Television digest and FM reports (Feb-Dec 1947)

(c) dealers are becoming anti-FM because of promotion claims while sets are unobtainable. Each of these arguments has obvious answers (shall FM wait, for example, on Petrillo's pleasure for high calibre programs?) — and FMA's Bill Bailey says FMA isn't going to let up a whit in its campaign to "educate public to FM." Indeed, even while RMA board was meeting, FMA called on set makers to "meet the crying needs of the public by producing low-cost FM sets." President Roy Hofheinz pointed out that Zenith, Stromberg-Carlson, GE, RCA and Pilot have announced low-cost AM-FM combinations. He' urged FM especially for markets in static-ridden gulf storm areas. FMA hierarchy offers to cooperate with RMA, but obviously is chortling over discomfiture of some recalcitrant big boys who discounted FM and now face demands they cannot blink — one' of biggest .even cutting his $50 portables to $40 this week. Meanwhile, committees of FMA and RMA have been named to iron out differences: For FMA — Arthur Freed, Freed Radio; Ray Manson, Stromberg-Carlson; Roy Hofheinz, FMA president; Bill Bailey, FMA executive director. For RMA — Larry F. Hardy, Philco ; Ben Abrams, Emerson; H. C. Bonfig, Zenith; E. A. Nicholas, Farnsworth; Sam P. Taylor, Western Electric. CATCHING UP WITH DICK TRACY: Maybe you' ve been tossing off miniature radio transmitters and receivers as mere gadgets, but they've been engaging the attention of Serious scientists, they have' considerable possibilities and they work. Fantastic work on miniatures at Bureau of Standards under young Dr. Cledo Brunetti (Vol. 2, No. 46), has already resulted in excellent communications from lipstick-size M-watt transmitter with circuit printed directly on tube shell. And a receiver the size of an ordinary calling card is in the works. Commercially, RCA is already reaching for luxury trade with its gold-plated, battery operated "Solitaire" measuring 6%x 45;x4 lA inches and retailing around $75. Sentinel, too, has a new miniature out — 4x4x8 inches, 5 tubes, operating on AC, DC or battery. Biggest future for miniatures is seen in Citizens Radio Communication Service (individual communications). Bureau of Standards' transmitter, demonstrated at Columbus (0.) IRE meeting last week, used 140 me, but Dr. Brunetti sees no difficulty in going to 460-470 me assigned Citizens Service. (He'll demonstrate latest equipment March 5 at New York IRE, meeting. First experimental CP for Citizens Service, incidentally, was granted last week to Engineer John M. Mulligan, Elmira, N.Y., who plans to use 50 watts, study propagation, etc. ‘TV HOLDERS MAKE HASTE SLOWLY: Pending its decision on color TV, FCC is inclined to be lenient toward low-band CP holders not yet on the air (Supplement No. 18-B). This week, 5 more' got extensions of completion dates — asked for because of lagging equipment deliveries or construction delays. Commission also has indicated it is amenable to "suggestions" regarding the 28-hour rule, suspended until March 31, and TBA will get sympathetic ear when it decides just what it wants Commission to do about minimum programming hours. Latest to get construction extensions, until midyear or fall, are Washington Star, Baltimore Sun, Raytheon-Waltham, Mass., KSTP-St. Paul, Outlet Co. -Providence. Pending also is request from Buffalo News, among others (Vol. 3, No. 4). Extensions were previously granted San Francisco Chronicle, Bamberger-Washington, DuMont -Washingt on . This week, San Francisco Chronicle was granted Channel No. 4 (66-72 me) in lieu of No. 11 originally assigned, but it may have to install directional antenna to cut radiation toward Sacramento. Also asking for lower channel-, but not yet acted on, is WMBG, Richmond, seeking No. 6 (82-88 me) instead of now assigned No. 3 (60-66 me). And Earle C. Anthony's petition for NBC's Channel No. 4 in Los Angeles, in lieu of No. 9 (186-192 me) now assigned, remains to be decided by FCC. New York area TV cases, involving 5 seeking 4 channels, ought to be decided in few weeks — at least, that's what they say at FCC. ,Cases were heard last July, got tangled up in probe of N.Y. Daily News' editorial policies, have been delayed