Television digest and FM reports (Feb-Dec 1947)

HEW BLOOD SOINfi INTO TV: Quite a few Washington radio lawyers and consulting engineers confirm what FCC told us last week..(Vol. 3, No. 29) — say they're getting more inquiries than ever about TV ; that some clients are definitely interested in applying and some probably will be prodded into doing so as soon as competitors apply or channels get scarcer; that a few applications actually are now in the making. So they forecast an upsurge in their TV activity this fall and winter. Fourth TV application since color TV decision (Vol. 3, No. 29) went into FCC hopper this week — from Elm City Broadcasting Corp., operating 250-watt independent WNHC, New Haven, Conn. It asks for city's sole channel (No. 6) for a 1.82 kw community class outlet, estimates coverage of 500,000 population. It proposes to get "off-the-air" service from DuMont ' s WABD, New York, stipulates DuMont equipment, plans to build and equip studios and transmitter plant for §100,000 in conjunction with its FM plant on Gaylord Mt. Local program tieups with Yale University are planned. Stockholders are Patrick J. Goode, New Haven postmaster, 40%; Aldo D. Dominicis, macaroni manufacturer, 40%; Garo Ray, consulting engineer, 10%; employes, 10%. New Haven application may point way to more from smaller towns, smaller stations, especially those on lines of coaxial or within pickup distance of bigger stations. Wilmington and Trenton are cited at FCC as examples of cities still "wide open" for TV. This wee k, DuMont's H. W. Taylor quoted immediate delivery on transmitters for Channels 1-6, 60-day delivery for Channels 7-13, December delivery for "acorn package" (low power, low cost transmitter). He 'said company has doubled output of image orthicon chains, is filling back orders, will soon have them for immediate delivery, has shipped one to London for J. Arthur Rank's Cinema Television Ltd. DUPLICATION SEEN SOON: it's the networks' next move — and Jimmy Petrillo's — in the matter of AM-FM duplication. And, proceeding in a new and friendlier climate, it looks as though it won't be long now before FM stations can carry network musical programs without paying double tribute to the musicians' union. It's pretty well conceded networks must take the lead, that deals then can be extended to cover non-affiliates. Here’s how things shape up at this writing: At meeting with NAB labor relations committee this week, networks stated unequivocally they "will seek to arrange duplication of network AM musical programs on FM radio stations" (in a carefully worded NAB press release, several times revised). Committee endorsed this by resolution, urged action "as quickly as possible." This week, network officials (notably NBC's Niles Trammell and ABC's Mark Woods, who have always gotten along particularly well with Petrillo) were seeking to arrange parley with him. Meeting dates weren't settled as this is written. But it's known Jimmy was in high good spirits after his meetings Tuesday in office of Rep. Kearns, who conducted recent Congressional hearings into AFM operations (Vol. 3, No. 28). Everything went off beautifully — first, Petrillo agreed with committee of top musical educators to set up code whereby school kids and college students can play to their hearts' content at civic functions, at music festivals, on radio stations and hookups; second, he agreed with high military brass and their band Copyright 1947 by Radio News Bureau