Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

Ex-Comr. Jones Heads Network>UHF Probe, page I Far-Reaching Court Ruling on FCC Hearings, page 2 More Than 400 on Air by Labor Day, page 3 'Satellite' Policy Still a Puzzler, page 3 ScottsbIufF CP & Wichita Initial Decision, page 4 'Senile Celluloids' — Is Time Running Out? page 4 Transmitter Shipments & Upcoming Stations, page 8 'Spurious Radiation' Deadline Extended to Oct. IS, p. 9 in this issues Tension Mounts in Color Tube Competition, page 10 Low Prices Spark Trade's High Going Rate, page 10 Admiral's New 'Automation' Process, page 13 TV's Share of Ad Dollar $1.9 Billion by 19S6? page 14 EX-COMB. JOHES HEADS NETWOBK-DHF PBOBE: An ironic twist was injected into Senator Bricker’s projected TV-radio inquiry this week when he appointed former FCC Comr. Robert F. Jones to head it. At same time the Democratic minority of his Committee on Interstate Commerce demanded and got authority to hire "minority counsel", who is expected to be onetime FCC asst. gen. counsel Harry M. Plotkin. The irony is that industry leaders fear Jones, on the basis of his record, may turn the network phase into a witch hunt — this despite fact that he's supposed to be a "Taft conservative" and served as GOP Congressman from Ohio for 8 years from I 1938-47. The fears arise from his oft-expressed prejudices and predilections, to i say nothing of Old Guard GOP Sen. Bricker's outspoken antagonism to the networks. Plotkin would be persona grata to the networks, however — though there are others they would probably prefer to the hard-hitting young New Dealer who so often cracked down on the industry and who helped master-mind the abortive FCC color deci, Sion. Therein lies the other bit of irony in the turn of investigative events, for Jones was the man who first insisted on color-in-a-hurry — no matter how. Senator Bricker named Jones "to study the feasibility and practicability of pending legislation to place radio and TV networks under jurisdiction of the FCC, as well as the whole vhf-uhf problem on which the committee's subcommittee on communications held extensive preliminary hearings in the past session under the chairmanship of Sen. Potter (R-Mich.)." So reads the official announcement, which makes it plain he's also expected to review the work of the Potter subcommittee, with which Sen. Bricker has expressed his displeasure (Vol. 10:31-32). Jones starts Sept. 1, taking leave of absence from law firm of Scharfeld, Jones & Baron, which he joined when he quit FCC in Sept. 1952 after serving from June 1947. Plotkin is on vacation, couldn't be reached, but presumably will likewise take leave of absence from Arnold, Fortas & Porter firm. He's choice of Sen. Edwin Johnson (D-Colo.), supported by Democratic minority leader Sen. Lyndon Johnson (D-Tex. ) ; former is retiring from Senate, latter has keen interest in TV-radio, knows a lot about it since his wife is owner of TV & AM outlets in Austin, Tex. How Jones and Plotkin will work together might be gauged by fact there was never any love lost between them when Jones was a commissioner and Plotkin was the FCC's most powerful behind-the-scenes "brain truster". But like his former chief, ex-FCC Chairman Coy, Plotkin has been working within the industry since quitting govt, service and finding out that businessmen aren't monsters. In any event, he was not objected to by industry interests when Sen. Ed Johnson asked opinion of him, whereas the Jones appointment was strongly opposed. Sen. Bricker's peeve extends to the Eisenhower Administration as well as the networks — to the first because it licked his constitutional amendment to curb the President's treaty-making power. During the heated debates, he claims the networks ♦ * COPYRIGHT l•B4 BY RADIO NKWS RURKAU