Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1957)
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LAST-DITCH fighting in the big vhf cases gets ^fiercer, now that word is out on which applicants are tentatively favored as winners in Boston, Miami, St, Louis, Indianapolis, etc.
Lastest blast comes from Boston, where WHDHHerald-Traveler holds 4-commissioner majority in last voting. Boston Globe, not an applicant, filed petition to intervene, asking that record be reopened, charging that Herald-Traveler publisher Robert Choate, seeking to force Globe into merger, indicated he would use TV station to drive Globe out of business. Globe also alleged Choate sought to block loans Globe sought for multi-milliondollar expansion. Affidavits to that effect were submitted by Globe pres. Davis Taylor, treas. John I. Taylor, adv. director John R. Reid and director Ralph Lowell.
In Jacksonville Ch. 12 case, won by WFGA-TV, grantee came back hard at allegations filed by WPDQ (Vol. 13:4). WDPQ had charged that WFGA-TV had sought to conceal connections of principal Harold Cohn with dubious characters. WFGA-TV stated that Cohn had been employed part time by Jacksonville Kennel Club; that FCC didn’t require reporting of part time employment; that Club was legitimate business licensed by Florida; that Cohn’s employment was very widely known; that WPDQ itself was “closely associated” with Club by
WTWV, TUPELO, MISS. (Ch.9), oft-delayed, beginning regular test pattern schedule Feb. 2, plans Feb. 25 start with NBC-TV, reports gen. mgr. & 35% owner Frank K. Spain, ex-engineering director of WHEN-TV, Syracuse, N. Y. Its inauguration brings on-air box score to 496 (96 uhf). '
WTWV has 5-kw transmitter built in own New York City shop, with GE antenna on 500-ft. Stainless tower at converted Beech Spring School, 2% mi. N of city limits. Stockholders in addition to Spain: Joseph G. Petit, exNBC N. Y. development engineer, chief engineer, 25%; Walter D. Spain, sales mgr., 15%; Perrin Purvis, 15%; Margaret H. Spain, 10%. Robert Gordon, ex-WHEN, is program director; Miriam Petit, production director. Base hour is $150. Rep is Young Representatives Inc.
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In our continuing survey of upcoming stations, these are latest reports from principals:
KBTX-TV, Bryan, Tex. (Ch. 3) plans May 1 start as semi-satellite of KWTX-TV, Waco (Ch. 10), using own microwave, reports M. N. (Buddy) Bostick, v.p. & gen. mgT. of KWTX-TV, which holds 50% of KBTX-TV. Bostick owns 10% of KBTX-TV, with remainder of stock being held by local businessmen. KBTX will pick up CBSTV & ABC-TV plus some local shows of KWTX-TV, also will have own live camera facilities. It will use RCA transmitter, 482-ft. tower. Harry Lee Gillam will be station mgr.; Woody Cox, chief engineer. Base hour will be $150. Rep will be Raymer.
KTVC, Ensign, Kan. (Ch. 6), expecting to start in spring, has begun construction of studio-transmitter building 20 mi. SW of Dodge City, Kan., reports v.p.-gen. mgr. & 5.65% owner Wendell Elliott, also mgr. of Dodge City radio KGNO. It will operate as semi-satellite, having signed agreement to pick up programs of ABC-TV affiliate KAKE-TV, Wichita (Ch. 10). It’s building microwave relay to Stafford, Kan., using Raytheon equipment. GE 5-kw transmitter is on hand and 6-bay antenna has been ordered for 600-ft. Lehigh tower, now being fabricated. Base hour will be $100.
Blonder-Tongue Labs, Newark, has announced new series of deluxe video monitors for industrial and broadcast applications, in 14, 17 & 21-in. sizes.
accepting its advertising; that WPDQ’s conduct was “scandalous” in seeking to align him with criminals.
In Miami Ch. 10 case, where National Airlines subsidiary is in lead for grant, FCC replied this week to sharp letter of Sen. Monroney (D-Okla.), which frowned on possibility of such grant. Commission essentially reiterated previous stand by stating: “We do not think it would be appropriate for the Commission, prior to the issuance of a decision in the case to indicate its view as to whether such questions have been properly raised on the record or, to the exent they may have been, their scope, relevance or ultimate disposition.”
Meanwhile, litigation on some cases has become so wearisome to contestants that there’s more and more talk of mergers, with everyone getting a bite of the pie.
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Two CPs were granted this week: Ch. 6, Casper, Wyo., to KSPR; Ch. 41, Florence, Ala., to WOWL. Henry Kaiser’s CP for KHVH-TV, Honolulu (Ch. 13) was stayed, meanwhile, FCC granting protest of KULA-TV (Ch. 4) and scheduling oral argument Feb. 12 on allegations that city can’t support 4 stations. In unique AM protest case. Commission ordered hearing on charges by John Poole that Q Bcstg. Co., (Frank Bare) failed to honor merger agreement after obtaining CP for 740-kc, 1-kw (Vol. 13:1).
Long litigation by Theodore Granik & Wm. H. Cook to force sale of WESH-TV & radio WMFJ, Daytona Beach, to them (Vol. 12:36) met another reverse this week when FCC dismissed their protests against transfer of WESH-TV to John H. Perry newspaper interests and WMFJ to Harold Kaye & Emil J. Arnold. Granik & Cook had contended owner W. Wright Esch gave them options in 1954 to buy stations, but FCC concurred in court rulings that contract isn’t enforceable. Comrs. Hyde, Bartley & Lee did not participate in decision.
Kay Lab shipped studio-transmitter package (including 2 vidicon cameras, film system & 500-watt RCA transmitter) Jan. 25 to upcoming KTWO-TV, Casper, Wyo. (Ch. 2), due on air in Feb. It also has shipped studio camera chain to KTRE-TV, Lufkin, Tex. (Ch. 9), and studio package has been ordered by upcoming CFJC-TV, Kamloops, B. C. (Ch. 4). RCA shipped 25-kw transmitter & 6kw driver Feb. 1 to WMFD-TV, Wilmington, N. C. (Ch. 6).
Complete handbook in TV engineering field is McGrawHill’s new Television Engineering Handbook (1600 pp., $18), prepared by 33 TV industry specialists under the editorship of Philco research director Donald G. Fink. Handbook covers all phases of TV, including fundamentals and design data for transmitters, receivers and networks, with considerable detail on color and on systems and standards of British, French and European TV.
Operating translators now number 14, latest reporting starts being K70AK, Saratoga, Wyo. and K74AC & K77AA, Bayfield, Colo. K70AK began tests Jan. 26, repeating KFBC-TV, Cheyenne, reports John Glode, secy.-treas. of Saratoga TV Co. K74AC & K77AA began Jan. 20, repeating KOB-TV & KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, reports Lloyd B. Mason, pres, of grantee La Plata Electric Assn. Inc.
WOR-TV’s old TV tower at North Bergen, N. J. — top section dismantled after plane crash which killed 4 persons (Vol. 12:45) — is still on the market. Army has dropped negotiations to purchase structure for re-erection at Aberdeen, Md. It’s owned by Macy’s Employes Pension Plan, leased by the station, which had used it for standby since its transmitter was moved to Empire State Bldg.
Ban on courtroom broadcasts will bo debated Feb. 13 by ex-NARTB pres. Judge Justin Miller and Morris L. Ernst, vice chairman of American Civil Liberties Union, at RTES luncheon in Hotel Roosevelt, N. Y.