Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

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ri!3USHtO BEtSU BY (] R83i0 HESS CliSEAU, 1519 COHSECTICIII AYL H.W., BASlilHSTOH 6, D.C. TEIEPHOHE lllCaMa 2020 • VOL 2, NO. 2 yAHTiri DODEl’s AUTHORITATIVE NEWS SERVICE OF THE VISUAL BROADCASTING AND FREQUENCY MODULATION ARTS AND INDUSTRY January 12, 1946 riULTIPLE FM-T7 ^PPLICA^ITS; There are a lot of multiple applicants for FM and TV facilities, but relatively few are seeking the allowable limit of 6 FM, 5 TV, as shown in our Supplement No. 26 herewith. In fact, in the TV category, only NBC and DuMont ask for the full limit of 5; Paramount, mainly through affiliated companies, seeks 6. Hearst so far asks for 4; Loew's (MGM) , Scripps-Howard, Raytheon, Crosley, Westinghouse , Yankee, the Steinmans, American Broadcasting Co. and Cleveland Plain Dealer, only 3 each. Fact that there are relatively few TV applicants (only around 140) has led to speculation that FCC may relax the multiple ov/nership rule, to allow big companies willing to invest in TV to get more than the 5 limit so long as they’re in different cities. The 730 or more FM applicants (Supplements 14A-14D) in the main are from Single entities seeking local outlets. But the full complement of 6 FA^s is also sought by a comparatively few; NBC, Yankee, Scripps-Howard, Copley Press, Chicago Tribune (Midwest), Speidel Newspapers, Unity Corp. Seeking 5 are Hearst, McClatchy, Laux ; and among those seeking 4 are CBS, Unity Broadcasting Co. (ILGWU), Amalgamated Clothing Workers, Knight Newspapers, Decatur Newspapers. But some of these and others are known to be planning to file for additional cities, so the list at best is tentative. PIECEMEAL COBBITI-OMIS: Don’t be confused by FCC’s apparent lack of plan in an nouncing conditional FM grants, 25 more of which are reported in Supplement No. 27 herewith (bringing total to date to 266). The Commission simply isn’t processing applications city by city, but only as fast as it can clear each one individually. Thus, if you’re qualified and if there are enough channels in your area, you can be reasonably sure you will get yours eventually. Hearings v/ill be ordered where applicants outnumber available channels in any particular area, or where question arises as to qualifications. GH WIDEmnS TIIE FM Pros and cons are already developing up to fever point over question v/hether FM band should be widened to include 42-50 me, subject of FCC hearing Jan. 18 on the Zenith petition claiming its tests and FCC's prove 50 me transmission offers 2)^ times service range of 100 me transmission and is the answer to rural coverage problem. Pros argue that if Zenith's figures are correct (and it looks as if they are), then FM band should be widened. Antis insist extended coverage can be secured through combinations of Rural and Community stations, or even with AM signals, and don't want allocations ripped up again. Zenith's Gene McDonald declared this week opening of low band would not only protect present low-band FM set owners, but would provide enough more channels to accommodate 500-1,000 more stations. And Zenith's v.p. in charge of engineering, G. E. Gustafson, in a letter dated Jan. 4 to FM broadcasters and engineers recounted Copyright 1946 by llacUo News Bureau