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'WASHINGTON WEEK
9 DECEMBER 1963
•^•^ Recent thumbs down on vhf drop-ins by the FCC was intended to get uhf
rolling — but are there enough industry shoulders to the wheel?
A planned meeting of the prime movers in the UHF Association for Competitive Television in the near future may turn up some answers — and some surprises.
Also expected in the near future, is an FCC crackdown on holders of uhf construction permits who have hiong back, let building deadlines slide. FCC is expected to warn inactives that CP's may be pulled in and given to applicants ready to light up a station.
(At this writing, Warner Bros, of Hollywood has just filed application with the FCC for uhf operation on channel 38 in Chicago, and channel 20 In Fort Worth, Texas.)
"A^ ACT itself may go out of business, leaving uhf to its own momentum.
A planned gathering of key members of ACT was cancelled during the November tragedy, and vp Thad H. Brown is in the process of trying to get another meet together. Purpose will be to survey the whole tihf situation, past and present, and also the role of the uhf association itself.
The FCC has ended a "crippling period of hesitance" by clearing the air on its intent to push for an 82-channel tv service, and the all-channel legislation will soon add its thrust to uhf. Brown feels that under these circumstances, ACT may have completed its emergency role.
ACT was never planned as a national broadcast association in competition with NAB. Brown points out that ACT was founded only because there was no one else to help uhf.
^^ ACT vice president Brown may bow out , now that his year of service
promised to the association is up.
Brown said last week that he had not made any definite decisions, but he will have to take a look at his own personal commitments at this time.
Judging by comment of some of the uhf brotherhood, any collapse of the organization — and also loss of a key man like Thad Brown — will be due to failure of members to take their share of association burdens.
Brown says his personal preference would be for a very loosely connected group, united "in spirit." He would like to see a Washington headquarters maintained for an emergency rallying point when needed. The ACT board will make the final decisions.
-^^ Brown's own faith in ultimate 82-channel tv service as the only possible basis for diversified and competitive television, is unshaken. The ACT vp believes that competitive pressures and need for more
channel space in U. S. system will eventually erupt in a torrent of uhf
operation.
He believes uhf will break through technical and financial barriers
just as vhf did in its boom era. Has anyone forgotten 1947 surrender of
speculative CP's now worth millions? Brown hasn't.
(i'J