NBC Transmitter (Jan-Nov 1945)

10 NBC T ransmitter TELEVISION NETWORKS A NECESSITY TO ASSURE HIGH STANDARD SERVICE, ENGINEER CONTENDS NEW YORK.— Syndication of television programs via networks will be a necessity in order that the high cost of quality programming may be divided among many stations, Raymond F. Guy, NBC radio facilities engineer told 500 members of the Institute of Radio Engineers at a meeting held in Philadelphia December 7. Other speakers at the meeting, held in the auditorium of the Franklin Institute, were Allen B. DuMont, president of the Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, Inc., and David B. Smith, director of research of the Philco Corporation. Supporting his contention, Cuy pointed out that the American j)ublic is conditioned to good entertainment from motion pictures and that television will be expected to furnish program material of comparable stature. He recited instances where NBC pre-war dramatic j)roductions through WNBT had required 40 hours of rehearsal for one hour of broadcasting. Fifteen hours of these rehearsals were conducted before the television cameras with substantially a full program and technical staff in attendance. Guy prophesied that the studio staff required to produce a studio dramatic production might consist of a producer, an assistant producer, a scene designer, two stage hands, a sound technician on the micro])hone boom and one on the control console, one person for make-up, three camera technicians, one technical director, one camera dolly operator, an electrician and a supervisor. In some NBC productions, he added, especiallv-made motion pictures (on location) were sandwiched in the produetion, requiring camera men and projectionists. It was his opinion that affdiated network stations would find it very desirable to have a nucleus of first-rate network studio productions around which they could build their local programs, broadcast their news programs, local sporting events, etc. Coaxial cables or radio relays connecting radio stations, Guy suggested, might best be owned and operated by common carriers inasmuch as the facilities could be utilized during non-television time for other services, thereby keeping tbe facilities busy during tbe entire day with the attendant advantage of lower costs to individual users. Guy cited plans of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company to build an extensive coaxial cable network which is expected to be nationwide by 1948 to 1950. Using slides be showed the projected route of these circuits and illustrated how the present nucleus of nationwide networks is forming. The first transcontinental route will extend from Boston via New York, Washington, Charlotte, New Orleans and Los Angeles to San Franciseo with a number of branches. Circuits also will become available in tbe mid-West linking Washington, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Des Moines, etc. Cuy discussed the possibility of radio relays now under develojjinent ultimatelv carrying the burden of television traffic, and reviewed present plans of tbe American Telephone and Telegraph Comj)any to build an experimental network from New York to Boston utilizing frequencies from 1,900 to 12,000 m.c., and other similar projects under way. Expressing the opinion that there is no limit to what engineers can do, given sufficient time and money, he looked forward to the develo|)inent of tubes and other devices which would make possible simple and economical long-distance radio relays. Assuming the development of such tubes and devices, Guy then illustrated his conception of such a relay utilizing fre(juency modulation and straight-through amplifiers at each relay point. The hypothetical relay utilized parabolic reflector antennas, a wavelength of 5 centimeters and a 4.500-mile circuit with relays separated by approximately 30 miles. The cost of a two-way circuit over this distance he estimated at .$13,000,000. The speaker expressed his confidence in the further development of electronic devices that would make possible very satisfactory radio relays, meeting all the special requirements of the expanding television industry. AD MAN CONDUCTS Arthur Pryor, Jr., vice-president and radio director oj the Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborne advertising agency, recently took over the baton of Arthur Fiedler to conduct a rehearsal oj the “Sunday at 4:30“ orchestra over W BZ. Pryor, son oj the famous bandmaster, teas in Boston for the regular broadcast oj the 45-piece concert orchestra, and stepped into the role oj maestro so that Fiedler might listen to a selection from a remote section oj the Boston Opera House. Hospital Survey Reveals Video Programs Aid Vets NEW YORK. — Television broadcasts are of great interest and value in the psychiatric treatment and reconditioning of mentally ill patients, according to a staff report submitted to the commanding officer of one of the eight service hospitals near New York City, which have been equipped with television receivers. Wounded and ill servicemen, the re|)ort continued, enjoy all types of programs. In sports, they favor boxing over wrestling but dramatic productions also have wide GI appeal. According to figures supplied to NBC. the average audience per hospital television set is 35. At the present time, 55 sets, supplied through the cooperation of the General Electric Company, Radio Corporation of America, NBC, and public-spirited citizens have been installed in tbe hospitals. A typical week’s schedule of WNBT, all available to tbe hospitals, includes news, weather reports and variety features. While sports leads in servicemen’s favor, all television program topics capture Cl Joe’s interest.