Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

9 Effect of tv on juvenile delinquency, usually headlined as evil influence, gets a reverse twist in case study of Detroit conditions by NARTB’s TV information committee and released in its Dec. Facts About TV. In Detroit, study shows, law enforcement officials say that TV, far from contributing to juvenile delinquency, actually helps control it through constructive, educational programming on local stations. Study quotes Inspector Ralph Baker, chief of Detroit police dept, youth bureau, as praising Detroit stations for carrying programs “which will tend to educate parents and children alike in social behavior that will minimize our task.” He said that of all the juvenile offenders brought into local detention home, “there has been only an occasional mention of TV.” Lieut. Francis Davey of youth bureau says TV has decreased juvenile delinquency by “keeping kids closer to home and off the streets at night.” Harlan Ringelberg, asst, chief probation officer of Wayne County Juvenile Court, says “TV is a very minor factor in juvenile delinquency — if a factor at all. As a matter of fact, parents of children on probation are encouraged to devote attention to certain TV programs. The difficulty comes in getting them to watch enough of the TV fare which educates, informs and inspires.” Similarly, Eugene Moran, a probation officer in an area of high incidence of juvenile delinquency, says stations “put on good instruction but the audience is largely composed of those adults who do not need the training.” He says TV “needs a drama that will train parents in their responsibilities and still be as compelling as the ordinary family or detective script.” Among local programs cited by committee as aiding in fight are WWJ-TV’s Teenager, a discussion of problems of adolescence, and Traffie Court, which spotlights cases of youth driving problems; WXYZ-TV’s Ed McKenzie's Saturday Party, devoted to teen-age talent contests, and Heart of Detroit, in which policemen demonstrate lectures on law observance; WJBK-TV’s Appointment With Age, placing emphasis on youthful respect towards older folks. » Declaring community antenna systems to be pubilc utilities, Wyoming Public Service Commission took over in no uncertain terms. In the opinion of National Community TV Assn., decision is “tough and applies traditional conservative public utility regulatory criteria — too tough [to] encourage pioneering in this industi’y.” Under ruling, Wyoming community systems will have to file balance sheet, profit & loss statement, etc. Propriety of financing cost of installation through “contributions to capital” from subscribers was questioned, and Commission ordered that surplus of contributions over costs be returned to subscribers. Ruling came Nov. 29 on case involving Cokeville, Wyo. system. After 12 months of operation. Commission will study system’s balance sheet, set rates. According to NCTA counsel and exec, director E. Stratford Smith, “The opinion seemed to invite an appeal in that it pointed out that the Commission was ignoring a substantial body of authority to the effect that community TV was ‘interstate commerce.’ ” Wyoming operators are organizing court appeal. The $1 17,000 sale of 75% of WJPB-TV (Ch. 35) and radio WWW, both Fairmont, W. Va., was approved by FCC this week. Purchaser is Donn Baer, Cincinnati accountant and former U of 111. football star. J. Patrick Beacom retains 25% (Vol. 10:47). Other transaction approved was Charleston (S. C.) Evening Post’s purchase of 5000 shares of new stock fajiproximately 40%) in WUSN-TV (Ch. 2) & WUSN there, after disposing of radio WTM.<V & WTMA-FM for $153,000 (Vol. 10:26,48). Ilastie family (J. D. Hastie, pres.) ends up with some 43 '/c, remainder held by 150 others. National Labor Relations Board refused to consider a radio station labor dispute this week in first application of new policy against handling cases involving TVradio stations with annual gross revenues of less than $200,000 (Vol. 10:29). In hotly contested 3-2 vote, Board threw out dispute between radio KNGS, Hanford, Cal. and Local 202, Radio-TV Technicians, IBEW. Majority decision was signed by chairman Guy Farmer, Albert C. Beeson & Philip R. Rodgers, all Republicans. Dissenters were Democrats Abe Murdock & Ivar Peterson, latter stating in written dissent: “The new standard will eliminate from the board’s jurisdiction about 80 %o of the country’s radio stations, which receive roughly one-half of the total revenues in the entire industry. Also, most all radio stations in communities under 100,000 population . . . will be removed from the board’s jurisdiction, as well as over 70%; of all [network] stations . . . One of the provisions of the amended [Taft-Hartley] Act, principally traceable in large part to the concern over labor stoppages in the radio industry, is largely nullified. I refer, of course, to the so-called ‘featherbedding’ provision.” Tests with uhf booster in Waterbury, Conn., with only 10-watt transmitter, produced signal improvement in shadowed area equal to that obtainable with almost 200fold increase of power at “mother” station, engineer Ben Adler told FCC this week in his first report on tests. Booster is in downtown Waterbury, repeating signals of WATR-TV (Ch. 53), putting out directional beam at right angles to signal from main station. At no location, report states, did the 2 signals so combine that satisfactory picture could be obtained from neither. It was estimated that 50,000 live in area improved by booster. Grade A radius was calculated at 2 mi.. Grade B 3 mi. In booster’s coverage area, 46 %o of population could get signal of 80 dbu or better from booster, 0% from WATR-TV; 66% got 74 dbu or better vs. 0% from WATR-TV; 86 %o got 64 dbu or better vs. 18%o from WATR-TV. Recently, FCC granted authority for nighttime operation so that more home viewer observations may be obtained. FCC engineers seem greatly impressed by report — particulai'ly by fact that there’s little or no “zone of confusion” between main and booster signals and that operation has no effect on allocations plan. Power boost to 1 -megawatt was planned for this week end by Wilkes-Barre’s WBRE-TV (Ch. 28) — if all goes well. Because of antenna delays, station wasn’t able to go to the maximum power this week as planned (Vol. 10:50). The RCA 46-gain antenna was shipped Dec. 17, and was to have been hoisted onto WBRE-TV’s tower Sat., Dec. 18. The 96-ft. antenna is to be lifted through center of tower in one section, wdth top 50 ft. of tower to be removed after antenna is in place. Wilkes-Barre’s WILKTV (Ch. 34) still has end-of-the-year target date for its boost to 1000-kw, but GE reports all equipment shipped except rectifier — and there’s outside chance WILK-TV’s power hike will come next week. Upcoming WJRT, Flint, Mich. (Ch. 12), being installed by same interests that own radio WJR, Detroit (John Patt), asked FCC this week to permit it to change proposed transmitter site from Clarkston, Mich., about 17 mi. south of Flint, toward Detroit, to point near Chesaning, Mich., northwest of Flint. New site, it was stated, would permit service not only for Flint but for Bay City, Saginaw, Midland, Lansing. Four govt, witnesses in Lamb case will be i-ecalled by counsel for Edward Lamb for further questioning when “Communist charge” hearing on renewal of his WICU, Erie, i-esumes Jan. 4. Lamb’s attorney, Russell M. Brown, this week notified FCC that he wants to question Wm. G. Cummings, Toledo; Mrs. Marie Natvig, Miami Beach; Lowell Watson, Olathe, Kan.; Clark Wideman, Columbus, 0.