Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

13 Color Trends & Briefs: Stations capable of rebroadcasting network color (see p. 1) now cover great majority of TV homes, by Jan. 1 will leave very small percentage out of range of color signals. List of color-equipped CBSTV and NBC-TV affiliates continues to grow, but initial growth period is over and following constitutes basic group as reported by networks: NBC-TV basic: Atlanta, WSB-TV; Baltimore, WBAL-TV; Birmingham, WABT; Boston, WBZ-TV; BuSalo, WGR-TV; Chicago, WNBQ: Cincinnati, WLWT; Cleveland, WNBK; Columbus, WLWC; Dallas, WFAA-TV; Davenport, WOC-TV; Dayton, WLWD; Denver, KOA-TV; Detroit, WWJ-TV; Ft. Worth, WBAP-TV; Grand Rapids, WOOD-TV; Houston, KPRC-TV; Huntington, WSAZ-TV; Johnstown, WJAC-TV; Kansas City, WDAF-TV; Lancaster, WGAL-TV; Lansing, WJIM-TV; Los Angeles, KNBH; Louisville, WAVE-TV; Memphis, WMCT; Milwaukee, WTMJ-TV; Minneapolis-St. Paul, KSTP-TV; Nashville, WSM-TV; New Haven, WNHC-TV; New Orleans, -WDSU-TV; New York, WNBT; Norfolk, WVEC-TV; Oklahoma City, WKY-TV; Omaha, WOW-TV; Philadelphia, WPTZ; Portland, Ore., KPTV; Providence, WJAR-TV; Richmond, WTVR; Salt Lake City, KTVT; San Antonio, WOAI-TV; San Francisco, KRON-TV; Schenectady, WRGB; Seattle, KOMO-TV; St. Louis, KSD-TV; Syracuse, WSYR-TV; Utica, VirKTV; Washington, WNBW; Wilmington, Del., WDEL-TV; Youngstown, WFMJ-TV. Scheduled for Oct. 1 was San Diego, KPSD-TV; for Oct. 15, Rochester, N. Y., WHAM-TV. NBC-TV optional: Austin, Tex., KTBC-TV; Bethlehem, Pa., WLEV-TV; Bloomington, Ind., WTTV; Charlotte, N. C., WBTV; Des Moines, WHO-TV; Fresno, KMJ-TV; Jackson, Miss., WLBT; Peoria, WEEK-TV; Portland, Me., WCSH-TV; Quincy, 111., WGEM-TV; Roanoke, WSLS-TV; Toledo, WSPD-TV; Tulsa, KOTV & KCEB; Wheeling, WTRF-TV; Wichita Falls, KFDX-TV; Wilkes Barre, WBRE-TV; Winston-Salem, WSJS-TV. Due in Oct. are: Binghamton, WNBF-TV; Champaign-Urbana, WCIA; Erie, WICU; Jacksonville, Fla., WJHP-TV; Kalamazoo, WKZO-TV; Knoxville, WATE; Miami, WTVJ; Monroe, La., KNOE-TV; Pittsburgh, WDTV; Saginaw-Bay City, WNEM-TV; Sioux City, KTIV; Springfield, Mass., WWLP; Waterloo-Cedar Rapids, KWWL-TV. CBS-TV basic required: Atlanta, WAGA-TV; Baltimore, WMAR-TV; Birmingham, WBRC-TV; Boston, WNAC-TV; Buffalo, WBEN-TV; Charlotte, N. C., WBTV; Chicago, WBBM-TV; Cleveland, WEWS; Colvunbus, WBNS-TV; Dallas, KRLD-TV; Dayton, WHIO-TV; Denver, KLZ-TV; Detroit, WJBK-TV; Hutchinson, Kan., KTVH; Indianapolis, WFBM-TV & WISH-TV; Jacksonville, WMBR-TV; Kalamazoo, WKZO-TV; Kansas City, KMBC-TV; Los Angeles, KNXT; Louisville, WHAS-TV; Miami, WTVJ; Minneapolis, WCCO-TV; Nashville, WLAC-TV; New York, WCBS-TV; Norfolk, WTAR-TV; Oklahoma City, KWTV; Omaha, KMTV; Philadelphia, WCAU-TV; Portland. Ore., KOIN-TV; Providence, WJAR-TV; Rock Island, WHBF-TV; Salt Lake City. KSL-TV; San Antonio, KGBS-TV; San Diego, KFMB-TV; San Francisco, KPIX; St. Louis, KWK-TV; Syracuse. WHEN-TV; Tacoma-Seattle, KTNT-TV; Toledo, WSPD-TV; Tulsa, KOTV; Washington, WTOPTV. Due Oct. 15 are Rochester’s WHEC-TV & WVET-TV. Dec. 15 — Galveston-Houston, KGUL-TV. Jan. 1 — Cincinnati, WKRC-TV and Phoenix, KPHO-TV. CBS-TV basic optional & supplementary: Ames, la., WOI-TV; Austin, Tex., KTBC-TV; Bangor, Me.. WABI-TV; Binghamton, WNBF-TV; Columbia, S. C.. WNOK-TV; Erie, WSEE; Fresno, KMJ-TV; Grand Rapids. WOOD-TV; Hannibal. Mo.. KHQA-TV; Jackson, Miss., WJTV; Johnstown, WJAC-TV; Knoxville. WTSKTV; Macon, WMAZ-TV; Milwaukee, WCAN-TV; Monroe. KNOE-TV; New Haven, WNHC-TV; New Orleans, WDSU-TV; Peoria, WEEKTV; Portland. Me., WGAN-TV; Richmond, WTVR; Saginaw, WKNX-TV; Schenectady, WRGB; South Bend, WSBT-TV; Topeka, WIBW-TV; Utica, WKTV; Youngstown, WKBN-TV. Due Oct. 22 is Terre Haute, WTHI-TV. Nov. 1 — Cedar Rapids, la., WMT-TV; Champaign-Urbana. WCIA; Muncle, WLBC-TV; New Britain, WKNB-TV; Pine Bluff, Ark., KATV; Sioux City, la., KVTV. Dec. 1— Lynchburg, WLVA-TV; Waterloo-Ft. Wayne. WINT. Jan 1 — Charleston, W. Va., WCHS-TV; Harrisburg, WHP-TV; Henderson, Ky., WEHT; Lubbock, Tex., KDUB-TV; Raleigh, WNAO-TV; Reading, WHUM-TV; Springfield, Mo., KTTS-TV. ♦ ♦ * ♦ Technicolor Corp. plans to go into TV in big way, pres. Herbert Kalmus stating belief firm is in strategic position to lead in color TV film. Profit margin on TV color films will be greater than movies, Technicolor officials say, because 16mm film is smaller and easier to handle and process, but charge per foot is same. Dr. Kalmus confirms that Technicolor