Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

I'20!B2 CPs FOB AM THAN FM: Oddly enough, in the light of the FCC’s repeated avo’^als of seal to get FM under way quickly, CPs for new AM stations actually outnumber comhined CPs and Engineering Approvals for new FMs» And the granting of CPs for nev/ Standard stations continues at a fast pace, hardly a week going by without a substantial number of grants. There were 8 new AM grants this v/eek, 18 last v/eek. Inquiry at the FCC discloses that as of this v/eek there are exactly 178 CPs outstanding for ne;v AMs. Yet, to date, only 14 CPs and 26 EAs have been issued for FMs since the lifting of the wartime freeze (see Supplements 33 to 33D). The Commission, of course, regards its nearly 400 Conditional FM Grants to date as an earnest of its intention to get FM going, but holders of Conditionals can*t do much until they know their channel, pov/er and antenna specifications. We are promised more EAs and CPs as soon as the Commission engineers can process them, but the pace has been slow; this week there were none at all. Among the 173 new AIvIs authorised for construction, only 22 are applicants also for FM — plus the one pre-war FM licensee (WABW, Indianapolis) holding an A>^ construction permit for 250 w on 1550 kc (WBBW) . Most of the AJi grantees are getting local or daytime assignments only; most doubtless are biding their time before applying also for FM. The FM applicants v/ho also hold CPs for new AjMs are: Mobile, Ala., Giddens & Rester, 1 kw daytime on 710 kc ; Phoenix, Aris., Sun Country Bcstg. Co., 250 w on 1450 kc ; San Jose , Cal. , Santa Clara Bcstg. Co., 1 kw daytime on 1590 kc ; San Jose , Cal. , Valley Broadcasting Co., 5 kw local sunset on 1170 kc ; San Mateo, Cal., Araphlett Printing Co., 250 w on 1550 kc ; New Britain, Conn. , New Britain Bcstg. Co., 1 kv/ daytime on 840 kc ; Savannah, Ga. , Carter C. Peterson, 250 V on 1450 kc ; Paducah, Ky. , Paducah Newspapers Inc., 1 kw daytime on 800 kc ; Alexandria, La. . Central La. Bcstg. Corp. , 250 w on 1490 kc ; Chicopee . Mass. , Regional Bcstg. Co., 1 kw daytime on 730 kc ; Meridian, Miss., Birney Imes Jr., 250 V/ on 1240 kc ; Rochester, N.Y. , Monroe Bcstg. Co. Inc., 250 w daytime on 680 kc ; High Point, N.C., High Point Enterprise, 1 kw daytime on 830 kc ; Canton, 0.. .Stark Bcstg. Corp., 1 kw daytime on 1060 kc ; Toledo, 0., Unity Corp. Inc., 1 kw daytime on 1560 kc ; Eugene, Ore., Valley Bcstg. Co., 250 w on 1400 kc ; Bethlehem. Pa, , Bethlehem Globe Pub. Co., 250 w daytime on 1110 kc ; Clearfield, Pa. , Airplane & Marine Instruments Inc., 250 v; on 1490 kc ; Lancaster, Pa. . Peoples Bcstg. Co., 1 kw daytime on 1320 kc ; Norristown, Pa., Rahall Bcstg. Co., 500 w daytime on 1110 kc ; Oil City, Pa. . Keruieth E. Rennekamp, 250 v/ part-time on 1340 kc ; Marshfield, Wis.. Dairyland's Bcstg. Service, 250 w on 1450 kc. ChUVEOLST SIGNIHS foe TV: First major automobile sponsor to contract for a com mercial television series is Chevrolet, scheduled to be signed next Monday, thru Campbell-Ewald, by Paul Mowrey, ABC's TV manager, for 4 programs on DuJ^ont’s WABD, Contract is due to be closed with the aid of King-Trendle ' s WXYZ, the network's Detroit affiliate, which v/ill thus receive cooperative credit in the projected Manhattan telecasts as well as experience in program planning, a useful item when it begins to exercise privileges of its recent TV grant (Vol. 2, No. 15). JEWS AND VIEWS: President Truman told his Wednesday press conference he was considering several men for the FCC vacancy, but post will not be filled very soon ; it had been understood job v/as being held open for Paul Porter's return. . . .Asst . General Counsel Ben Cottone. has been named acting FCC general counsel, Rosel Hyde having been sworn in as commissioner Wednesday. .. .DuMont offered Washington Star 3 kv/ transmitter for November delivery in answer to latter's objection to Channel No. 7 at oral argument this v/eek. .. .Loew* s (MGM) got FCC grant this week of new handy calls for its FM stations — WMGM for its WHNF, New York; KMGM for KTL0,Los Angeles. .. .Lt . Col. Wm. C. Boese, back at FCC after duty on Army radio-radar, is now in charge of TV allocations ... .Wm. T. Davies, back from Army, who directed Farnsv/orth' s mobile TV in 1939-40, is now assistant to Manager Pierre Boucheron of Farnsworth Broadcast Division; Paul J. Boxell. ex-press aide to Marine Commandant Gen. Vandegrift, is nev/ director of company's public relations. ... If FCC approves, WSDC vlll be call letters of Everett Dillard's FM station in V/ashington. / /'