NAEB Newsletter (Jan 1952)

-25- effectively throttled by a shortage of FM receivers. A similar shortage of UHF converters and all-band receivers would not only delay the development of a nation-wide television service but would also operate to the detriment of many prospective educational television licensees. Educators—Like Commercial—Telecasters Seek Large Audiences ,v For an educational television station in the UHF band to do a significant educational job it must have a large audience equipped with sets capable of receiving educational programs* While some educational programs such as in¬ classroom programs and formal courses on television might be said to appeal to a well-defined specialized audience, such important programs as those dealing with adult education are designed to meet the needs of the general audience. An educational television station therefore must be able to appeal to different interest segments of the total public. An educational television station in the UHF band will be able to attract a large audience only if large numbers of UHF converters and receivers are available to the.public. And the public will not be interested in such converters and receivers until after some UHF stations get into operation. ‘’The JCET believes, therefore, that the adoption of the recommendations of the Bar Association would greatly delay' not only the early development of the UHF band, but also the provision of a truly nation-wide television.service, and the growth of educational television stations in those cities in which UHF rather than W channels will be reserved for education.' 1 LANDIS BECOMES JCET COUNSEL The Joint Committee on Educational Television has named James M. Landis, New York at¬ torney, as its legal counsel in behalf of the nation’s educators in their efforts to have television channels reserved for educational use. Landis will be associated with Seymour Krieger in the absence of General Telford Taylor, counsel to the.JCET since November 1950, now Administator of the Small Defense Plants Administration. The switch in attorneys was announced simultaneously with the JCET report that close to one-fourth of the 1500 legal petitions for television channels were filed by educational groups. 552 colleges, universities, school systems and public service agencies have provided the Federal Communications Commission with written arguments in support of the 209 channels tentatively set aside by the Commission in March 1951* ’’This represents a major accomplishment cn the part of the educators,” says Landis* ’’They have acoepted the Commission’s challenge to state their intentions toward the utilization of reserved channels. I feel sure that the majority of the proposed reservations, ten per cent of those available, will be upheld in the Commission’s final plan, which is expected to be announced by February or March of next year.” JCET’s new counsel is well-known in both the academic world and in government) he was dean of the Harvard Law School from 1937 to 19^6, and has served as a member of the Federal Trade and Securities and Exchange Commissions. During World War II he was Director of Civil Defense and Economic Minister to the Middle East. He has law offices in New York and Washington. JCET Made Up of Seven Organizations The Joint Committee on Educational Television, partially financed by the Fund for Adult Education established by the Ford Foundation, is made up of seven educational