Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

FT. V'/OJlTtl GETS TV, MOBE TO UHF: • Enthusiastic Harold Hough, director of Amon Carter (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) radio interests, informed Friday that his company was granted CP for new TV station, wired: "We expect to build this station as quickly as we can. We will start operating it even if there isn't a single television set in the State of Texas. V/e realize the transmitter must come before the receiver." Fort Worth low-band grant (Channel No. 5, 34.4 kw visual and aural power) was first in some v/eeks, though others pend. Friday, also, FCC granted Mil^vaukee Journal, which had dropped its prewar CP for low-band, an experimental CP for uhf TV; also granted Cowles' WOL, V/ashington, which already holds developmental CP for uhf color and plans CBS system, another CP for uhf facsimile. Second major broadcaster to specify plan to use CBS color equipment in applying for experimental uhf TV was Providence's Cherry & Webb (WPRO) which this week asked FCC for assignment in 480-920 me band, preferably 700 me, with 1 kw power; said it v/ill order Westinghouse transmitter, with receivers from GE or others, using V/estinghouse and CBS engineei’S as consultants and McNary Ez Wrathall as supervisors. It proposes to spend $185,000 on plant. Aside from Cowles and CBS itself, applicant for uhf stations in Boston, St. Louis, Chicago, Pasadena, these are the only broadcasters as yet actually carrying out avowed purpose of going to uhf color, though many low-band dropouts have given that as their reason. Four more low-band TV applicants v/ithdrawing are WGAL Inc. and the Lancaster Television Corp. , both of Lancaster, Pa. ; Comerford Publix Theatres, Scranton, Pa. (part-owned by Paramount) ; and Michael Alfend, et al. (Alfco Co.), St. Louis (Supplement No. 18). This leaves only Pulitzer Publishing Co. (Post-Dispatch) for St. Louis, all other applicants there having withdrawn. 1??; Jim Shouse, v/ho directs the powerful V/LV/ for Crosley. went through some stiff quizzing from FCC members last Wednesday about his attitude tov/ard FM. He had delivered a distinctly bearish speech about FM the week earlier before Colorado convention of National Editorial Assn. ; had described FM as just another way of doings same thing as AM; had suggested AMs might be available to small town publishers, cautioning that FM sets were still few and not many in early prospect. Commissioners Denny, Jett, Durr, sitting en banc in hearing on Crosley' s proposed $1,700,000 purchase of Hearst's WINS, New York, seized upon the occasion to question Shouse closely, indicated their strong disagreement. Shouse said they v/ere his personal views, admitted to Jett he had never heard FM under storm Static conditions. Several commissioners v/anted to know why Crosley v/ants an FM in Cincinnati (where it has a conditional grant) and in Columbus; why does it contemplate seeking FI>/[ in Nev; York, too? Shouse stuck by his guns, forecast adverse impact on FM when TV gets going, disagreed with view of FM enthusiasts (oftexpressed by commissioners themselves) that FM will eventually spell doom of present-band local and regional AMs. Few will question good sense of his admonition to editors to "look before leaping" into any business, but it is apparent Shouse has provoked a debate between the big and little fellow in radio, the ins and outs, that will continue to flare. PABAI’IflUHT TV IKQIHBY: Here's how Paramount will present its case to the FCC Mon day in answer to the Commission's request for full information on its extensive holdings in TV stations and applicants: Outright subsidiaries — Television Pro ductions Inc. (licensee of experimental Vi/GXYZ, Los Angeles, and applicant for commercial license there) ; Balaban & Katz (licensee of TV station WBKB, 'Chicago) ; New England Theatres Inc. (Boston applicant) ; United Detroit Theatres Corp. (Detroit applicant). Minority interests — DuMont (owns all 560,000 Class B shares and beneficially 4.1% of the Class A stock; elects 3 out of 8 directors plus secretary, treasurer, asst, treasurer) ; Interstate Circuit Inc. (Dallas applicant) ; Comerford Publix Theatres Corp. (Scranton applicant, which withdrew this weekend). Paramount will also show that it owns 50% of Paramount-Richards Publix Co., New Orleans, which is 50% owner of V/SMB Inc. ; other half owner of V/SMB is Maison Blanche Co., New Orleans dept, store, applicant for TV.