NAEB Newsletter (Apr 1957)

► What is design? A TV series presented by the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago is attempt¬ ing to answer this question by showing its influence in areas ranging from contemporary shelters to por¬ table boats. The seven-week series is being presented over WBBM-TV’s new Orbit show every Saturday through April 13. "Authors and American Thought," a program series showing the influence of American literature on the thought of our nation, is being presented over WILL, University of Illinois radio station. Selecting books for the 13-week series are (I. to r.) Kevin Wheeler, WILL Production Supervisor; Dr. Robert W. Rogers, Professor of English and Acting Head of the Depart¬ ment; and Dr. Edward H'. Davidson, Professor of English. ► The Social Security Administration has released a new documentary radio series titled “The Unfore¬ seen.” The 14 transcribed programs present Ray¬ mond Massey in interviews with some of the almost 10 million people who are receiving old-age and sur¬ vivors benefits Under the social security law. These people tell in their own voices their own stories, including the times when social security pro¬ vided a weapon against “the unforeseen.” Each pro¬ gram includes a closing word of advice on social security by the Commissioner of Social Security. ^ Julie Harris, Ed Begley and Janies Daly per¬ formed exclusively for ETV audiences March 11 as dramatic readers on “Literature: The American Scene,” one of the five series of ETV programs pre¬ sented live from New York by NBC and the ETRC. House Speaker Sam Rayburn, Justice Harold H. Burton and Senator J. William Fulbright also ap¬ peared on the series called “American Government: Pursuit of Happiness.” This series began March 14. TV TECHNICAL TIPS NO. 31 —Cecil S. Bidlack, NAEB TV Engineer This column is being written on the road in order to meet the deadline. It seems each month the deadline dates move closer together. Perhaps it is because it takes a while to get the Newsletter into print, and by the time it’s out, copy for the next one is due. # * * # I have been honored by membership on Panel 4 (Propagation Data) of the TV Allocations Study Or¬ ganization. TASO’s function is limited to technical study, fact finding and investigation, and interpreta¬ tion of technical data. This information will be made available to the FCC so the Commission may be able to determine the soundest approach to TV channel allocations. Panel 4 held its first meeting in Washing¬ ton on March 13, with 20 of the 26 members present. The standardization of field strength measure¬ ments is one of the first objectives under study by the panel. The Association of Maximum Service Tele¬ casters now has two mobile field strength measuring units in operation. Two other units, a CBS unit and a Westinghouse unit, will soon be in the field. UHF transmission is also of primary concern; however, VHF measurements are also needed' over different types of terrain. Please contact me if you have field strength data available. * * * * The Institute of Radio Engineers held its annual Convention in New York March 18-21. Fifty-five technical sessions were held during this period, rang¬ ing in topics from airborne radar to ultrasonics. The radio engineering show filled four floors of the New York Coliseum with 840 exhibitors taking part. From an organization of radio engineers having its beginning in 1912, the IRE now has grown to 55,494 members. Due to this growth, 24 professional groups have been formed which cover specialized fields of interest. For instance, most radio and TV engineers will be found in the Professional Group on Broadcast Transmission Systems. * * * * I can’t close this column without mention of a visit to Boston. While there, I watched the program¬ ming of W T GBII-TV for two evenings. Many times when visiting ETV stations, I am unable to watch a station’s programming for various reasons; and I was impressed by the smoothness of WGBH-TV opera¬ tions, and the contrast of its programming with that of commercial stations. Sometimes this contrast is not too evident with educational programming. Per¬ haps we may pattern too much after commercial TV production. APRIL, 1957