Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

by M. H. Aylesworth, former NBC president, responsible for many newspapers going into radio with much the same call a decade and more ago: “It is difficult for me to imagine a newspaper of the future without a television station, or affiliated with one.” Well-merited selections for year’s awards for outstanding contributions to TV: to three young RCA scientists for developing the Image Orthicon; to NBC’s John Royal, for bringing the Louis-Conn fight to TV; to Standard Brands’ Donovan B. Stetler, for the best entertainment program on TV, “Hour Glass”; to CBS’s Paul Boulanger, for artistry in adapting music and ballet to TV; to Paramount’s Klaus Landsberg, for his “Our Town” public service programs in Los Angeles; to AT&T, for its coaxial development. Apparently no trepidation on the part of executives and workers in black-and-white TV that CBS will upset their applecart by proving (at FCC hearings called for Dec. 9) that low-band monochrome is already obsolete and should be halted to give way to uhf color. Quickly added is the remark, “Of course, we’ll have color eventually” — but estimates as to its advent vary from three to ten years. THIS WEEK Fil^: Merry clip of FM grants continues— this week’s 18 CPs and 11 conditionals bringing CP total to 316, conditional total to 236 (Supplement No. 44B herewith). In an unusual action, FCC granted Fairfield Broadcasting Co., new Danbury (Conn.) applicant, permission to be included in further hearing on Bridgeport area applicants. This, after original hearing was over, and despite protests of other applicants over Fairfield’s tardiness, plus fact that several of the company’s principals are stockholders in the Danbury News-Times which had dropped out of hearing held in September. Dropout of V/esley Dumm’s Pacific Coast Broadcasting Co. (KXLA) from Los Angeles leaves 15 seeking 14 channels in Nov. 18 hearing there with Commissioner Jett scheduled to preside. Chicago applicant Drovers Journal Publishing Co. (WAAF) filed objection to FCC action taking Chicago Class B channel and giving it to WJOB, Hammond, Ind., which had Class A conditional. In Baltimore, where 3 applicants are scheduled to haggle over the remaining channel Oct. 21 (unless postponed) , Radio-Television of Baltimore Inc. (TV-FM-AM applicant) tells FCC it can, if it wants to, spread vhf joy throughout Baltimore by borrowing channels from York and Harrisburg, Pa., and granting all 3 without hearing. And in Hamilton, O., Class A conditional grantee Fort Hamilton Broadcasting Co. (WMOH) decided it preferred one of Cincinnati’s plentiful Class B channels, got it. SA?/iE TUNE, SHARPER WORDS: NAB President Justin Miller’s speech before the American Legion convention in San Francisco last week was obscured by the Bradley-Stelle controversy, got very little headline attention. But it was none the less provocative, inevitably widens the breach between broadcast industry and government regulators, even has political implications. For, if as Judge Miller avers, radio is beset with subversive elements seeking to break down “our free institutions,” if these elements are as “insidious” and “vicious” and “dangerous” as described, his charge can hardly go unheeded. Indeed, they contain perfect political platform material, useful especially to the opponents of Miller’s own Democratic party. Never once was “Blue Book” mentioned, but the allusions v/ere obvious: “Beware the government officer or agency who plausibly justifies the encroachments of government into areas of free speech and free press . . . “Make no mistake, that the concession of power to government to control radio broadcasting will be followed by a demand for government control of the press, of motion pictures and of other media as well . . . “Once concede to government power to tell our people what they may read or hear — on the theory of good or bad taste — and we have conceded power to tell us what our political beliefs must be; what our religious beliefs must be and whom we shall call ‘Der Fuerher.’ ” There’s a lot more in this most strongly worded speech in the series Miller has delivered since, newly resigned from the Federal appellate bench, he became the organized broadcasters’ guide and preceptor about a year ago. We strongly urge you to ask NAB for a copy and read the last half particularly carefully. WHAT ABOUT POHTER? Inquiry at highest levels of the Democratic party as to OPA Administrator Paul Porter’s probable return to the FCC chairmanship, elicited this response: “We’ve kept the job open for .a long time, so draw your own conclusions.” However, a White House aide is known to have approached Maj. Gen. H. C. Ingles, chief of Army Signal Corps, to ask whether he would consider the FCC post. Gen. Ingles wasn’t interested, besides is registered as a Nebraska Republican— and the vacancy must go to a Democrat. Also said to have been under consideration was Gen. Robert McClure, PRO in the ETO. As for Porter, he refuses to discuss the subject, though there seems to be no secret about his desire to get off OPA hot spot and return to the relatively calm atmosphere of FCC or private life.