCC with the opportunity to make an overall review of Westinghouse because license periods are staggered geographically. The Westinghouse stations renewed include WBZAM-FM-TV Boston; KYW-AM-FM-TV Cleveland; KDKAAM-FM-TV Pittsburgh; WJZ-TV Baltimore; WOWO Ft. Wayne, Ind.; KEXAM-FM Portland, Ore., and WIND Chicago. Not renewed was WBZA Springfield, Mass., which duplicates the programs of WBZ. That operation is under study because of questions raised when WBC contracted to purchase KLAC Los Angeles. The KLAC purchase proposal has been canceled but the FCC is still looking into charges that WBZA is a mere satellite of WBZ and provides no local service for Springfield. Still pending at the commission are renewal applications for General Electric's WGY-WGFM (FM) and WRGB (TV) Schenectady, N. Y. (Broadcasting, Feb. 12). GE, which is the direct licensee of its stations, was found guilty in the same antitrust conspiracy as Westinghouse. 'Gentleman's agreement' cited A Puerto Rico radio station last week asked the FCC to enforce a "gentlemen's agreement" which its four owners claim was part of the purchase of 50% interest in the station. WMNT Manati, P. R., asked the If the American public is dissatisfied with programming, why doesn't it let broadcasters know? Members of the National Council of Women of the United States, meeting at an all-day conference on broadcasting in New York, Feb. 27, were urged by radio-tv spokesmen to write or call the nearest station with constructive suggestions for the improvement of programming standards. A speakers' panel agreed the public must lend a hand if program quality is to be uplifted. It included Louis Hausman, director, Television Information Office; James Hagerty, ABC vice president for news, special events and public affairs; Frank J. Shakespeare Jr., vice president and assistant to the president of CBS-TV, and Irving Gitlin, executive producer, creative projects, NBCTV. Other conference speakers were Ralf Brent, president of WRUL Scituate, FCC to deny the application of Raul Santiago Roman for a new radio station in nearby Vega Baja, P. R. The four co-owners of WMWT submitted affidavits claiming that when they paid Mr. Roman $40,000 for his 50% interest in WMNT, each of them had the understanding that $20,000 was for the radio property and another $20,000 was for Mr. Roman's agreement not to compete in the Manati area for five years. The transfer of control was approved in August 1961, but the FCC sale approval quoted by WMNT in its petition, makes no reference to an agreement not to compete. Hayes urges raising of 50 kw ceiling CBS Radio has urged the House of Representatives to free the FCC from the inhibiting effect of a 24-year-old Senate resolution that requested the commission to limit radio stations to 50 kw power. Network president Arthur Hull Hayes said that the House, through a resolution, could also recommend that the commission reconsider its decision to duplicate 13 of the 25 clear channels. Higher power for the clears would be better than duplication as a solution to the problem of expanding nighttime service to rural areas, Mr. Hayes said. But, he added, the commission has been reluctant to consider it be PROGRAMMING . Mass., international short-wave station; William G. Harley, president, National Assn. of Educational Broadcasters, and Dr. S. Franklin Mack, executive director of the Broadcasting & Film Commission of the National Council of Churches of Christ, U.S.A. Moderators were Frank Blair, NBC News, and Harry Reasoner, CBS News. Leadership ■ In an address during the morning session, Mr. Hausman said: "In your positions of leadership and influence, you can encourage and stimulate your constituents to a steady and increasing demand for excellence." He suggested the council might list and recommend programs of special interest to members through organization bulletins. He also urged the women to be selective in tv viewing for themselves and their families. Mr. Hausman also expressed his belief that the broadcaster must serve all the people. Since it is a medium that cause of the resolution passed by the Senate in 1938. Mr. Hayes expressed his views in a letter to Rep. Morgan Moulder (DMo.), chairman of the House Communications Subcommittee, which is considering legislation that would bar the commission from implementing its clear-channel decision (Broadcasting, Feb. 19, Feb. 5). In contending the 1938 Senate resolution played a part in the FCC's clear channel decision, Mr. Hayes quoted several of the commissioners who referred to that resolution in their testimony before the House subcommittee. And he noted that FCC Chairman Newton N. Minow had said that the commission would welcome an expression of congressional opinion on the question of higher power. Mr. Hayes said the economic, social and political considerations that may have prompted the Senate to request a 50 kw power limit in 1938 no longer prevail, and "the unnecessary limitation" should be removed. He suggested that this be done through a resolution. But although the inhibiting resolution was passed by the Senate, he submitted draft language for one to be acted on by the House. The resolution would put that body on record not only as favoring higher power, where deemed desirable by the FCC, but as suggesting that the commission reconsider its clear-channel decision in light of the removal of the 50 kw ceiling. everyone can share, broadcasting must "interest the uninterested, as well as serve those already interested," he declared. But revolutionary change in tv programming content is impossible, he said, because of the diversity of public tastes, freedom to choose and the natural limitations of creativity. Fundamental to long-range improvement of tv is the need for a more discriminating audience. Mr. Hausman felt, however, that as society in general progresses toward excellence, so will tv. Ralf Brent offered the facilities of WRUL to the women to implement a program to educate and inform people throughout the world. Irresponsibility ■ Dr. Mack said he feels the viewing public is "guilty of irresponsibility" when it does not demand better programming and does not applaud the good shows it has seen. He said the public must "mobilize discriminative support for as well as against." More public concern and balanced criticism are prerequisites to better programming, he said. While on the subject of the use of communications satellites in broadcast 'Your opinions count' women's group told BROADCASTERS URGE CRITICISM FROM PUBLIC EG BROADCASTING, March 5. 1962