Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

senior Democrat among the 15 tnetabers of new committee, ranking much ahead of Colorado's Senator Johnson who was senior after Wheeler on old committee. Senator Bailey, not particularly identified v/ith radio, would probably take chairmanship since ranking member Barkley of Kentucky is majority leader and would not have time for committee work. SQOH !H m CASES: Now that FCC for better or worse has fixed its one year "reserve channel" policy (Vol. 2, No. 29), you can expect decisions soon on hearings already held on rival FM applications for Boston, Pittsburgh, ClevelandAkron, Indianapolis, Chicago, Providence, Fort Wayne — in that order, more or less, inasmuch as staff is trying to clear first cases first. Long overdue decisions (Boston, Pittsburgh and Cleveland-Akron cases were heard in April) were held up primarily because of after-thought "freeze policy. ” Imposed ex post facto, as the lawyers say, it cuts down number of channels applicants thought they were striving for, may thus cue some rejected applicants to appeal from reservation plan that puts every fifth channel in major cities on ice for year. Final decision on Washington FM grants of last March, first to be announced (Vol. 2, No. 12), and first to go to oral argument heard last Tuesday by full Commission, may also be expected momentarily. Nub of issue is whether previously "passed over" WWDC or newcomer Chesapeake Broadcasting Co. should get capital's ninth unreserved channel. New York decision will probably be last out, for it v/as last to be heard and engineering hearing must yet be held in Washington. Even after technical details are cleared, decision may be delayed by reason of intrusion of "race prejudice" issue into July hearing in effort to prove that the New York Daily News is not fit to be FM licensee. Even aside from that issue, regarded by many as extraneous and unfortunate, it's going to be a tough choice for FCC — picking who among the 17 rival applicants should get area's 5 remaining unreserved channels. But Commission, by freezing 4 channels, made things tough for itself. It virtually has invited the wrath that will inevitably descend upon it v/homever it selects, especially from the always voluble labor and left-wing groups so well represented among applicants. Everybody seems to be guessing — and it's nothing but that — which 5 v/ill win out. Perhaps most educated guesses are those in poll of competing counsel taken during dragging hours of July hearing in N. Y. Asked to list who they thought would get the 5 grants, replying lav/yers unanimously agreed on WJZ and WMCA ; placed N. Y. Post's WLIB and "one of the New Jersey applicants" next; thought "one of the unions" (ILGWU got most votes) or WEVD might get fifth channel. Poll was taken by WLIB counsel Leo Rosen. KELUCTA23T EETAILESS: Paralleling sluggish attitude of some dealers toward pushing FM receivers, even in cities where FM service is already available, is a similar "shy-away" policy in matter of TV sets. In a comprehensive roundup of big city dealers’ views, Fairchild Publications' alert "Retailing and Home Furnishings" (July 18) reports general retailer reluctance to go all out for TV — in a few cases, even, a cynical outlook. Typical are such remarks as; "No more of this preselling for us — v/e've had enough of that." "Store management is nov; unsold on television. .. [it] is still a long way off so far as the public is concerned." Trade journal's survey indicated, however, that many large store owners in cities like New York, Albany, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles (which already have TV service) and in Washington, Milwaukee, San Francisco, have tentative plans for displaying sets when DuMont, GE, RCA, etc. really begin delivering them. Some dealers are planning "room setups" for display, are already installing coaxial leads and conduits. But majority of sellers say they don't yet know physical requirements for adequate demonstrations, are somewhat fed up on glowing manufacturer promises to public which have not materialized in real goods. So they say they prefer to "wait and see" before getting themselves or their customers excited.