Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1963)

Collins, Henry on ETV NAB President LeRoy Collins and FCC Chairman E. William Henry appear with John F. White, president of National Educational Television, on the one-hour Open Mind program on wnbc-tv New York on Jan. 26. The program, which was taped in New York a fortnight ago, is devoted to a discussion on '"Educational Television in a Commercial World.'* Dr. Eric Goldman of Princeton University is moderator of Open Mind. solve the station's financial problems, suggesting that perhaps the economic difficulties spring from its programing policy, not location. Ksla-tv pointed out that kbmt also failed to offer proof that it had made programing studies for the new area it would serve. Kpac-tv also raised the question and added that in its opinion kbmt has failed to meet its promised quota of local live programing in its present locale. In its application kbmt said that it could possibly increase local programing if it could increase revenues. ABC Radio adds six new affiliates ABC Radio last week reported forthcoming Jan. 1 affiliations for six independent stations: kudl Kansas City, Mo., wabi Bangor, Me., wagm Presque Isle, Me., wpor Portland, Me., kgbc Galveston, Tex. and ktrm Beaumont, Tex. Signal strengths and frequencies for the stations: kudl, 5 kw daytime, 500 w night at 1380 kc; wabi, 5 kw at 910 kc; wagm, 5 kw at 950 kc; wpor, 1 kw daytime, 250 w night at 1490 kc; kgbc, 1 kw daytime, 250 w night at 1540 kc; and ktrm, 1 kw at 990 kc. KPFK(FM) hikes subscriptions Kpfk (fm) Los Angeles, which is supported by contributions from listeners and other interested individuals and organizations, has raised its annual subscription fee from $12 to $15 as the first step in a 1964 campaign to wipe out the station's "deficit dragon." The noncommercial station is owned by the Pacifica Foundation. In an open letter on the inside cover of the kpfk biweekly program bulletin for Dec. 23-Jan. 5, Jerome Shore, manager, writes: "This is one of many steps we plan to take in 1964 to solve our gnawing financial problems. Our constant pleas for funds have been all too apparent. Monthly expenses tend to ex BROADCASTING, December 30, 1963 ceed our normal monthly income. Vigorous efforts will be made to bring these items more into line. We have confidence that this can be done." Supreme Court gets two television cases The United States Supreme Court was asked last week to review two TV cases which involve allegations of improper off-the-record contacts with the FCC during consideration of the initial proceedings before the commission. Both had been pending review by the Supreme Court before, but had been returned to the lower court when ex parte scandals were uncovered by the House Legislative Oversight Committee. Seeking review are Sangamon Valley Television Corp. and the State of Illinois, on the FCC's 1957 action in removing channel 2 from Springfield, 111., and moving it to St. Louis and Terre Haute, Ind., and worz Orlando, Fla., on the FCC's 1957 grant of channel 9 in that city to wftv(tv) there. In the Sangamon case, it was charged that a principal of ktvi(tv) St. Louis had lobbied to have channel 2 moved from Springfield to that city and assigned to his station. In a rehearing, the FCC found that this was so, but held nevertheless to its original decision to deintermix Springfield by moving its sole VHF channel. The U. S. Court of Appeals in a split, 2-1 decision last June upheld the commission's reasoning. Petitions for rehearing en banc by the appeals court were denied last September and November. Sangamon and Illinois claim the FCC acted arbitrarily and capriciously in adopting, for the second time, an order deleting the only VHF channel from Springfield in contravention of the equitable distribution section of the Communications Act. (Sec. 307b). In the Orlando channel 9 case, worz is appealing from an appeals court order of last July which did not reverse the FCC but ordered it to hold an oral argument taking into account allegations that a principal of wftv had talked to the late Commissioner Richard A. Mack during the original comparative hearing which resulted in the grant to wftv in 1957. The court in a per curiam ruling then said also that questions regarding the qualifications of worz principals should be considered. It refused a plea for a rehearing en banc last September. Worz claims that in the original hearing and again in the rehearing on the ex parte charges the commission majority reversed its own examiners and that FCC seems destined to reaffirm its early rulings favoring wftv. The commission has ordered the oral argument to be held March 2, 1964. if you were a You'd have the biggest news show on radio with an hour and a half of complete, in-depth reports ... a fresh approach to news programming. For the morning drive time, NEWSCOPE, featuring three back-to-back half hours of constantly up-dated, authoritative information from around the corner and around the world. Nothing really new for WFAA, the 41-year-old giant of Southwest broadcasting . just a new format to make sure our folks are ear-witnesses to history. The kind of things Texans are accustomed to hearing from WFAA. The news sound for the Southwest. Want to feel like a Texan . . . and impress Texans? 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