Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

mumm A!HD HADIO: Mississippi's fiery Rep. Rankin, in an AP interview Thursday, gave tipoff on next quarries of House Cominittee on Un-American Activities — " Communists in the moving picture industry, the radio and other methods of communication." So far as radio is concerned, it looks like Red-hunt v/ill involve certain radio commentators and the Communist-tinged American Communications Assn. (CIO union) ; also effort to pin pink if not Red label on certain FCC staffmen. Fact committee gets new (GOP) chairman next week. Rep. Thomas (N.J.), is not expected to alter its policy of ferreting out subversives or alleged subversives. Labor and other "group" interests seeking footholds in radio via FM have already drawn Scrutiny of American Legion's Americanism Commission (Vol. 2, No. 43). SIGHT AND SOUND; New AM interference standards have been codified by FCC in proposed revision of its Standards of Good Engineering Practice Concerning Standard Broadcast Stations, issued Friday as Public Notice 1786. New standards appear to justify numerous recent AM grants, regardless of apparent peripheral interference, by reducing calculated adjacent channel interference. Interested parties have until Jan. 23 to file written statement or brief opposing formal adoption. (Note: We’ll get you a copy if you want it.) At least one network may politely refuse FCC request for data on station acceptance and rejection of sustaining programs for Nov. 17-23 week (Vol. 2, No. 51). There’s no regulation requiring such data, though Blue Book said it would be sought. Network attitude is that Commission should get dope from stations, not expect networks to act as sort of “police spy.” Efforts have been afoot to get networks to act together to refuse to submit schedules, with NAB favoring such move. Jan. 31 is deadline. In appealing direct to Supreme Court this week, Government claims Lea Act constitutional (Vol. 2, No. 49), since “it represented deliberate judgment of Congress as to the existence of an evil affecting the broadcasting system of the nation and as to the best method of remedying such evil.” Appeal takes issue with Chicago court’s reasoning on freedom of speech, due process, involuntary servitude. There’s even talk in Congress of bi’oadening the Lea Act, if Supreme Court upholds lower court, to cover all labor. Maine’s GOP Senator White, new Senate majoi’ity leader who co-authored radio law (also an ardent critic of radio programs), got tentative assignment to head radio-ruling Interstate Commerce Committee, but New Hampshire’s Tobey and Kansas’ Reed ar^ still disputing his claim to 2 major posts. It’s still a horse race, to be decided next week. PEL’S FM Engineering Clinic, set for Jan. 20-23 at its New York Plant No. 2, has on agenda, in addition to company engineers, such notables as Maj. Armstrong, Paul deMars, C. M. Braum, Stewart Bailey. Topics include station building, propagation, standards. TV operators got anot’ner 3 months’ breathing spell from FCC this week. Commission once more waived 28-hours-per-week programming rule — this time until March 31. Conflict of dates with color ’TV hearing caused FCC to postpone again oral argument on 1,000-13,000 me band allocations (which include video STL and relay channels) from .Tan. 28 to Feb. 4. TBA’s annual membership meeting, election of 3 dircctors, take j)lace at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria, Jan. 7. Sci’oll commemorating 40th imtiiversaxy of invention of audiori will be presented Dr. Lee deForest. You FM broadcasters who want FM receivers channeled into your market would do well to obtain copy of new RMA Trade Directory, just published by Radio Manufacturers Assn, 1317 F St. NW, Washington 4, D. C., which can be had for asking (or we’ll get it for you). It lists officers, addresses, etc. of 335 electronic manufacturing firms, 90-95% of entire industry, tells what each makes. It’s the best directory of set makers we know, and some of these may be persuaded to come into your market if you have on-the-air service that gives FM sets added sales a.ppeal (Vol. 2, No. 38). It had to happen to an FCC commissioner, of all people! Seems that Comr. Wakefield’s apartment house landlord, despite all reasoning and pleading, obdurately refuses to permit him to erect outside aerial for his new RCA video set. Wakefield family says, however, they get “good” signals from an under-the-rug antenna, but they’re troubled by distorted pictures at times — ghosts, that is. John E. McCoy, 35, newly appointed chief of FCC Law Dept. FM section, joined the Commission in March 1946 after two years as a Navy lieutenant (s.g.) aboard a Pacific destroyer. Up to this week he was senior attorney in the A.IM law section. He is a graduate of Dartmouth ’34, Yale Law ’37. First de.scriptions of RCA’s TV consoles, one with 10 in. direct viewing tube (cost probably about $750), other with 18x24 in. large-screen reflected image (about $1,250), are contained in new RCA Victor folder out this week. Both will include AM-FM, the first also phonograph. Folder also describes 2 table model TVs now oh market (Vol. 2, No. 44), does not say when consoles will be ready. Westinghouse has placed order with RCA for its Boston TV station (Supplement No. 18-A), with Blaw-Knox for 600-ft. antenna, plans to start work early in 1947. TV along with all other radio activities will be centralized on recently acquired 10-acre tract on Soldiers Field Road, adjoining Harvard Stadium. Joseph L. Brechner, e.x-radio director of Veterans Administration, is author of “So You Want a Radio Station,” due for Jan. 25 Satevepost publication. He is manager of new WGAY and WGAY-FM, Silver Spring, Md. Fir.st big Broadway producer to turn interests to TV is John Wildbei'g (“Anna Lucasta,” “Porgy and Bess,” “One Touch of Venus”), who has formed John Wildberg Television Production Corp., 228 W. 47th St., New York City. DuMont is firm’s first client as advisor on production, scripts, casting. E. C. Page, I'ecently resigned as engineering v.p. of Mutual, returns to consulting practice in Washington Jan. 1, with offico.'s in Suite 600, Bond Bldg. 1917 3'V Produclion: Under that heading in last week’.s issue (Vol. 2, No. 51), we inadvertently ivferred to 1948 set production schedules. We meant, of course, 1947.