Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

HaSTItl CODEl’s A'JTl-!OR!TATIVE NEWS SERVICE OF THE VISUAL BROADCASTING AND j FREQUENCY MODULATION ^ ARTS AND INDUSTRY I J S Pl'3L!SHE9 WEEKLY BY / RADIO HEWS BUREAU. 1513 CON?<tQTiCUT AVL HW.. V/ASiliHSTDN G, D.G. TaO’HD:iE MlCiilSAI^ 2023 • VOL 2, HO. 15 April 13, 1946 1 FM PCLiCY AM SMALL BUSE^SSS: FCC seised the occasion of publication this week of t the Senate Small Business Committee's report on FM (a copy is enclosed herewith) t to avow publicly what has become apparent to all observers of the FM field — that i its policy is not to assign away all Metropolitan channels in any one locality, f No Sooner was the Senate report issued, titled "Small Business Opportunities in FM 1 Broadcasting," than the Commission issued a formal statement setting forth that I policy which we publish herewith as Part I, Supplement No. 34. I With respect to the reservation of channels, it states it is granting FM I permits city-by-city, but not assigning all frequencies in each city immediately. ' Thus far, for example, it has granted only 8 actual CPs for Washington's 11 chan [ nels (3 applications having been passed over) . Conditional grants have been made ' where channels exceed number of applicants. Results of last week's Boston hearing are being v/atched, for there 9 applicants seek 9 channels and FCC may turn down several in order to "save" channels in line with the now expressed policy. The Senate Committee's report makes three recommendations; (1) reserve some channels for veterans or small business applicants ; (2) permit small-scale initial operation so FM can be started v/ith modest budgets; (3) publicize opportunities for small business in FM, To the latter points, the FCC replied that modest beginnings for modest bankrolls are permissible under Special Temporary Authorizations (STA) allowing a grantee to go on the air with minimum equipment ; that Community stations are available in great numbers for small businessmen; that FM should get publicity impetus from new primer now being drafted, titled "How to Apply for an FM Broadcast Station," which Senate committee will shortly publish. OFF, B2TBGIT GETS TVs: Looks now like the log-jam holding up issuance of CPs for TV stations has been broken, with the FCC's action this week approving 2 Metropolitan TVs in Detroit — to the Detroit News and King-Trendle. At the same time it called off April 24 hearing on Detroit's TV applicants, who had dwindled down to only 4 whereas 5 channels are available. It also called off May 13 hearing on Cleveland's 5 remaining TV applications for the 5 channels available there, but has made no grants as yet. Other hearings set for cities where the supply of TV channels exceeds or equals the demand (as in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, San Francisco) may also be called off ; and decisions granting CPs in such cities may be expected to follow. Detroit grants were the first post-war since the Washington TV hearings (Supplement No. 31). Though channels are available, the 2 other Detroit applicants were passed over — The Jam Kandy Organization (at its ov/n request) and United Detroit Theatres Corp. (pending further investigation, presumably because it is a Paramount subsidiary). Previously, International Detrola and WJR had withdrawn their Detroit applications. In Cleveland, DuMont, NBC, Scripps-Howard , United (Plain Dealer) and Western Reserve U remain as applicants, WGAR and WJW having withdrav/n. All are believed Copyright 1946 by Radio News Bureau