Television digest and FM reports (Sept-Dec 1945)

nSVISSD FM CHAHHEUHG; With a bow in the direction of CBS, FCC on Friday announced its new FM channeling allocations for Area I based on the proposal submitted by Columbia engineers at Oct. 15 hearing (Oct. 20 issue). The CBS alternative narrowed the gap existing between high and low coverage in same communities. The FCC emphasized, however, that the new channeling allocations which include actual assignments to current license and CP holders (see Part I, Supplement No. 13 herewith) will not be adhered to in "any hard and fast manner," but will serve as a guide to further assignments in that area. One of the things the Commission liked about the CBS proposal was that it cut number of instances in which interference will result within the 1,000 uv/m contours from 9, under the FCC plan, to 3 under the alternative. BQ03LE Looks as if the independent FM stations will have to carry the . ball for high fidelity live music programs if the AFM ruling on duplicate broadcasts stands for any length of time. AFM President Petrillo advised networks Tuesday they would have to hire an extra crew of musicians if a program is broadcast simultaneously over an AM and an FM outlet. ' The networks' immediate answer v/as to cut out double transmission of all live musical programs as of Oct. 29. Their position is that, since they make no extra charge for FM broadcasts, nor count FM listeners as additional audience (figuring that an FMer is a listener subtracted from Ali audience), there should be no double indemnity. Recorded music will be substituted, no doubt, for such high-fidelity live shows as Toscanini, Philadelphia and Boston Symphonies etc, NBC has already so announced, and CBS and MBS are expected to follov; suit. ABC as yet owns no FM. PfiETEH SCOTCHES RUMGBS: Recurrent rumors that Paul Porter will quit to run for Senator or Governor of his native Kentucky, given additional currency by Walter Winchell, is dismissed by the FCC chairman as, "Not a damn thing in it." Giving the FCC an excellent administration under the heaviest work load, worst personnel situation in its history — aggravated by TV and FM problems — Porter's retirement would be regarded in most radio quarters as nothing short of a calamity. But the fact that he's heading for big things, considering the record he's made so far, cannot be gainsaid. Using his own device of the pat anecdote, we'd size the situation up something along the lines of a story told by ex-Senator Jim Watson when his retirement as chairman of Senate Interstate Commerce Committee was imminent and he was mentioned for several radio posts: "Young man," he told a reporter, "ever since I was defeated for reelection, they've had me bracketed for everything from piano player in a whorehouse to Keeper of the Pearly Gates. I'm too old for the former and too profane for the latter." Porter is 41, KEWS AHD VIEWS: FMBI and NAB have reached complete concordat, and after Nov. 1 former v;ill close down present headquarters and operate as an FM.dept. within NAB, with John Shepard 3d, Wayne Coy, Gordon Gray as FM members of joint supervising committee headed by Walter Damm, and AM members to be selected by NAB President Miller .... Owners of Serutan Co., Jersey City, big radio advertiser of its Serutan, Nutrex and Healthaids, are large stockholders in AM station WAAT in that city which holds a CP for an FM station. They are the brothers Rosenhaus, Irving being gen, mgr. of WAAT and Matthew B. president of Serutan .... Westinghouse 's assembly line for home radios, mostly AM-FM, has been set up at its Sunbury, Pa. plant and 3,000-5,000 sets per day are now being produced and sent to dealers. TV receivers {■re not included, but Manager H. B. Donley says these v/ill be "ready for the market early next year." .... DuMont is inaugurating a regular monthly newsletter to department stores, beginning Nov. 7, on subject of intra-store television. Merchandising ideas and the like will be discussed to promote sale of wired video equipment.