Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1958)

Wyatt Building • Washington 5, D. C. • Telephone Sterling 3-1755 • Vol. 14; No. 23 SUMMAfty-/NDfX Of THE WEEK'S NEWS — June 7, 1958 COMMUNITY ANTENNA operators, gathering in Washington for NCTA convention, working hard to counteract opposition's gains in Congress & FCC (pp. 1 & A). FM ALLOCATIONS TABLE abandonment moy offer guide for TV in future. Observers differ in views on probable industry reaction, application flow (p. 2). ALLOCATIONS SOLUTIONS sought by FCC, deintermixture discussion set. Craven suggests 25-channel vhf band. ABC proposes 3-vhf markets (pp. 2 & 8). PRESSURES ON NETWORKS increase from Senate, House, Justice Dept. FCC urges all wait until network hearing is finished and evaluated (pp. 3 & 4). HARRIS FCC PROBERS move to Boston for on-spot look at WHDH-TV, are greeted with Herald-Traveler blast denying any "influence" in award (p. 5). BIG GAME HUNTERS in the industry who have enjoyed thrill of on African safari include Larry Gubb, Ed Meredith, Don Reynolds, Herb Hollister (p. 6). Manufacturing-Distribution DuMONT-DAYSTROM NEGOTIATIONS terminate, but talks now going on with other electronics interests, notably aircraft. DuMont stock falls, trading slight (p. 3). FALL BUSINESS PICKUP seen by industry leaders as new 1959 lines of TV, hi-fi-stereo, radios move to market. Distributor conventions lively (p. 10). COLOR TV's FAILURE to lake hold attributed to public-bedanmed attitude of networks by Admiral's Ross Siragusa, who indicates manufacturers are ready (p. 12). PHILCO SHIFTS TOP ECHELON, merges TV. radio, phonos into Consumer Products div. (p. 12). CATV OPERATORS CONVENE, GEARED TO FIGHT: Community antenna system operators have been accustomed to putting out limited "brush fires" — but, as their National Community Television Assn, holds convention in Washington's Mayflower Hotel Tues.-Thu. , June 10-12, they know they have a real forest fire on their hands. Biggest turnout yet is expected — about 400 vs. 300 at last year's convention in Pittsburgh. CATV operators have won fights quite consistently with state regulatory agencies which sought to control them. And FCC has consistently held that it has no authority over them, is by no means sure they need to be controlled. Fact is, until recently, just about everyone was delighted with the systems. But a group of small-town telecasters is up in arms and doing bang-up job of persuading Congress and FCC that they're being hurt; that public will suffer if stations do; that CATV systems are the villains (Vol. 14: 18-19, 21-22). CATV operators are up against a formidable foe — the telecasters, their Washington attorneys and their skilled trade assn. NAB, all of whom have had decades of experience in persuading Congress and FCC. CATV operators, by and large, are men of considerable substance and agility, know their way around home states very well. They're now trying to catch up in Washington. They have money — and now they have the determination. Concept of "joining 'em if you can't lick 'em" hasn't had much attention from telecasters, up to now. CATV business has been considerably more profitable than small-market telecasting — and a lot easier way of making a living. But telecasters are waking up, too. We have the word of Bill Daniels, former NCTA pres, who operates several systems and recently started CATV brokerage firm in Denver (Vol. 14:17), that: "We have more buyers than sellers. Prospective purchasers include a good number of TV & radio stations and movie operators. We have a lot of deals working.