Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1958)

9 Ray C. Wakefield, ex-California utilities commissioner, served nearly 7 years, failed of reappointment by Truman. Comr. Clifford Durr, ex-gen. counsel of Reconstruction Finance Corp., brother-in-law of Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, served 7 years, 1941-47 ; at last reports, he was practicing law in his native Montgomery, Ala. ^ ^ First graduate from the ranks, having risen to chief engineer, ex-Navy radioman Lt. Ewell K. Jett’s appointment was hailed in 1944 and he served nearly 4 years with great distinction, quitting to found Baltimore Sun’s WMAR-TV, which he still directs. Paul A. Porter succeeded Larry Fly as chairman in 1944; he had held many high offices in the Roosevelt Administration, served only about 14 months until called away to another assignment, now practices law in Washington. On his Commission was Charles R. Denny, who had risen to gen. counsel, was appointed at age 33, became chairman after Porter, resigned in 1937 to become an NBC exec, v.p. ; last week, he was elevated to RCA v.p., product planning (Vol. 14:7). Also on Porter’s Commission was the late William H. Wills, ex-Gov. of Vt., who died after only 7 months in office. Rosel H. Hyde, of Utah, career man who rose from lawyer for old FRC to gen. counsel of FCC, succeeded Denny as chairman in 1946, and still is one of the Commission’s mainstays. Commodore Edward M. Webster, like Hyde a welcomed career appointee, had been wartime chief of Coast Guard communications; he seiwed nearly 10 years, is retired now; 69 next week, he lives in Washington, does some consulting work. Rep. Robert F. Jones (R-Ohio) was named in 1947, served 5 years, then left to practice law in Washington, representing Storer, among others. The late Wayne Coy, Indiana newspaperman and a top New Dealer, served a little over 4 turbulent years until 1952 as chairman, quit to go into TV-radio ownership with Time Inc., died last year at age 56. Also up from the ranks, George E. Sterling, ex-Dept. of Commerce radio inspector, author of a standard textbook on radio, had become chief engineer before being named commissioner in 1948, serving 6 years until 1954 when he retired to his native Peak Island, Me. Frieda B. Hennock, N. Y. attorney, was first woman member, serving one full tenn, 1948-55; she’s now Mrs. William Simons, wife of a retired realtor, resides in Washington, handles some legal cases, recently helped engineer sale of Mutual Network and reputedly owns part. * * « « Seven of the other 9 are still sitting, oldest in term of service being Robert T. Bartley, nephew of Speaker Rayburn, onetime Yankee Network executive, appointed in 1952 and due for reappointment this spring. Eugene H. Merrill, from War Production Board, onetime Utah utilities engineer, served interim term of only 7 months, was not confirmed, now is a NATO official in Paris. George C. McConnaughey, ex-Ohio public seiwice commissioner, became chairman from Oct. 1954 to June 1957, now practices law in Washington and Columbus. The others: Chairman John C. Doerfer, ex-chairman, Wis. Public Utilities Commission, appointed in April 1953; Robert E. Lee, ex-FBI executive, in Oct. 1953; Richard A. Mack, ex-chairman, Fla. Public Utilities Commission, in July 1955; Comdr. Craven, named again in July 1956; Frederick W. Ford, onetime FCC attorney, later a top aide to the Attorney General, appointed last Aug. 29. FCC Allocations & CP Actions: FCC undertook to decide no cause celebre this week, with Comrs. Ford & Mack absent — former because of wife’s death (p. 7), latter because of Harris subcommittee hearings (pp. 4-6). Among actions : (1) Denial of petitions for reconsideration in Miami Ch. 6 allocation. WITV, Ft. Lauderdale (Ch. 17) had claimed right to shift to the newly assigned vhf channel, but Commission said that allocation wasn’t made as replacement for uhf in Miami; that WITV can apply for Ch. 6 like anyone else — as it has. WTVJ (Ch. 2) had argued that Miami didn’t need 4th vhf channel and that it may not be feasible to use it because of airspace problems. FCC simply disagreed. (2) Amendment of experimental Ch. 12 grant to WJMR-TV, New Orleans (Ch. 20) to specify that if WJMR-TV goes into comparative hearing on Ch. 12 no weight will be given to funds expended by WJMR-TV on experiment. (3) Examiner Herbert Sharfman issued initial decision granting CP for Ch. 2 to WTVI, St. Louis, which has been on the channel temporarily. Examiner’s recommendation follows merger whereby La. Purchase Co. withdraws competing application, its stockholders subscribing to 135,190 shares of WTVI stock at 10«‘ per share and getting $41,000 for expenses (Vol. 14:6). Sharfman said no “trafficking” or “payoff” was involved. (4) Granted Ch. 13, Hibbing, Minn., to WEVE, Eveleth. (5) Granted waiver of rules permitting WVEC-TV, Hampton, Va. (Ch. 15) to identify itself as “HamptonNorfolk.” (6) Shifted Ch. 11 from Galveston to Houston, allowing KGUL-TV to become Houston station. (7) Received petition from educational WTVS, Detroit (Ch. 56) seeking shift of Ch. 12 from Flint to Detroit so that station can apply for it. Canadian channel changes announced this week following agreement with U. S.: Substitute Ch. 9-plus for 10 in Calgary, Alta.; Ch. 10 for 8 in Lacombe, Alta.; Ch. 6-plus for Ch. 6 in Red Deer, Alta.; Ch. 3-minus for Ch. 4-plus in Winnipeg, Man.; Ch. 11 for Ch. 4 in Amos, Que.; Ch. 4 for Ch. 11 in Rouyn, Que. Also, add Ch. 8 to Camrose, Alta.; add Ch. 2 to Elk Lake, Ont.; delete Ch. 2 from Ville Mar-ie, Que. TV station for Curacao, Dutch island off northern coast of Venezuela, is scheduled to begin next fall, according to International Services Ltd., N. Y., whose pres., Harry M. Engel Jr. (owner of KUAM-TV, Guam) has been retained as consultant. Intercontinental said station will also cover neighboring Dutch island of Aruba. Tape repeats of color shows for west coast viewers was inaugurated by NBC Feb. 19 with delayed repeat of Kraft TV Theatre, using new RCA color TV tape recorder (Vol. 13:43,47,49). Unannounced on-air test last week was pronounced success by network engineers. Single TV application filed this week was request for educational Ch. 56, Tacoma, Wash., by Clover Park School District. This brings total now pending to 119 (29 uhf). [For details, see TV Addenda 26-D herewith.] Two more bills to ban toll TV were introduced in House this week, biinging total to 16. They were HR-10791 by Rep. Nimtz (R-Ind.) and HR-10826 by Rep. Moore (R-W. Va.).