Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

CPA approval for construction, there were indications that not all FM building plans are at a standstill. Some grantees are planning temporary housings that will come under the $1,000 maximum for radio construction; others are still shaping their plans and haven’t yet approached CPA regional offices for special approvals; still more, usually satisfied AMers, are perfectly willing to bide their time until things loosen up, especially in view of the paucity of FM receivers. In formally rejecting Federal Telephone & Radio's petition for $15,000 exemptions (also RMA's and NAB's), Washington headquarters of CPA indicated that appeals to local field offices would be given liberal treatment — but it was evident CPA is itself still in organizational throes. For example. Beer & Koehl, owners of the Ashland (0.) Times-Gazette , eager beavers in the FM woods and newcomers to radio, could get no information from the Cleveland CPA office. In Washington, the Evening Star found the local CPA office wasn’t yet set up this week to handle any applications. However, some grantees say they don’t think they will need to go through CPA red tape. Omaha World-Herald (KOWH) hopes to get its FM on the air with low power in temporary building costing under $1,000 to fix up, as yet has not been able to get delivery promise on 25 kw transmitter. St. Paul’s KSTP, holder of CP for 318 kw, reports it has erected single-layer turnstile atop Hotel St. Paul with temporary power of 250 watts authorized this week, the construction job costing less than $1,000. Theodore Granik, the MBS Forum mediator v/ho got a Washington grant, has determined that trailers and Quonset huts are available and says he is thinking of using one or the other to house his FM transmitter. Macon's WMAZ (which up to April 19 had not yet been informed by the FCC that it had been granted a CP on April 10!) reported its FM was at a standstill since plans involve costly move to another floor in present building to house both FM and AlA operations. MAY C!!IAHS£ FM H9MEMCLATUES: Far-reaching implications for FM are seen in FCC’s current concern with Area II station designations, discernible in the several EAs granted recently that bear no classification. Solution may. be forthcoming in week or so, may take form of a complete change of nomenclature for Area II FM stations. Gist of the problem is this; Should a station which can cover almost an entire State because of its antenna height be favored with a Rural classification,, and all that tag connotes, when it needs no greater power than that provided by a 1 or 3 kw transmitter? Or, conversely, how can the Metropolitan nomenclature be justified for a station whose coverage radius extends 80 miles or more? Take Reno, Nev. , for example. There, Reno Newspapers Inc. has been given an EA for 9.7 kw with an antenna height of 2,774 ft. Because of this elevation, the station is expected to serve most of Nevada, with a probable 3 kw transmitter. Should that station be classified Metropolitan or Rural? A corollary to the problem is fact that classification of stations will play an important part in those Area II sections which someday may be incorporated into Area I. By virtue of a Metropolitan classification, such stations would be protected only to their 1,000 uv/m contour. Yet the Rules make no reference to power considerations for Rural stations. All that the Rules state is that a Rural station must cover a metropolitan district plus an additional area that is prediminately rural in character. It is also understood the FCC has yet to complete its service area outlines for the majority of Area II channels. While the Commission struggles with this problem, FM grants continue to dribble forth. This week’s FM grants include 4 CPs, 8 EAs. 38 new conditionals (see Supplement No. 36A) , as against 8 more new AMs. Hearings were also designated for St. Louis and Atlanta, but no dates set. In St. Louis 5 applicants are contesting for 4 remaining channels, the other 5 channels being already allotted to 3 CP holders and 2 conditional grantees; in Atlanta, 5 applicants are vying for 4 available channels, the fifth being reserved for the 1 conditional in that city (see Supplement No. 36).