Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

3 WTVD , Durham , N . C . (Ch. 11) began testing Aug. 12, plans programming in Sept . , awaiting interconnection as NBC primary. It's city's first, 20 mi. from Raleigh, v/here WNAO-TV (Ch. 28) began year ago. It uses 5-kv; DuMont transmitter and 700-ft. tower with 12-bay antenna at Lebanon Peak, 1000-ft. above av. terrain. Owners are pres. -gen. mgr. Harmon L. Duncan, 25%; v.p. J. Floyd Fletcher. 25%; Durham Herald's WDNC, 25%; 60 others each less than 1%. Ernie Group is program mgr. ; Mike Thomason, sales mgr. ; Henry Cronin, chief engineer. Base rate is $300. Rep is Headley-Reed. WMBV-IV, Marinette, Wis. (Ch. 11), advertising as the "Green Bay Packerland" cutlet, began Aug. 9 tests, plans early Sept, commercial debut as NBC affiliate. It's 45 mi. from Green Bay, where WBAY-TV (Ch. 2) began in March, 1953 and where Ch. 5 WFRV-TV got grant last March but hasn't yet reported target date. Principals in WMBV-TV are Wm. E. Walker, pres., 50%; Joseph Mackin, gen. mgr., 23.3%; with WDUZ holding option for 20%. Ownership interlocks with radios WIBA, Madison, and WBEV, Beaver Dam, both Wis., and KXGI, Ft. Madison, la. Wm. R. Walker is station mgr. ; Alister Alexander, chief engineer. Base rate is $250. Rep is George W. Clark. FUBOBE OVEB FCC's 'SATELLITE' POUCY: Hot controversy blazed this week over Commission's announcement that it would consider waiving duopoly rules for telecasters who want to set up uhf "repeater" stations in nearby areas (Vol. 10:32). In 2 related actions this week, meanwhile: (1) a RETMA engineering committee urged specific FCC rules and standards for the various types of repeater stations ; (2) one of the leaders of a uhf telecasters' organization petitioned for authorization of directional antennas to squeeze in additional vhf channels where allocation plan doesn't permit them now. RETMA group, incidentally, tossed out old definitions of "booster" and "satellite" — changed nomenclature to "satellite" and "special services TV station," respectively. No clarification of last week's Public Notice 9056 was forthcoming from FCC this week, despite unusually large number of inquiries. Commission's position is: "File an application and we'll consider it." Public Notice merely said FCC will consider, on case-to-case basis, applications to run uhf stations without local programming, and to waive rules against overlap of coverage by commonly owned stations where a uhf "merely provides an extension of the service of the originating station." * ♦ * ♦ Though stated aim of new policy is to help uhf. the uhf stations and their representatives gave it anything but a warm welcome — keyed by Comr. Hennock's stinging dissent. Wording of Notice would appear to encourage vhf stations to apply for uhf satellites — and uhf telecasters maintain this could permanently kill uhf as an independent, local TV service. They envision these possibilities: (1) Non-network uhf stations in small markets would face competition of big-city network stations' satellites. (2) Most uhf stations can't afford to have their own satellites, while big vhf stations can. (3) Big city stations with satellites in smaller surrounding areas would deprive local merchants of TV advertising time and deprive communities of local expression. (4) Small-city uhf outlets may be forced to become satellites of big-city stations or else face competition from big-city satellites. (5) New policy would "waste" uhf channels now available for a new allocation plan devised to cut down intermixture. FCC's position is: "Frankly, we don't know the answers. Our Notice is merely an invitation to file applications. We'll cross those bridges when we come to them. The purpose of our new policy is to help uhf by making stations cheaper to build and encouraging uhf conversion by helping to get good programs on uhf." UHF TV Assn.'s board of directors has authorized "proceedings before the FCC and in court, if required," to fight the new policy, gen. counsel Wm. A. Roberts said in letter to uhf stations — which also urged them to write Chairman Bricker (R-Ohio) of Senate Commerce Committee, now preparing for TV probe (Vol. 10:32). UHF Industry Coordinating Committee at week's end was preparing letter to FCC to call its attention to "some of the dangers in the Notice" — particularly warning of the "serious implications of letting vhf stations own satellites." RETMA' s all-industry committee on satellites, headed by Ben Adler (Adler Com