NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1945)

from 104-108 megacycles to 72-76 megacycles, and FM and television have been adjusted accordingly. The advan¬ tage of this change is that it makes possible immediately the use of all 13 television channels below 300 megacycles. Under alternative No. 3, as originally proposed, the entire 6 megacycle television channel between 72 and 78 mega¬ cycles could not be used until the aviation markers center¬ ing on 75 megacycles were moved. The non-government fixed and mobile services are not under the same disability. They can use the entire band between 72 and 76 mega¬ cycles at once, with the exception of approximately onehalf megacycle in the vicinity of 75 megacycles to protect the aviation markers. This shift of the non-government fixed and mobile services from 104-108 megacycles to 72-76 megacycles also results in a possible increase in the num¬ ber of channels available to the non-government fixed and mobile services, sinces a 40 kilocycle channel is adequate in the 72-76 me. portion of the spectrum, whereas a 50 kilocycle channel was proposed in the 104-108 megacycle region. Ground Wave Coverage Distance in Miles to 50 uv/m Contour Power: 1 kw 10 kw 50 kw Antenna Height: 200' 500' 1000' 200' 500' 1000’ 200’ 500' 1000' 46 me.: 40 52 65 56 67 82 67 80 95 95 me.: 43 56 68 57 68 83 68 81 92 According to the FMBI News Letter, President Walter J. Damm of FM Broadcasters, Inc., has called a special meeting of the FMBI Board in Chicago on July 10. Mr. Damm called the meeting as soon as the decision of the FCC was made known to him. It is expected that the FMBI Board, following the meeting, will release a public statement concerning the Association’s attitude on the allocation. FCC COMMENDS CASE The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday (26) adopted the following Minute: “Commissioner Norman S. Case, former Governor of Rhode Island, on June 30, 1945, will complete eleven years service on the Federal Communications Commission. “He was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was an original member of the Commission when it was constituted on July 11, 1934. Governor Case has endeared himself to his fellow commissioners, the staff, and all the employees by his warm personal qualities, in¬ tegrity and sense of fair play. “Uprightness of character, firmness of conviction and precision of thought have marked his conduct in the deliberations and decisions of the Commission. He has always had the confidence and the respect of those who have had matters before the Commission. “We who have been intimately associated with him through the years have appreciated his fairness in all matters and his consideration for the views of others. Our work with him has been a pleasure. We congratulate him on the completion of his long and honorable term of public service as a member of this Commission and extend to him our best wishes for his continued success in any activities he may undertake.” PARDON THE ERROR In last week’s NAB Reports, Page 246, there appears an article titled “ ‘Right-To-Work’ Law Upheld.” The word “Federal” in line two of paragraph one should have been “Florida.” We’re sorry. WAR DEPT. ASKS YOUR HELP Telephone calls, local and long distance, and the gather¬ ing of crowds, due to arrival of troops from overseas, are currently causing much confusion at Ports of Embarka¬ tion. To illustrate: When the Queen Mary arrival was an¬ nounced one day in advance, by radio and press, over 3,000 calls were received by the New York Port of Embarkation. Most of the questions asked about the troops were natu¬ rally unanswerable. Office, Chief of Transportation, has asked NAB, through channels, to transmit to member stations this request: That broadcast stations “amend each news story about the arrival of troops at any port with statements outlining the following: a) “the public should not telephone the Port. Arrivees will doubtless telephone their relatives the soonest. b) “the public must stay clear of the vicinity of piers or staging areas. c) “if no telephone call is received, individuals probably have not arrived. Units announced as returning are not necessarily arriving in their entirety.” SENATE UPS OWI BUDGET The Senate refused to follow the House lead in slashing funds for the Office of War Information. A budget of $39,670,215 was voted by the upper chamber for the next fiscal year. OWI asked $42,000,000 which was cut by the House Appropriations Committee to $35,000,000 and then by House vote to $18,000,000. The matter now goes to conference in an effort to recon¬ cile the differences between the two branches of Congress. ALMA KETCHELL NEW AWD PREXY Alma Kitchell, WJZ, New York, is the new President of the Association of Women Directors of NAB, it is an¬ nounced by Dorothy Lewis. A national radio figure, she will bring prestige to this fast growing and important radio organization. Other officers include four Vice-Presi¬ dents: Mildred Bailey, WCOP, Boston; Elizabeth Hart, WMAQ, Chicago; Gwendolyn Peacher, KNX, Hollywood, and Dorothy Lewis, NAB, New York. Secretary: Jane Dalton, Spartansburg, South Carolina, and Treasurer, Barbara Bates, WOW, Omaha. These women, all well known broadcasters, will seek to stimulate activities in their regions. INTERNATEONAL BROADCAST FOR "CANADA DAY IN ROCHESTER" Because of its international significance, NAB is report¬ ing herewith a more complete story of “Canada Day in Rochester.” This was but sketchily told in “Telling the World” folio of news items taken from No. 6 Reports. Climax to one of Rochester’s largest and by far most important events in this Seventh War Loan Drive was the international broadcast celebrating “Canada Day in Rochester.” William A. Fay, vice president of StrombergCarlson, in charge of broadcasting, and former general manager of WHAM, and John D. Hayes, president of Fanny Farmer, were chairmen of the affair. The broadcast, carried by CBC Trans-Canadian network and “Radio Rochester,” WHAM-WHEC-WSAY, was aired at 8:00 p. m., June 15. It consisted of congratulatory speeches by J. L. Ilsley, minister of finance of Canada, and Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Secretary of the Treasury. Music for the program was furnished by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Canadian Air Force Central Band, playing from Ottawa, Canada. Engineering pickups and relays played an important part in the broadcast. Secretary Morgenthau spoke from Poughkeepsie, N. Y. ; Finance Minister Ilsley’s talk came from Ottawa, through station CBL, Toronto, and the announcing and orchestra from Rochester. “Canada Day” brought to Rochester some of the out( Continued on next page) June 29, 1945-260