Sponsor (1964)

Another exponent of ethnic UHF is Edwin Cooperstein, president of WNJU-TV Linden, N.J., which is set to go on the air in early 1965. Planning "quality ethnic" shows aimed at the New York area's large Spanish, Negro, Italian and Jewish populations, Cooperstein says, "We have found good reception at major agencies for our concepts, and have already signed contracts with several national sponsors. We feel a major portion of our nighttime programing will be sold before we open." During the day, WNJU's programs will be largely New Jersey news available for sponsorship by regional and local advertisers. A mixture of Negro-oriented and foreign-language programing will be the fare offered by WJMY Allen Park, Mich., when it returns to the air "around the first of next year," according to John Porterfield, recently named manager of the station. Specific details are now being worked out. Porterfield also told Sponsor that United Broadcasting (the station's new owner) will seek FCC approval to move the channel 20 facility to a Detroit location. Other UHF Problems Sales. Attracting sponsorship to the smaller UHF viewing audience poses several problems to the U broadcaster. Stations may find it necessary to offer various package and discount plan inducements. A cheaper rate card will certainly be one of UHF's prime attractions. For example, the regional or local firm with a limited budget may find U outlets an attractive buy. Commissioner Lee sees an "important upsurge" in local advertising, "particularly in the larger markets." "More competition," he adds, "will undoubtedly reduce rates in those markets where there has been a limited number of facilities." lor example. Cooperstein of WNJU points out that his station's rates are about 75 percent less than the least-expensive time that can be bought on a VHF facility in the New York market. Also, his station will be equipped with color slide, tape and film broadcast facilities and, adds Cooperstein, "We do not envision extra charges for color." It is estimated that it takes a period of five years for a UHF station to reach a profitable level of operation. Therefore, new U operators must be able to survive several years of red ink operations before they can hope to turn the profit corner. Transmitting and receiving equipment. Until very recently, there has been little incentive for manufacturers to beef up UHF broadcast equipment, which in some respects was not up to VHF quality. Costs, with the possible exception of transmitters, were comparatively the same for both U and V equipment. But at the NAB convention, RCA introduced a new vapor-cooled klystron transmitter that, according to the manufacturer, simplifies the device's complex tube cooling system. The cost of this transmitter is in the same price range as its VHF counterpart. Prior to its enactment, most set manufacturers opposed passage of the all-channel bill. But after its adoption, they have cooperated fully through the EIA in preparing for an orderly transition in the production of UHF-VHF equipped sets. They are now also carefully scrutinizing home receiver equipment. Meanwhile, parts manufacturers have been at work to improve home receiver reception, especially the UHF tuner and antenna. The standard VHF detent tuner, which mechanically "locks in" a channel, has been absent from UHF equipment since the very early days of U telecasting. Instead, a viewer has had to use a continuous turn tuner to locate a U station's signal. An improved detent tuning mechanism, that makes UHF tuning similar to VHF, has been designed by the Sickles division of General Instruments, and by Oak manufacturing. Siekles, the nation's leading producer of tuners (over so percent of the market at year-end 1963), has found mixed reception from set producers for the detent device. Receiver manufacturers are interested in the tuner for the more expensive models. But with cost-cutting the predominant philosophy in the more competitive, less expensive lines, producers are less enthusiastic. Sickles has also designed two new tuners: an improved version of their transistorized model (less ghosting, more frequency stability); and the "Rembrandt," designed for easier tuning for UHF color. Industry sources look for further developments in the loop (indoor) antenna, which as yet does not have the reception capabilities of the rabbit ear VHF antenna. Propagation characteristics. A "natural problem" is the way engineers term the shorter reach of the UHF signal, which travels, they say, only as far as the horizon (30 to 35 miles). Comparatively, the VHF signal reaches about 60 miles from its transmitter site. As a result, a flagrant piece of misinformation was spread about UHF to the effect that it was not capable of serving a particular metro area effectively. A two-year study into this subject was made by the FCC in the "cavernous" New York City area. Operating on channel 3 1 , the commission made more than 5000 measurements of the station's signal. The FCC reached the unanimous conclusion that there is no significant difference in the signal quality of the V and the U within a 25mile radius — which was the extent of the test. There are some UHF operators who point out that their broadeast signals travel far beyond the 35mile figure. CATV. During the past few years, community antenna systems, with little fanfare, have mushroomed into a $50 million a year business. There are now 1295 CATV systems, largely located in mountainous, or otherwise inaccessible "grass roots" areas. Growth has been so rapid, that there is serious concern that continued expansion poses a threat to UHF's growth in smaller markets. 38 SPONSOR