NAEB Newsletter (Nov 1957)

TV TECHNICAL TIPS —Cecil S. Bidlack On September 19, the FCC amended Part 3 of its Rules and Regulations to permit remote control op¬ eration of AM and FM transmitters (Docket 11677) including non-commercial educational FM stations. All stations may be operated remote control regardless of power or whether directional or not. Since 1953, the FCC has permitted remote control operation for AM and FM stations using not more than lOkw and omnidirectional antennas. The Commission has not changed the rule requiring a first class operator to be in charge of stations operating with a power in excess of lOkw and with directional antennas. Applications for remote control will be considered on a case to case basis and the applicant will be required to show that transmitters and directional antenna systems are stable and in proper adjustment. Information sub¬ mitted on stability will be obtained from an analysis of operating logs over a one year period and must in¬ clude an outline of the maintenance practice of the station and the policy to be followed after remote con¬ trol authorization. ***** On October 2, the FCC adopted Docket 11896 which deletes section 3.182 (c) and the first sentence of footnote 1 to the table contained in section 3.182 (v) of the rules. These sections, commonly called the “unique service” rules, provided that when it is shown that primary service is provided by any station be¬ yond its normally protected contour, and primary service to approximately 90% of the population of the area, between the normally protected contour and the contour to which the station serves, is not supplied by any other station or stations carrying the same gen¬ eral program service, the contour to which protection may be afforded will be determined on the facts in each case. Comments opposing this action were filed by WBAA, WILL, KOAC, KWSC, WOI and NAEB, stressing the importance of protecting the program service rendered by educational radio stations beyond these station’s normally protected contours and sug¬ gesting that if any action is called for the rules should not be abolished but should merely be clarified. In deleting the rules the FCC stated that present provisions were too vague and indefinite to be of as¬ sistance in filing and processing of applications for new and' improved standard broadcast facilities, that there was no satisfactory criteria for determining what constitutes the “same general program service” and that the “unique service” rule is an unsatisfactory allocation tool and should be dispensed with. The FCC also believes this amendment will encourage the establishment of more uniform, fixed allocation rules, thereby fostering a more effective AM broadcast ser¬ vice throughout the country. ***** The August 1957 edition of RCA Broadcast News contains an eight page article on the State University of Iowa television studio. The article features the use of the studio as a Teaching Center for the Iowa Closed Circuit Television Teaching Experiment. It is well illustrated and details the equipment used and shows cut-away views of the TV facilities. It might be helpful to our readers who are planning television facilities. ***** The Richmond Area University Center, Inc. Ellen Glasgow House, One West Main St., Richmond 20, Virginia is interested in purchasing a used 1 KW FM amplifier or transmitter for use at WRFK-FM. If you have this equipment for sale please contact Mr. Paul K. Keim at the above address. Vorce C. McIntosh has been appointed Chief Engineer, University TV and Radio, at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. He formerly was em¬ ployed as an engineer at WTTW. GE is featuring John Cullen, Chief Engineer of KRMA-TV Denver, in its camera tube advertising in the trade press. —N A E B— PLACEMENT SUPPLEMENT November I - Young woman, candidate for M.A. degree, with eight years of vocal and instrumental teaching ex¬ perience in public schools and small college, special training in ETV, seeks position in televised music education. Location Southwest or Florida. Salary open. November 2 - Young man, single, B.A., with thorough broad¬ casting background, desires position in radio or TV production. Would like to teach communication courses part-time. Location, salary open. November 3 - Male, 27, married, M.A., presently director of radio and TV training at eastern university, desires position with educational production agency or in¬ stitution station, prefers TV, willing to teach part- time. Experienced in directing, producing and writ¬ ing. Midwest if possible, will consider others. $5,000 to $6,000. November 4 - Male, 25, married, M.A., in speech (Radio-TV) has five years experience with ETV, writer, producer- director, film editor, music director-writer, would like to produce-direct series on American culture, popular music, Commission etc, Part-time teaching. Midwest, East or West. Salary open. NOVEMBER, 1957 7