Sponsor (July-Dec 1952)
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What does it cost to build a TV i
To provide advertisers and agencies with some insight on the reasons for TV's high costs, sponsor commissioned Peter R. Levin, a station planning and management consultant, to draw up estimates of what it would cost to put a TV station on the air and keep it operating for the first year.
Just as there is no truly average man. there is no average TV station. For that reason, Levin conducted his studies on three levels, giving figures for three types of stations: (1) roughly the equivalent of a 250-watt station
in radio ; I 2 I a 5,000-watt or equivalent ; and I 3 I a 50.000-watter. Allowances for a price range within each group was necessary because of factors such as cost differences between brands of equipment, possible existence of adaptable AM facilities, terrain characteristics which affect tower costs.
Another factor which accounts for the wide range in costs within groups is the problem of securing a channel allocation. Application for an uncontested channel can be fairly inexpensive, but a dogfight between contes
tants for a channel can turn into a drawn out, costly battle. Levin estimates that the cost of fees I legal, engineering, architectural, consultant I can range from nothing to $300,000.
The basic assumption Avas that the lower-level station types would program 10 hours a day, with the lowestcost station originating no local programs and the middle bracket station originating about 25% of its programs. The top-cost station is assumed to be on the air 15 hours a day, with • programing equally divided between
Cost to get TV station under way
STATION CHARACTERISTICS
(Figures in thousands)
Small Station Average Station Large Station
Low High Low High Low High
Transmitter w/xmitter control, Freq. and Mod. monitors, etc.... $30.0 $41.0 $72.8 $83.4 $82.8 $242.0
Antenna, transmission line,
dummy load, etc Hi. 5 27.9 18.0 40.0 18.0 75.5
(no towers)
Tower -400 ft 29.0 50.0 .
500 ft 36.5 76.3
700 ft..... ^^^^^^ 86.5 185.0
Audio/Video equipment and master control and studio control equipment, including sync generators, control consoles, monitors, power supplies, etc.... 21.4 22.4 34.6 52.0 51.2 76.4
Film cameras and projection
equip. _.. 13.5 15.6 15.6 20.7 22.9 50.5
Film developing and recording equip. _ 24.0
Studio and field equipment, including studio and/or field cameras, camera mounts, microphones, cables, etc... S.l 3.1 29.0 33.7 89.9 93.4
Studio lighting None None 3.0 10.0 7.0 20.0
TOTAL BASIC STATION 104.4 164.0 212.4 320.1 361.2 786.8
Microwave relay, studio to xmitter (opt.) 13.0 13.0 13.0 15.5
Mobile unit w/transmitter equip. (opt.) .. .. . . 20.0 51.0 23.5 37.5
STATION EQUIP. TOTAL 235.4 404.4 397.7 839.8
Building (s), transmitter and/ or studios, alterations or new construction, including airconditioning .. 0 25.0 25.0 90.0 60.0 1,000.0
Furnitures and fixtures, office and shop 1.0 3.0 3.0 6.0 6.0 12.0
Fees, legal, engineering, architectural. etc. 0 10.0 10.0 30.0 30. 0 300.0
GRAND TOTAL 105.4 201.0 273.4 530.1 493.7 2,151.8
Small station
Has the following characteristics: 500-watt transmitter: no studio cameras: 400-ft. tower; network and film programing only; all operations at transmitter site. In "high" group, some provision in building for temporary quartering of personnel.
Average station
Has the following characteristics: kilowatt transmitter may be 2, 5, or 10; two field cameras used in '"low" station, two studio cameras used in "high"; 500-ft. tower; if transmitter and studios at different locations, uses relay; single-studio operation. In "low" station, use of field equipment as studio control with no separation from master control is assumed. Assumes "high" station has studio control equipment with separation from master control in anticipation of growth.
Large station
Has the following characteristics: 5 to 50 kw transmitter; 50 to 200 kw ERP; two studios with two dual studio camera chains and one triple field camera chain; "high" station has added 35 mm film projectors and camera chain; "high" building cost is over-inflated, but some want fancy setup. Costs can vary enormously in combination of transmitter, antenna and tower height or site atop building. Heavy fees in "high" group assume a protracted court hearing to secure channel, high engineering fees, first-rate architects and consultants, and general lack of experience management.
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