Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

HASna CODEl’ AUTHORITATIVE NEWS SERVICE OF THE VISUAL BROADCASTING AND FREOUENCY MODULATION ARTS AND INDUSTRY ('U3USHEI1 SELUY ^ Rgprls 1513 C0XHECTiCUTAVE.N.\7..\?ASSrfiST0H S.D.C. TELEPHONE mmm 2029 • VOL 2, HO. 30 July 27, 1946 ILCWU WOULD BUY 20,000 FM SETS: *'FM must have recelvei^s and, by God, here’s what we* re doing about it.” That was what International Ladies Garment Workers Union's subsidiary. Unity Broadcasting Corp. , asserted, in effect, at New York FM hearing in reporting it had arranged v/ith a radio set manufacturer (name unrevealed, but not one of largest) to deliver 20,000 FM-AM table models at cost to union members Tvithin 90 days, if and when union got station grant. Project would involve some $700, 000-$800, 000, members to pay for sets on installment plan. Claiming 170,000 members in New York City alone, ILGWU said it would order more sets as demand grew. It is applicant also for FM stations in Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Los Angeles, already holds Conditional for Chattanooga. Proposal came Thursday, just before Friday’s v/indup of acrimonious three-week-long hearing. While touchy subject of N. Y. Daily News' editorial policy v/as shelved to simmer for probably a couple of months, speculation boiled as to who of the 17 applicants would get 5 unreserved channels. As expected, Hearst Radio dropped after FCC approval of sale of WINS to Crosley (Vol. 2, No. 29) but Crosley, in turn, was ^left out in cold when FCC turned down its last minute petition to get in on New York fight. First fruits of reservation plan (Vol. 2, No. 29) appeared in Nev/ York v/hen young Henry Morgenthau III, son of ex-Secretary of Treasury, speaking for predominantly veteran group, indicated intention to apply for one of New York's 4 reserved channels. YCt HYPOS FM CH^N?IEL Apathet ic FM conditional grantees and CP holders, who think they're going to squat idly on their channels, doing nothing while letting "George" build the FM audience, are going to feel the heavy hand of an irked FCC. The Commission thinks many of them can start with interim equipment, as some already have, pending delivery and installation of full equipment. And the commissioners, all of them ardent FM advocates, distinctly do not go along with theory that egg must come before hen — receivers before transmitters. Reports of dilatory tactics led FCC Friday to send all grantees a 16-point questionnaire asking, among other things: whether and when orders for transmitter, antenna, supporting structure, have been placed, and promised delivery dates; whether transmitter and studio sites must be purchased or leased ; whether construction has begun at either transmitter or studio locations ; whether application for building permit has been submitted to local CPA and result; what's being done about interim operation. Replies must be returned v;ithin 15 days of date specified in CP as required commencement date for construction (2 months after issuance). "Delays cannot be permitted," says FCC in sharp accompanying statement. Where Commission has asked for additional engineering data from conditional grantees preliminary to issuing regular CPs, and under old policy was v/illing to wait 90 days, it now will wait no longer than 50 days. In cases of "undue delay" in furnishing information, it will ."review the grant to determine whether the application should be designated for hearing and the grant cancelled." After CPs are Copyright 1946 by Radio News Bureau