Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

SI lOUK NBC TELEVISION NETWORK (AS OF JAN 12, 1949) COMPLETION OF THE COAXIAL CABLE SPAN INDICATED BY THE DOTTED LINE LINKS THE EASTERN AND MIDWESTERN TELEVISION NETWORKS. TELEVISION NETWORKS JOIN Eastern and Midwestern Chains Linked January 12 Making NBC Programs Available to 15 Stations. WHKN President Truman takes his oath of office Janu- ary 20. millions of people from Bos- ton to St. Louis will be viewing the event, an accomplishment made possible by the completion on Jan- uary 12 of the coaxial cable link joining NBC's East Coast and Mid- west television networks. The new, interconnected network consists of fifteen stations, eight in the East and seven in the Mid- west. Another eight outlets, not yet connected by coaxial cable or microwave relay, will be serviced with kinescope recordings of major NBC television programs, bringing the total to 23. Of the 23 stations, five are owned and operated by the National Broadcasting Company. This is the limit of ownership permitted by the Federal Communications Commission for any one company. Four of these stations—in New York, Washington. Chicago and Cleveland—will be part of the inter- connected network. The fifth, in Hollywood, is operating, but will not be joined to the rest of the XBC network until a coast-to-coast con- nection is available at some time in the future. The remainder of the stations are independently owned affiliates of NBC. This constantly-expanding net- work is the outgrowth of two sta- tions existing in 1940, WNBT. New York, and WRGB, Schenectady. Television activity was brought to a standstill during the war, but since 1946 the development of video in the fields of set manufacture, programming and station and net- work construction, has been phe- nomenal. Joined by Cable and Relay NBC's East Coast network was expanded to include Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston. Richmond, and. very recently. Prov- idence. These stations are joined by coaxial cable or microwave relay. During this time, the Midwest web was taking form. NBC affiliates came into being in Buffalo, Detroit. St. Louis, Toledo and Milwaukoi. Linkage was completed betwiti. these stations, and on September 20, 1948, the NBC Midwest network was officially launched. Soon aft^ that, their number was increased 1 two, as NBC's owned and operated stations in Chicago and Cleveland began telecasting. Early in November the American Telephone and Telegraph Company notified NBC that service by coaxial cable between New York and Chi- cago would be available in January 1949. Unlike the East Coast con- necting cable, which NBC uses full- time, the cables that join both the individual Midwest stations and the main East-west link must be shared with the other networks. This, how- ever, is a temporary difficulty which is expected to be remedied as facili- ties increase. NBC was the first television broadcaster to develop a video net- work and continues to pioneer in networking its television shows. The role of a network in the de- velopment of the new medium is one of vital importance. Although in- dividual stations may operate with- out the aid of networks, they have found it especially difficult to pro- vide good program fare unless they are located in or near talent centers. Networking of programs, it has long been acknowledged, is the most practical way in which to get the highest quality program to the largest number of viewers at the lowest possible cost. Signal Corps Purchases 217 RCA Radar Units Two hundred and seventeen com- mercial-typo marine radar units have been purchased by the U.S. Signal Corps for installation aboard ships of the U..*n. Transport Service, according to an announcement by Walter A. Buck. President of Radio- marine Corporation of America. The units consist of the latest surface-search 3.2 centimeter com- mercial radars, and represent one of the largest single radar orders re- ceived by Radiomarine to date. Other government sales have in- cluded units to the U.S. Coast Guard. Armv Corps of Engineers and U.S. Navy. [28 RADIO AGE]