Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

sound, is scheduled soon — possibly using Dulilont's WTTG, Washington, soon to install new 5 kw transmitter and antenna, which Friday received an STA for commercial operation. Dr. Dulvlont is inventor of system, v/hich is similar to sound modulated light beam communication apparatus used previously, notably by war services (Photophone). Outstanding charactertistic is successful modulation of 600,000,000 me beam with a 5 me signal. New §1,795 DuIAont receiver used in demonstration, shown first time, excited even more interest than "Photovision. ” FC'HTSH PLi\!^S UHCEBTAIH; it's practically certain Acting Chairman Charles Penny will be named FCC chairman, now that Paul Porter, in resigning from OPA Friday, indicated he intends to leave Government service. That means a Democratic vacancy, which best guess is President Truman will fill with political appointee — probably an outgoing Congressman. Denny's terra runs to 1951, Porter's imexpired term to 1949. Porter hasn't made up his mind what he's going to do next. First, he said, he'll wind up OPA duties, help his staff get jobs elsewhere; in v/eek or so he goes South for rest. Then he'll decide whether to consider BMI presidency (offer got lots of publicity, never reached tenns-talking stage), or take some other job. SIGHT AND SOUND: AFRA strike apparently has been averted, the major networks and AFRA reporting Friday that they had found a “workable solution” of principal issues, which have been resolved to satisfaction of both parties. No details were given, except that 2-year contract is in sight. First round in Petrillo case testing Lea Act (Vol. 2, No. 45) is scheduled for decision Monday, Dec. 2, in Judge Walter J. LaBuy’s Federal district court in Chicago. He’ll rule on AFM counsel’s motion to dismiss on grounds Act is unconstitutional. If he upholds Act, Petrillo goes on trial in WAAF “featherbed” case (Vol. 2, No. 24). If he holds Act uncon.stitutional. Government can appeal directly to U. S. Supreme Court. Some liberalization of mechanical reprocluction (transcription, recording) announcement rule (Sec. 3.407) is due, if tenor of FCC’s questions during en blanc hearing Monday is any indication. Best guess is that no announcement v;ill be necessary for spots of less than 5 minutes, that present regulation will remain in effect for longer recorded programs. Polishing up old Part I of FCC’s Rules (Rules Relating to Organization and Practice and Procedure) is amendment released last week, changes to go into effect Dec. 2. Changes were spurred by suggestions from within and without FCC. Write Commission for Mimeo. 864. Two radio legalites played major roles in last week’s Amvets convention in St. Louis. Raymond Sawyer, 37year-old FCC Broadcast Div. senior attorney, was elected national commander, and William A. Roberts, of Roberts & Meinnis, as Amvets counsel, acted as convention parliamentarian. Sawyer will leave Commission to devote full time to his new $10,000-a-year post. French TV experts Stephane Mallein, Yves J. Angel and Gerard J. Lehmann, who visited NAB and FGG this week, explain that diverse reports on French TV developments are probably due to fact that various American observers saw different systems — one company is working with 1,0.50-line TV, another with 890-line. FCC assigned Channel No. 4 (GG-72 me) to Farnsworth’s experimental TV station W9XFT, Fort Wayne, this week when it granted license to cover pre-war CP. License calks for 4 kw visual and G kw aural power. .1. L. Baird Co., British firm planning to install largescreen TV in London newsreel houses, announced Friday it will demonstrate 3-dimensional color TV in January. Raytheon, microwave relay proponent, now operating New York-Boston link, this week received CPs for experimental stations in Chicago and Martinsville, N. J., beginning of Chicago-New York relay system. Estimated cost of Martinsville station is $1.5,000; Chicago, $85,000. Frequencies authorized: 3,700-4,200 me, 5,850-6,350 me, 10,50011,500 me, 16,000-18,000 me, 26,000-30,000 me. RCA’s most frequent public speaker on TV subjects (ICO speeches in last 15 months), Dan Halpin, who has been working on TV since before the war, this week was appointed RCA Victor TV set sales manager under H. G. Baker, general sales manager of Horae Instruments Dept. And Ghicago engineering products sales manager, A. R. Hopkins, was this week appointed manager of communications and electronic equipment sales under W. W. Watts, v.p., handling broadcast and TV among other equipment. New York Times, Nov. 27, devotes 2 columns to letter from Prof. Alexander H. Pekelis, consultant to American Jewish Committee, taking legalistic opposition to Columnist Arthur Krock’s attack on FCC for allowing AJC to intervene in New York News FM case (Vol. 2, No. 46). FCC has right to probe News editorial content since it has broad discretionary power in competitive aplications, he ai'gues, and News itself invoked its newspaper policy to support its case. Ki-ock replied sharply next day — and debate will probably continue until FCC decision (unless editors tire of printing it). Flood of table-model radios now deluging market does not mean market for big sets, including FM combinations, is being killed off. At least, that’s conclusion in survey of 3,000 recent buyers of small radios, conducted for Electronic Corp. of America. There will be a continuing market for small radios, it was determined, but few purchasers of such sets regard them as their “ultimate.” They want bigger sets, and 32% said they wanted FM when they buy consoles. Radio Daily rejjorts New York Yankee baseball club is asking $80,000 for TV rights to next season’s games, or approximately $1,000 per home game, with NBC, CBS, DuMont all supposed to be bidding. CBS already has signed Brooklyn Dodgers home games, price undisclosed. Carl E. Smith, engineering v.p. of WHK, Cleveland, president of Cleveland Institute of Radio Electronics, and chief proponent of circular polarization for FM (Vol. 2, Nos. 43, 45), has authored “Directional Antennas,” 300page book which includes 238 pages of patteims. Book is available from CIRE, Terminal Tower, Cleveland, at $15.