Television digest and FM reports (Feb-Dec 1947)

HARTIM CODE AUTHORITATIVE NEWS SERVICE Or THE VISUAL BROADCASTING AND FREQUENCY MODULATION ARTS AND INDUSTRY PUBLISHED WEEKLY BT IUT AYE. N.W., WASH1HST0H 8. B.C. TELEPHONE M10H18AH 2020 • VOL 3, HO. 15 April 12, 1947 TV SET PRODUCTION: TV set makers are going to have to hump themselves if they expect to reach even the 400,000 figure promised by NBC's Reynolds B. Kraft last week (Vol. 3, No. 14). First quarter reports froiq RMA show only 18,329 sets so far, with March accounting for 6,639, up only 400 over February's production. Breakdown for first 3 months of 1947 are as follows: table models, 15,498; consoles, 2,817. Of the consoles, 248 were TV-only projection sets, 21 direct-view receivers with phonographs, 35 projection sets with phonographs. Converters amounted to 14 during the same period. March production fell back slightly in table models (5,346 vs 5,362 month before), showed jump in consoles (1,289 vs 881). HD ONE LOSES IN FM PLAN: No one denies that FCC's proposed new FM allocation plan (Supplement No. 51 herewith) is a pretty sweeping shuffle of FM channels. But, Significantly, not one city loses even one channel. In fact, a number of cities which required hearings because of channel scarcities, now have enough to go around . So sure is FCC that no serious objections will be raised to proposed assignments, it v/ill permit stations now on the air to change to new proposed frequencies even before changes are made permanent. Hearings on proposals will be held before en banc Commission May 8 and 9. Deadline for appearances <is May 1. Reaction of FMers to new plan is summed up in these words by one engineer (not FCC) : If there was an interference problem. Commission Sure took care of it. FM has done in one year what it took A M 25 years to accomplish — proper separation. Another FM technician put it this way: Commission has helped the situation greatly. The proposed allocations are a big improvement. It's <a good job. Essence of Commission's plan is this: Class B stations in same area will be separated by at, least 4 channels (800 kc). Where necessary. Class A stations will be separated from nearby Class B stations by at least 2 channels (400 kc). The old Class A plan (assigning the highest 20 frequencies in FM band on a mileage Separation basis) is out. New Class A channels, as well as new Class B channels, are enumerated in Supplement No. 51-A herewith. Commission threw all 80 commercial FM .channels into one pot (lowest 20 -are Still reserved for non-commercial educational use) and interlaced them throughout the country on a 4-channel, minimum separation basis. Previously, FCC had worked on a "block" basis, assigning groups of channels to same areas. New plan means listeners will find FM signals (including Class A's) all along dial of a receiver , not just in one Small portion. Only drawback, which Commission admits, is that in some instances Class B Station signal will be blanketed by Class A signal in locations close to lesserpowered outet. FCC feels, it said, that listener will still be able to receive Signals from other Class iB stations in his area — more than 2 channels removed from Class A wavelength. Class A stations will be allocated as are Class B in new plan. Engineering for both will be Similar. FCC feels allocation change won’t restrict Class A Copyright 19-17 by Radio News Bureau