Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

LOMANDJIHS PERSIST: FCC opinion on reasons why it turned down FM band-widening petition is expected out next week. It will stress inconclusiveness of DeerfieldAndalusia tests, preponderance of testimony against including 50 me band. It will also assert present 100 me FM will provide sufficient outlying coverage — figuring 60-mile radius from 20 kw Metropolitan stations with 500 ft. antenna height over average terrain. Map of Metropolitan channel allocations may accompany opinion to show graphically how present allocations fully cover East, leave large blanks only in sparsely populated western spots as does AM also. Meanwhile, proponents of 50 me FM continue fight. Latest move is exemplified in telegraphic request to FCC by Arthur Freed, president of Freed Radio, asking that present low-band transmission continue because of delay in new band transmitter deliveries and time necessary for stations to attain full power output. Also, that Commission order those stations back on air that have discontinued programs due to Petrillo edict, with recordings if necessary, as protection to present FM set owners. Commission acknowledged receipt of v/ire, has made no reply yet. On other side of fence, kudos to FCC for decision came from John Ballantvne. Philco president, who issued a press release stating: "The Commission, in the face of intense pressure from a limited number of manufacturers, has adopted the course of action best suited to protect the public interest." But, still unreconstructed. Dr. Armstrong asked, "Are we going to have the best service of which FM is capable, limited only by the laws of nature, or are we going to have one hedged in by regulations and restricted by artificial means?" And Zenith's Gene McDonald, also disappointed, was preparing to enlist farm editors in his vinrelenting battle for rural coverage via lower band FM. SPOT HEWS VIA TV: Before jampacked viewers, DuMont’s experimental W3XWT broke news of Harry Hopkins' death Tuesday during demonstration in Washington's Hotel Statler staged by Televiser Magazine in collaboration with Washington-Baltimore ad clubs. The news just happened to hit during telecast interview with Mrs. Frances Bolton, personable Ohio Congresswoman, first TV images seen by most of the 200 advertising folk attending. Interest in first part of telecast was intense, images on pre-war DuMont table model being adjudged acceptable-to-good — but not as good as can be shown on newer models. Crowd melted away during mediocre film short which followed, underlining again the necessity for tiptop programming if TV is to make good. imm AfiD VIEWS: Cowles' application for an experimental facsimile station in Washington, has newspaper fraternity scratching its head over possibilities of a facsimile newspaper delivered into homes via uhf radio. Reason Washington was chosen is because Comdr. T. A. M. Craven, Cov/les' radio chief, has headquarters here .... Preoccupation with OPA matters precluded RJAA board taking any action respecting dial markings for FM sets at meeting in Chicago Wednesday. Board accepted results of RMA survey favoring channel as against frequency designations (Vol. 2, No. 4) without comment .... Federal's nev/ FiM modulator-oscillator unit, now in production, is said to surpass FCC engineering standards for low noise reception level. Company reports it is building 170 FM transmitter units for delivery beginning in March .... Rumors about RKO-Television Corp.'s absorption by parent company’s Pathe subsidiary v;ere quashed by the upping of Ralph B. Austrian, exec v.p., to president. He was elected Thursday to succeed Frederic Ullman Jr. who, though he remains a director of the TV company, will concentrate on his duties as president of RKO-Pathe Inc Worthington C. Lent, Washington consulting engi neer, has taken in LaVerne M. Poast as partner, and his firm is no’.v known as Lent & Poast . Latter was formerly with Jansky & Bailey, during war had been doing direction-finding research with Bureau of Standards and Army .... Though feeling prevails in some quarters that networks are lukewarm toward too early emergence of FM, American Broadcasting Co. hierarchy is already laying long-range plans for an FM network .... Denmark has sent one of its top radio executives over to study American TV equipment and techniques — Frederik Heegaard, who is at New York's Hotel Commodore.