Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1963)

KWTV (TV) plans studio expansion A six-month. $450,000 studio expansion program has been announced by kwtv(tv) Oklahoma City. A 72 by 76 foot studio will be added, complete with transistorized broadcasting and recording equip ment. A separate control room and facilities will also be incorporated, according to Edgar T. Bell, executive vice president and general manager of the CBS affiliate. Kwtv, on channel 9, is licensed to Oklahoma Television Corp. lie service programing to meet the needs of the area with important or even vital morning information" because in some areas extreme seasonal changes in daylight hours may allow stations to sign on no earlier than 7:15 a.m. on the' eastern edge of a time zone and if on the western edge, as late as 8:45 a.m. Senator Hartke noted that with about 1,850 daytime stations in operation, approximately 40% of these are located in areas not receiving primary service from stations permitted unlimited operation. The senator announced before heading for a radio conference in Geneva last month that he intended to introduce this legislation upon his return (Broadcasting, Oct. 14). Applications filed for 6 Kentucky ETV's The Kentucky State Board of Education has filed six applications for UHF noncommercial educational stations in a further step toward establishing a statewide ETV network. The applications were for new stations on channel 17 in Bowling Green, channel 54 in Covington, channel 33 Hazard, channel 26 in Madisonville, channel 36 in Morehead, and channel 33 in Murray. Construction of the six outlets is estimated to cost $2,156,838. The first year's operating expense is estimated to be $123,200. The board of education also plans to file applications for channel 78 in Ashland and channel 14 in Pikeville. It has already filed for channel 46 in Lexington and channel 26 in Somerset. The only ETV station presently operating in Kentucky is wfpk-tv (ch. 15) Louisville. Wfpk-tv is licensed to the Louisville Free Public Library and it will not be part of the ETV network. Seattle conferees hear Hurley speak on ETV aid Educational TV interests from five Northwestern states met in Seattle last Friday (Nov. 8) with the subject of federal aid for ETV the primary topic of consideration. John Hurley, deputy assistant to the undersecretary of the Department of Health, Education & Welfare for ETV, explained the government program and how the various states could apply for financial aid. HEW has granted five applications for federal funds and 33 others currently are pending. The money, granted on a matching basis, may be used either for the construction of a new station or improvement of an existing outlet. Participating in the Seattle conference were representatives from Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Alaska. Mr. Hurley is a former broadcaster and Washington attorney for NBC. Broadcaster litigation may go to local courts A bill that would permit broadcasters to appeal FCC actions to U. S. courts of appeal located where they reside or do business instead of in Washington was introduced by Representative Robert T. Ashmore (D-S.C.) last week. Representative Ashmore said "the right of the appellant to make his appeal within the area in which he resides or maintains his business is fundamental. . . . The right should not be denied because an agency is involved." A broadcaster who has fought an extensive FCC appeal battle through the courts and the commission for many years, and who has sought this change in the law, was in Washington last week and, as a constituent of Representative BROADCASTING, November 11, 1963