is “keeping abreast” of magnetic video tape recording developments, and that when tape comes into commercial use, “Technicolor will either be an integral part of an industry-wide system or have a system of its own,” according to Oct. 7 Wall Street Journal. Of Hollywood’s 1.3 billion ft. of film in 1953, more than half — or 750,000,000 — was in color and about 75'/< of the color footage was processed by Technicolor. RCA color caravan mobile unit, recently a big attraction at Memphis Mid-South Fair (Vol. 10:37,40), is now scheduled for New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, Cal., same as last year. After event, it will woi'k way cast, feeding Nl'.(i-TV some event of college hoojda fiom ditfeient camjms each Saturday. Motoiola is leading candidate for sponsorshiji. Joint Committee on Educational TV, in progress report filed this week with FCC, predicts 17 educational stations on air in early 1955 “with their programs regularly available to about 25,000,000 people; and by the end of 1955, about 30 such stations will be beaming signals to areas with a population of around 40,000,000 residing in 18 states.” Elaborating on report last week of National Citizens Committee on Educational TV (Vol. 10:40), JCET exec, director Ralph Steetle said a minimum of $25,000,000 had been invested thus far in educational TV. “Legislatures and other governmental agencies have provided around $5,000,000 to finance studies and help build educational stations,” report notes. “School budgets account for more than $2,000,000. Commercial broadcasters in a large number of communities have contributed cash and made offers of equipment representing a total value of more than $3,500,000. Numerous foundations, large and small, have pledged and contributed more than $10,000,000. Add to this nearly $4,000,000 contributed or pledged by business interests in general, excluding the broadcasting industry, and we get a total figure of about $25,000,000.” Central American Broadcasters Assn, is new organization formed under aegis of Inter-American Assn, of Broadcasters (lAAB) at meeting in Mexico City, attended by lAAB board and broadcasters from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and San Salvador. Fernando Eleta of Panama was elected pres, of new group, which plans to hold first general meeting in Panama in next few weeks. lAAB board also visited Guatemala at invitation of President Carlos Castillo Armas who invited members to return after Guatemalan elections to help draft laws guaranteeing free broadcasting in that country. Gilmore Nunn represents U. S. on lAAB board. Alaskan partnership of Richard R. Rollins and Keith Kiggins, operators of KFIA, Anchorage (Ch. 2) and holders of CP for KFIF, Fairbanks (Ch. 2), is breaking up, Rollins taking over. Filing with FCC this week for transfer of control to Rollins, they said Kiggins’ “capital contribution has heretofore been depleted” and he is “not desirous of making further capital contributions.” Rollins shows net worth of $406,792. WCOV-TV, Montgomery, Ala. (Ch. 20), this week got FCC approval to buy WJJJ facilities (10-kw, 1170 kc, MBS) for its CBS radio affiliate WCOV. Mathews family is selling for $95,000 because of TV competition (Vol. 10:39). Other radio sale approved was that of Carl Haymond's KMO, Tacoma (5-kw, 1360 kc) to Charles D. Hunter & J. Archie Morton for $200,000 (Vol. 10:38). Sale of KVVG, Tulare, Cal. (Ch. 27), and radio KCOK (Vol. 10:33) has been called off even though approved by FCC. Sierra Bcstg. System Inc. was to purchase them from Sheldon Anderson for $175,000 plus assumption of indebtedness not exceeding $478,000, but Sierra chairman Byron Walters, a Los Angeles municipal judge, said Anderson failed to comply with contract terms. World Series Hooperatings in New York and Cleveland, home of Giants and Indians, respectively: 1st game, 28 in N. Y., 37 in Cleveland; 2nd game, 20 & 33; 3rd game, 15 & 37; 4th game (Sat.), 33 & 46. American Heart Assn., at convention in Washington recently, presented Howard F. Blakeslee award for distinguished reporting to NBC-TV’s American Inventory for program on mechanical heart. ■ This week’s network color schedules: CBS-TV — Oct. 13, Best of Broadway, 10-11 p.m. NBC-TV — Oct. 14, Ford, Tlirairr, 9:30-10, fii’sL of weekly film sei'ies. Bright yellow vhf-uhf antenna is being promoted for color by CBS-Columbia which ships one with each color set.