Television digest and FM reports (Feb-Dec 1947)

Dick Love, who have checked boom sales even while WWJ-TV was merely running test patterns. St. Louis, about 600 up to mid-April, with KSD-TV's baseball telecasts increasing sales steadily, reports Post-Dispatch's Bob Coe. Los Angeles, about 5,000 home installations, 300 in bars and restaurants, according to Klaus Landsberg, West Coast director for Paramount's Television Productions Inc. (KTLA) . These add up to 44,200 — jibing pretty well with estimated pre-war sets still in use (10,000) plus RMA's calculated post-war production through April (32,691). April TV production figure, incidentally, was 7,026 — best month yet. TV's FLYING START IN DETROIT: Always one to do things in a big way, Detroit News plans elaboratei fanfare opening June 5 week for its WWJ-TV (changed from WWDT), formalises end of test and Start of commercial operations with imposing list of sponsors, plans exceptionally long regular schedule of operation — 2:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Ebullient Bill Scripps, who as a kid pioneered with WWJ, reports tieups with local and nearby sports stadia, is already televising Detroit Tiger home games, plans U of Michigan gridcasts from Ann Arbor this autumn.. Among sponsors using Detroit's first TV station are Ford, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, U.S. Rubber, Bulova, J. L. Hudson Co. Dept. Store, Detroit Edison, Grinnell Norge, Industrial National Bank, Goebels beer. Revenues already assure inevitable commercial success of project, enthusiastic staffmen assert. That's latest of TV entrepreneurs to report, adding cheery news to roundup on TV station timetable we recently published (Vol. 3, No. 19). This week, also, we've heard from: (1) NBC Washington, that its WNBW has actually begun tests, will be formally inaugurated in matter of weeks ; (2) Bamberger, New York (WOR) , that it has budgeted §1,000,000 for installation and first year's operation of its New York TV Station, about half that for its Washington outlet, both now on drafting board, equipment not yet ordered ; (5) Scripps-Howard ,■ Cleveland, that construction of DuMont transmitter on State Road, Parma, and studios at 1816 E. 13th St., is now under way, tests hoped for by October or November; (4) Los Angeles Times, that RCA equipment is ordered, transmitter-studio buildings in drafting stage, actual construction planned in July, tests by early 1948; (5) Milwaukee Journal, that WTMJ-TV closed circuit demonstrations up to May 15 had played to 455,000 persons, aroused intense public interest, giving staff valuable experience. No new applications to report — yet ; but counsel tell us of several being prepared, not ready to release for fear of exciting quick competitive applications. We'll report them as fast as we can. Meanwhile, our TV Directory (Supplement No. 18-C) is latest listing, except that Bloomington, Ind. application is now a grant (Vol. 3, No. 19), and Gimbels WIP is additional applicant for Philadelphia's single remaining channel (Vol. 3, No. 18). THE LAWMAKERS LOOK AT RADIO: Now you’ll be hearing and reading lots about WhiteVVolverton bill to modernize radio regulation, spell out FCC procedures and authority more clearly — Senator White's S. 1333 and Rep. Wolverton's H.R. 3535 going into Congress hoppers Friday. Prospects of passage, especially with FCC's sparkplug Chairman Denny away most of summer at International Telecommunications Conference in Atlantic City, are another matter. Except for high position of bills' sponsors (each being chairman of Interstate Commerce Committee of his respective house), radio legislation would seem to have little chance this session. But Wolverton, at least, has moved toward hearings by immediately appointing GOP members of subcommittee headed by Rep. Howell, Illinois; Democratic members will be named next week. It's too early to appraise long (41-page) and technical bill, which really is veteran Senator White's. He said it is result of consultations with FCC, broadcasters and other experts, plus 7 years of Congressional investigations and studies. One section requires FCC to keep hands off business management and program content of stations. Another virtually writes into law FCC's chain regulations. Another lifts present limits on station ownership by single entities, but adds proviso