Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

im YET EUPLiCATINO: All sort of rumors of AM-FM duplication are rampant , but in quiries disclose no verifications as yet. Don Lee's KHJ-FM denies it is duplicating MBS musical programs, its executive v.p. Lewis Allen Weiss wiring us: "We do not believe that the Lea Bill provides any protection for such duplication." Nor is Stanley Hubbard’s KSTP-FM carrying anything yet other than news and transcriptions. Latter, incidentally, is on air v;ith a home-built 250-w transmitter, although its Rural CP calls for 318 kw. Its engineers report test reception covering 25 miles, but say some of first FM receivers coming out apparently had FM added with only one stage so do not have sufficient sensitivity to pick up signal more than 15 miles away. Hubbard says he expects to have his 10-kw RCA transmitter operating by Sept. 1 with effective radiated power of about 80 kw. PKOBE KI L. h. into the already muddled TV situation, the FCC this week interjected still more jumble — to the undisguised consternation not only of principals and counsel but of the diminishing school of adherents to its own policy favoring low-band TV now. Entirely unheralded at the eleventh hour, it added new issues to the Los Angeles TV hearing, scheduled to start there next Monday with Asst. General Counsel Harry Plotkin sitting as examining officer on the 8 remaining applications for the 7 available channels. Last Wednesday, it advised counsel of additional issues to be made part of Los Angeles hearing; (1) an investigation into stock ov/nership and management interest of Paramount in DuMont ; (2) an investigation of Paramount's interest in pending TV applications of Television Productions Inc., for San Francisco; United Detroit Theatres Inc., Detroit; New England Theatres Inc., Boston; Comerf ord-Publix Theatres Corp. , Scranton, Pa.; Interstate Circuit Inc., Dallas; Maison Blanche Co., New Orleans (see Supplement No. 18). Inquiries have to do v/ith multiple ownership rule , limiting number of TV stations to 5 to one company. Though Commission said issues were prepared last May 2, it didn't notify counsel until 2 v;eeks later, giving them scarcely time to prepare cases, let alone catch trains or planes to Los Angeles. Recognizing this. Chairman Denny agreed to separate DuMont inquiry from Los Angeles hearing, but will hold a separate hearing on that later in Washington. Meanwhile, DuMont's other applications remain on ice despite plenitude of channels — for Pittsburgh, where it is one of only 2 remaining applicants for 4 available channels; for Cleveland, where there are only 3 applicants for 5 channels; for Cincinnati, v/here there are 3 for 4. (DuJiont already has a station in Nev/ York, holds a CP for one in Washington, these designed to be part of projected network.) But the Paramount inquiry goes ahead. Paramount's Paul Raibourn is in L.A. for hearing, presumably will answer the questions. Its TV holdings include: (1) all Class B stock ov/nership in DuMont, a minority of the total issue, but with 3 out of 8 directors; (2) its subsidiary Balaban & Katz's license for WBKB, Chicago; (3) its subsidiary Television Production Inc.'s experimental license for W6XYZ, Los Angeles, presently operating in lov/-band ; (4) its control or part ownership in the 6 other applicants mentioned (although its connection with Maison Blanche, part of big dept, store chain, is rather obscure even in FCC records). Inquiry is to be conducted with idea of preventing "monopoly" control of TV — if not on still wide open low-band, then later on high-band when low-band pioneers v/ill presumably expect prior consideration. Inquiry v/as ordered in face of fact that FCC itself is being embarrassed by wholesale withdrawals of low-band applications — so many in recent months that there are only 4 cities left where demand exceeds supply of channels (Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago) — and in face of possibility Paramount, one of few remaining movie companies willing to risk investment in low-band, may also be goaded into withdrawing in disgust. Los Angeles hearing finds these applicants remaining in race for that city's 7 channels; Hughes Productions; Earle C. Anthony Inc.; Don Lee (already operating experimental W6XA0 on Channel No. 2) ; National Broadcasting Co. ; American Broad