Television digest and FM reports (Feb-Dec 1947)

broadcasting with TV, this... will take many years to achieve ... Indeed, the time may come when an important broadcast program that we cannot see will seem as strange as a movie we cannot hear." To prospective telecasters: "The belief that a local TV station cannot be erected and operated without a large investment is wrong. TV programming can be started by local stations, in a small way, with a minimum of facilities, and expanded as receiving sets and commercial sponsors increase ... The argument that TV must offer a continuous flow of Hollywood extravaganzas is also false. The great attraction of TV is timeliness. Many of its programs are seen as they happen; they are both entertainment and news." ■■■■: — SIGHT AND SOUND ======11=-=!— . — Two of Chicago’s 3 remaining TV channels will be filed for soon — by Chicago Times (not now in radio) and by Chicago N e wsAY r igleyAtlass owned Johnson Kennedy Corp. (WIND). Latter once was applicant, withdrew during color controversy. Others are rumored eyeing TV in Chicago, and it’s hard to believe CBS will allow itself to be counted out there, as in Washington, Los Angeles. Philadelphia Inquirer’s Walter Annenberg, who has earmarked $2, 000, 000 for TV, hopes to get WFIL-TV on air this fall, on Thursday announced purchase of big Philadelphia Arena (capacity, 10,000) at 46th and Market Sts., to house TV studio, control room, general offices. It will continue as sports center, with WFIL-TV carrying events. Ken Stowman, WFIL’s director of TV, was made v.p. of operating corporation, WFIL Manager Roger Clipp, secy. After mulling 30 kc AM separation idea since March oral argument (Vol. 3, No. 10), FCC deckled (in order issued June 10 as Public Notice 9188) it wouldn’t allow stations in same city to be spaced only 30 kc apart. It figured problems of internal and external modulation and receiver selectivity were still too great to allow relaxation of standards. Standards as amended: 30 kc separation allowed where 25 rnv/rn contours don’t overlap; 20 kc and 10 kc separation where 25 mv/m of one station doesn’t overlap 2 mv/m of another. Legalities of daytime skywave cases (Vol. 3, No. 22, 23) were argued for two days in U. S. Court of Appeals this week, attorneys literally sweating out pros and cons of Clears’ contention they (WCKY, Cincinnati; WJR, Detroit) should have been heard before any daytime grants were made on their channels. Five-judge court seemed particularly interested in “due process” aspects of case; gave hearing status of major case by permitting arguments to run beyond normal 30 minutes per side. Decision, if for Clears, may mean radical change in FCC’s procedures. FCC gets $6,040,000 for next fiscal year, cut from $7,300,000 requested, recommended in Independent Offices appropriation reported by House Appropriations Committee. It looks now like no staff cuts will be necessary. Feeling among FCC officials is that sum, although less than asked for, is moral victory compared with huge bites economyminded GOP Congress has taken out of others. First radio cases in which law firm of Arnold, Fortas & Porter is participating, since ex-FCC Chairman Paul Porter (recently OPA Administrator and special envoy to Greece) became partner, involve applications of Gimbels (WIP) for TV in Philadelphia, appearance for Mason-Dixon Group (Steinmans) for ruling on overlap. Another postponement of 28-hour-per-week minimum program rule is in sight for TV. FCC hasn’t been able to get to last TEA request for graduated scale of minimum hours (Vol. 3, No. 12), but feels video broadcasters shouldn’t be forced into too heavy schedules just yet. Harried industry leaders are burning midnight oil whipping up their cases on White Bill (Vol. 3, No. 22, 23), Senator White having refused again to postpone June 17 subcommittee hearings. FCC Chairman Denny leads off witnesses, then Frank Roberson as legislative chairman, FCC Bar Assn. NAB’s lineup: Justin Miller, A. D. Willard, Don Petty, Robert Richards, Frank Pellegrin, Harold Fair and broadcasters J. Harold Ryan, Fort Industry Co. (legislative committee chairman) ; Campbell Arnoux, WTAR; Harry Bannister, WWJ; Fred Weber, WDSU; Don Elias, WWNC; Wylie Harris, WJDX. Then FMA, then networks, alphabetically. Plan is for hearing to start 10 a.m. Tuesday in Senate Interstate & Foreign Commerce Committee room in Capitol, run mornings and afternoons through Saturday a.m., resume Monday, conclude by June 25. House subcommittee (Rep. Harris Ellsworth, part owner of KRNR, Roseburg, Ore., now a member) decided Friday to await Senate hearings before proceeding with Wolverton Bill. Appointment of 11 FCC hearing examiners, including capable Mrs. Fanny Neyman Litvin as first woman examiner, leaves several important broadcast jobs open. AM, renewals, review (formerly hearing) sections will need new chiefs. Other examiners appointed so far: Jack Blume, Jay Bond, Joseph Brenner, James Cunningham, Walter Emery, Robert Hudson, Hugh Hutchison, J. Fred Johnson Jr., Edward Kenehan, Leo Resnick. While shuffling is going on, it might not be a bad idea if FCC turned TV over to its keen young FM attorneys who’ve sweated out FM’s many growing pains. Mightiest radio voice in the hemisphere is Mexico City’s XEW, which just jumped from 100 kw to 250 kw on 900 kc (AM Supplement No. 1-E herewith). It’s hard to say what rank it holds in the world, since Russians are believed to have stations approaching 1,000 kw. U. S. remains only nation with statutory limitation on power. Add large screen TV gadgets: Kellard Co. Inc., 108 Fulton St., New York City, is selling 12-inch magnifying glass, mounted on a specially constructed frame which can be attached to any TV receiver to enlarge video image to 10 or 12 inches as desired. Company sells lens, tested and approved by RCA, for $100. MBS board elected Lew Weiss (Don Lee) chairman at Chicago meeting Thursday, succeeding Alfred J. McCosker (WOR), retiring, whose place on board is taken by WOR’s engineering v.p., Jack Poppele. Ted Streibert (WOR) elected vice chairman. All other officers reelected. KFI, Los Angeles, request for change in TV channel assignment (it got No. 9, wanted No. 4, now assigned to NBC) was turned down by FCC this week. We were wrong in reporting NBC President Niles Trammell’s 1946 salary as $30,460 (Vol. 3, No. 23); it was $90,460. Typographical error! CBS, too, has lifted ban on transcriptions, has ruled that repeats for West coast may now be carried on discs.