NBC Transmitter (Jan 1943-Sept 1944)

NOVEMBER 1943 5 TELEVISION'S WARTIME ROLE Royal and Menser Announce Plan for Sports Telecasts to Hospitalized Servicemen • NEW YORK.— Wounded soldiers and sailors in hospitals in and around New York City, Schenectady and Philadelphia are to be entertained with special NBC television broadcasts of major sports events and spectacles taking place in Madison Square Garden. Plans for this new television service, arranged in cooperation with Army and Navy medical authorities, were announced by John F. Royal, NBC vice-president in charge of international relations, television and short-wave, and Clarence L. Menser, vice-president in charge of programs. John T. Williams, of NBC’s television department, is in charge of the project. Television receivers have already been installed by NBC in the Halloran General Hospital, Staten Island, and the United States Naval Hospital, St. Albans, New York. Other installations will be made as quickly as possible at the Tilton General Hospital, Fort Dix, New Jersey; the United States Naval Hospital at the Brooklyn Navy Yard; the Navy Convalescent Hospital. Harriman. New York, and possibly one other institution. Because of the shortage of television receivers (none has been made for civilian use since the war began) NBC officials have presented their own personal sets to hospitals for the use of the wounded service men. The first television program for the wounded men, over NBC Station WNBT, was the rodeo direct from Madison Square Garden on October 25. George Putnam, well known news announcer, acted as master of ceremonies. Under arrangements made with Ned Irish, manager of Madison Square Garden, NBC plans to televise track meets, basketball and hockey games and other sports events originating at the Garden from time to time. Arrangements were completed by Royal. Menser and Williams with Colonel C. M. Walson, of the Medical Corps, Second Service Command, and Naval Lieutenant Willard B. Stone, District Welfare-Recreation Officer. “Your interest in providing a program DOING ITS BIT -The famous NBC television antenna atop the Empire State Building is note used for sight and sound programs to hospitalized soldiers and sailors. of entertainment for wounded service men in the hospitals by installation of television equipment without expense to the Government is deeply appreciated, ' Colonel Walson informed NBC. “Needless to say, the entertainment which you propose will bring much comfort and cheer to our wounded soldiers.'7 Similar appreciation was expressed by Lieutenant Stone on behalf of the Navy. This newr series for wounded service men marks the second major public service undertaking by NBC’s television department. The first was the training of 148,000 New1 York City air raid wardens who were required to obtain their primary basic training through television lessons. Plans are now under way for a third project, which will utilize NBC television in the training of 180.000 fire guards for the city of New York. The television area reached by the programs for the wounded men will extend approximately 75 miles from Radio City, with rebroadcasts through WPTZ. the Philco station in Philadelphia, and WRGB, the General Electric station in Schenectady. At least one receiver will be installed in each hospital until the service is under way, after which as many more instruments will be installed as NBC is able to obtain. In a statement issued several weeks ago. Niles Trammell, NBC president, outlined the company’s attitude toward television and announced the creation of a committee to formulate plans for NBC’s post-war expansion of the art. Trammell said that essential technological studies and surveys of the problems involved are to be initiated at once and conclusions held in readiness for the first days of peace. “As a supplement to present National Broadcasting Company service,” said Trammell, “television promises much as a new dimension in entertainment, education and advertising. The planning committee consists of John F. Royal, as chairman; William S. Hedges, vice-president in charge of stations departments; O. B. Hanson, vicepresident and chief engineer, and C. L. Menser. John T. Williams was named secretary. The committee is coordinating its activities with the research work of the Radio Corporation of America laboratories at Princeton, New' Jersey, and w ith the television development plans of RCA s manufacturing division. Currently, NBC is operating its Empire State Building television transmitter four hours weekly: Mondays, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., and 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., EWT. Programming is under the direction of NBC s program department with Williams and his staff reporting to Menser. NEWS PROGRAM GOES "POP” • MILWAUKEE. WIS. Don Stanley, news commentator for WTMJ. had his listeners mumbling to themselves recently when he read, verbatim, an AP dispatch from the WTMJ new s room. I he item stated that Washington is considering the draft of “childless fathers. With General Hershey’s frequent new developments fresh in their minds, bewildered Milwaukeeans deluged the WTMJ phones to find out whether they came under this latest and rather startling classification.