NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1945)

this prediction in his letter of resignation to President Truman. Davis’ resignation was accepted, and the Presi¬ dent designated Neil Dalton, director of the OWI domestic branch as acting head of the entire agency, now in process of liquidation. Lewis G. Cowan, chief of OWI overseas branch New York office, also resigned. In accepting Mr. Davis’ resignation, President Truman’s letter to him said in part: “I know you took a thankless job when dark days were ahead. I know also that you made a great personal sacri¬ fice to serve the nation in its hour of need. As part of your reward, you have received more than your share of brickbats. But it is my firm conviction that you deserve the thanks of the nation for a job well done.” OWI Boquet to Broadcasters In a letter dated September 17, addressed to station and program managers of 68 stations in New York and New Jersey, Harry C. Levin, regional chief of station relations division of OWI, praised the wholehearted and efficient manner in which broadcasters cooperated with govern¬ ment agencies through the OWI allocation during the war. Said Mr. Levin: “Without your generous, never-failing help, the U. S. Government, in the person of the OWI Domestic Radio Bureau, could not have done the job of informing the people of New York City and vicinity, about the important and often crucial home front tasks that had to be done, before we could win this war. “Uncle Sam doesn’t hand out ribbons or citations to civilians. They go to the men and women who fought the good fight in uniform. But I hope you’ll take indi¬ vidual and personal satisfaction in having an equal and important part in winning that fight.” NEW STATE DEPARTMENT UNIT TAKES OVER OW! FOREIGN ACTIVITIES A permanent agency to tell the American story abroad and promote world freedom of information was established yesterday by the State Department. Secretary of State Byrnes formally created the Office of International Information and Cultural Affairs, with these announced objectives: 1. The coordination and direction of the formulation of policy and the taking of action in the field of international information and cultural affairs. 2. Development of policies and programs promoting freedom of information among peoples. 3. The furtherance of international interchanges of persons, knowledge, and skills with other countries. 4. Coordination of the programs and activities of other Federal agencies in the international interchanges of per¬ sons, knowledge, and skills with over-all United States foreign policy. The new agency will begin operations January 1. Until then, foreign news services formerly operated by the Of¬ fice of War Information and the Office of InterAmerican Affairs, will be handled by a State Department agency known as the Interim International Information Service. The interim service will be directed by Ferdinand Kuhn, Jr., former New York Times editor and reporter. He also will be acting director of the permanent agency for the time being. ASSOCIATED NET LAUNCHED-PORTER SPEAKS America’s fifth network, the Associated Broadcasting Corporation, went on the air at 2 p.m., Sunday Sept. 16, 1945, with a christening address by Chairman Paul A. Porter of the Federal Communications Commission. Mr. Porter spoke from the studios of WWDC, Washington. In all, thirteen programs originated in the studios of WWDC on the opening day of the new network. Associated officials were hosts at a reception, which had as guests representatives of radio, press, Congress, the FCC and other Government agencies. Mr. Porter launched the new network by sounding a small chime before delivering his address. The chime, mounted upon a desk set, was presented to him as a memento of the occasion. It carried the following in¬ scription: The first, sound heard over the Associated Broad¬ casting Corporation network from coast to coast was the tone sounded by this chime — rung by Paul A. Porter, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, at 2 p.m. EWT, September 16, 1945. Chairman Porter’s address inaugurating Associated as a network follows in full: “Today, the great supremacy of this country in the field of radio broadcasting is augmented by the inauguration of a fifth national network. “Looking over the nation’s vast array of broadcasting facilities that give us that leadership we find that our lis¬ teners are now served by 934 standard broadcasting sta¬ tions, and 22 others are under construction. Moreover, 180 applications for licenses to construct additional stations are on file with the Commission. There are 60,000,000 receiving sets in our homes. Great as this system is, the progress made to date has really been only a beginning. A new and even greater era in broadcasting is dawning with the forthcoming development of nationwide systems of Frequency Modulation and Television. “The speed with which Frequency Modulation — FM— the static free high fidelity type of broadcasting, may be expected to move forward to supplement and maybe ulti¬ mately supplant our present system is indicated by the fact that 500 companies or individuals already have ap¬ plied to the FCC for licenses and more are expected in the next few months. The erection of transmitters and the manufacture of receiving sets will proceed as rapidly as men and materials become available. In a few years we will find the number of commercial FM stations outstrip¬ ping the existing AM stations. “Television today is really only an infant, there being six commercial stations on the air — with not more than 7000 receiving sets in place. But in the near future we have every reason to believe that television will be re¬ ceived in tens of thousands of homes. And ultimately we can expect color television with high definition pictures. “The formation of a new network at this time by the Associated Broadcasting Corporation is consistent with our spirit of progress. It is a symbol of the American determination to face the post-war period not timidly but with the courage to push on to new goals of achievement. Coming as it does with the echoes of the war still ringing in our ears and with no blueprint of the future neatly spread out before us, this event is in line with the finest traditions of the American spirit of enterprise. “But this new network will of course be more than a symbol of the reconversion period. We are assured that it will be an effective instrument in the nation’s job to con¬ vert from war to the pursuits of peace. It is true that the end of the war finds us in a favorable condition not rivalled by any other large nation. Our homeland is un¬ ravaged. Our productive capacity has mushroomed. Our merchant ships have grown from a few to great fleets. Our airplanes girdle the globe. “On the other hand, the aftermath of war throws the shadow of unemployment over the land. We must deal frankly and effectively with that problem or face the pos¬ sibility of widespread economic disruption. “There is no lack of work to be done in the challenging adventure of building a better America. Besides the ac¬ cumulated demand for goods that our factories can pro¬ duce, there is a real need to strengthen our nation by raising health and educational standards, improving hous¬ ing facilities, expanding foreign trade and many other things. (Continued on next page) September 21, 1945-417