NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

WBBM APPEALS WGN GRANT Station WBBM, Chicago, this week filed an appeal in the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia against the decision of the Federal Radio Commission in granting WGN, Chicago, a power increase to 50,000 watts. WBBM claims that the in¬ creased power increases economic competition in the Chicago area. RECOMMENDS AGAINST KMLB APPLICATION Station KMLB, Monroe, La., applied to the Radio Commission for permission to change the transmitter location, to increase its power from 100 to 250 watts and change its time from unlimited time to specified hours. In Report No. 528 this week George H. Hill (e) recommended that the application be denied. The Examiner found that the granting of this application would result in interference at night with station WOW. He also found that “there is no showing that the increase of power and the re¬ duction of hours of operation requested would serve the public interest.” OPPOSES SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION Stations WOKO, Albany, N. Y., WHEC, Rochester, N. Y., WCAH, Columbus, Ohio, and WHP, Harrisburg, Pa., all applied to the Radio Commission for authority to operate simultaneously, day and night, on 1430 kilocycles. Also Station WCAH re¬ quested an increase in daytime power from 500 to 1,000 watts. Station WFEA, Manchester, N. H., was constructed under ex¬ perimental terms issued by the Commission and sought authority to operate on a regular basis on 1430 kilocycles. In Report No. 527, this week Ralph L. Walker (e) recom¬ mended that the applications of Stations WOKO, WHEC, and WCAH be denied; that the application of WHP be granted for unlimited time, except the hours specified in the license of Sta¬ tion WBAK. He also recommended that the application of Sta¬ tion WFEA for license be granted. WBT AND WHAS GET POWER INCREASES Stations WBT, Charlotte, N. C., and WHAS, Louisville, Ky., bad their power increased from 25,000 to 50,000 watts by a decision of the Radio Commission handed down on Friday. Hearings in both of these cases were heard before the full membership of the Com¬ mission on November 22. WBT operates on a frequency of 1080 kilocycles, while WHAS is on 820 kilocycles. It was found by the Commission in its WBT decision “that the applicant is qualified and able to operate Station WBT with 50 kilowatts power in such manner as to serve public interest,” and also “that the operation of Station WBT with 50 kilowatts power will result in a more efficient use of the frequency of 1080 kilo¬ cycles.” In connection with its decision in the case of WHAS, the Com¬ mission found that this station also would be able to operate in a more efficient manner with 50,000 watts and that “no appreciable increase in interference may reasonably be expected to develop from the operation of Station WHAS with 50 kilowatts power.” WIRED RADIO BRINGS SUIT Wired Radio. Inc., is reported to have brought suit for infringe¬ ment of patents against WFBE, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. The suit was filed September 26, 1933, in the United States Court of the Southern District of Ohio, and alleges infringement of certain patents covering crystal control circuits. UNLICENSED STATIONS PROSECUTED The Commission this week announced that convictions have been obtained in several cases in the Federal courts of Texas involving the operation of broadcasting stations without benefit of licenses from the Federal Radio Commission. Curry Jackson, of Abilene, Tex., was sentenced to ten days in prison for operating without a station license and for operating without an operator’s license. Fred Bitterman and Albert Cox were convicted on similar charges at Waco, Tex. It is reported that a number of the remaining unlicensed stations in Texas have ceased operation. FEDERAL RADIO COMMISSION ACTION HEARING CALENDAR Thursday, December 14, 1933 WBBX — Coliseum Place Baptist Church, New Orleans, La. — Invol¬ untary assignment of license, 1200 kc., 100 watts, share with WJBW. WBBX — Samuel D. Reeks, New Orleans, La. — C. P., 1200 kc., 100 watts, share with WJBW. WBBX — Samuel D. Reeks, New Orleans, La. — Renewal of license, 1200 kc., 100 watts, share with WJBW. Wednesday, December 13, 1933 Oral Argument Before Commission en banc KECA — Earle C. Anthony, Inc., Los Angeles. — Modification of license, 780 kc., 1 KW, unlimited time, (faculties of KTM and KELW). Present assignment, 1430 kc., 1 KW, un¬ limited. NEW — Don Lee Broadcasting System, Redlands, Cal. — C. P., 780 kc., 500 watts, unlimited time (facilities of KTM and KELW) . KFBK — James McClatchy Company, Sacramento, Cal. — C. P., 1430 kc., 500 watts, unlimited time (facilities of KTM and KELW). Present assignment: 1310 kc., 100 watts, unlim¬ ited time. KTM— Pickwick Broadcasting Corp., Los Angeles. — Voluntary as¬ signment of license to Evening Herald Publishing Co., 780 kc., 500 watts, 1 KW LS, shares with KELW. KTM— Pickwick Broadcasting Corp., Los Angeles. — Renewal of license, 780 kc., 500 watts, 1 KW LS, shares with KELW. KELW — Magnolia Park, Ltd., Burbank, Cal. — Voluntary assign¬ ment of license to Evening Herald Publishing Co., 780 kc., 500 watts, shares with KTM. KELW — Magnolia Park, Ltd., Burbank, Cal. — Renewal of license, 780 kc., 500 watts, shares with KTM. APPLICATIONS GRANTED First Zone NEW — The Northern Corp., Chelsea, Mass. — Granted C. P. for new station, 1500 kc., 100 watts night, 250 watts day, un¬ limited time. WHAZ — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N. Y. — Granted authority to remain silent December 25 and January 1, on account of Christmas and New Year’s holidays. WAGM — Aroostook Broadcasting Corp., Presque Isle, Maine. — Granted C. P. to move transmitter locally and make slight changes in equipment. WOL — American Broadcasting Co., Washington, D. C. — Granted license covering changes in equipment, 1310 kc., 100 watts, unlimited. WQDM— A. J. St. Antoine and E. J. Regan, St. Albans, Vt. — Granted license, 1370 kc., 100 watts, specified hours. Second Zone None. ■ Page 248 ■