Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

AUTHORITATIVE NEWS SERVICE OF THE VISUAL BROADCASTING ANG FREQUENCY MODULATION ARTS AND INDUSTRY miaTia codei’s^^ fICE ^ ^ ^ ^ Usports P13B11SHED WEEKLY BY ^ RADIO NEWS BUHEAll, 1519 CONNECTICUT AYL aW.. WASNINSTON 8. D.C. TELEPHONE H1CH18AH 2029 -yOL 2, HO. 45 Novemiber 9, 1946 FM POLARIZATION RULE: As expected, FCC this week amended FM Engineering Standards to permit circular or elliptical polarization (Vol 2, No. 43) . Emphasized was fact that amendments (SupI plement No, 40A herewith) make new polarization . optional, and in no way change allocation picture. If broadcaster decides to use circular polarization, he is permitted to double power since half goes to vertical component of antenna. Though new system promises better service, high powered stations won’t be able to take advantage of it until someone develops an antenna with some gain. And Class A stations which can get by with one-bay antennas aren’t likely to use it until manufacturers offer an antenna for circular polarization at same cost as present antennas. TV AND FIW LINEUPS: You can expect several more low-band TV applications to be filed soon, prompted (1) by the public interest excited by sets already on the market, and (2) by last week’s disclosure of RCA’s projected electronic color system and its promise that low-band won’t be rendered obsolete overnight. But high cost of TV, real reason why 70-odd applicants have dropped since last December, still militates to hold number of TV broadcasters down (Supplement 18A). FCC hasn’t formally dropped it from the list of pending applicants, but you can eliminate Connecticut Television Co., Darien, Conn. (Bridgeport) whose prime mover, Ralph C. Powell, formerly with Presto, advises us it is not going ahead. In June FCC advised applicant it must complete data in 30 days; applicant failed to respond, so assumed it was dropped. On the FM front, now that log-jam of hearing decisions has been broken (Vol. 2, No. 44), FCC is striving to clean up cases involving 4 more areas before month is up — New York, ClevelandAkron, Providence, Dayton-Springfield. It has instructed ; Examiner A1 Guest, who presided over New York I cases, to complete recommendations at earliest possible moment. Long-delayed Boston FM de cision now is certain to await Comr. Durr’s consideration after his return from Europe next week. Guest also handled New York TV hearing (6 for 5 channels) , decision on which may be expected momentarily. Only other TV hearing case, Los Angeles, should be ready for decision now, what with Hughes withdrawal (Vol. 2, No. 43) leaving no contest (7 for 7). ELECTIONS AND RADIO: It’s a bit early to appraise, with exactitude, the effects of the elections on the radio industries. But this much merits comment and speculation: The radio community — broadcasters, manufacturers, et al. — generally share the country’s obvious desire for new management in Washington. They also have high hopes for the promised removals of government restraints, for relief from business uncertainties. But the Democrats still control the Administration, including FCC — and they will for at least two more years. President Trumxan must yet fill the Democratic vacancy left by Paul Porter’s shift to OPA last February. Though he yearns for the relative serenity of his old FCC chairmanship, the job would seem to hold much less lure for Porter now, even though OPA is fast being liquidated. FCC faces rough seas ahead — needling by Congressional committees, reduced appropriations, curtailed staff, threatened investigations. Certainly Republican pressures on the FCC will be as great as they were under both Hoover and Roosevelt regimes — probably greater in the flush of the GOP’s newly regained power. Col. Robert McCormick (Chicago TribuneWGN) having emerged as the Midwest’s most powerful political leader, it’s possible his influence may be exerted toward reopening the high power issue, quiescent since the Wheeler Resolution fixing 50 kw as ceiling but reviving under the clear channel group’s prompting (Vol. 2, No. 44). If GOP adopts the Congressional reorganiza Copyrlght 1946 by Radio News Bureau