Television digest and FM reports (Feb-Dec 1947)

September 20, 1947 If your binder is getting jam-packed, we can furnish you more (at cost price, $2.10) — in fact, we recommend you keep separate files of Newsletters and Supplements rather than try to cram them all into same binder. Stromberg’s Continental Network Friday night program banned by Petrillo (see story in this issue) is being replaced by sponsor with dramatic show about New York State Police. CN had to cut out Thursday night program, having insufficient time to rig good substitute. Army Band continues Wednesday nights. Newly elected NAB directors: Paul Morency, WTIC, Hartford, and Howard Lane, WJJD, Chicago, for large stations; T. A. M. Craven, WOL, Washington, and G. Richard Shafto, WIS, Columbia, S. C., medium stations; Clair McCollough, WGAL, Lancaster, Pa., and Robert Mason, WMRN, Marion 0., small stations; Willard Egolf, WBCCFM, Bethesda, Md. (Washington), ex-NAB staffman, FM Class As; John Shepard 3rd, WNAC-FM, Boston (call to be changed from WGTR), FM Class Bs. Quite a few more resignations from FCC legal and engineering staffs, some due to high cost of living, may be expected shortly. Veteran attorney Abe L. Stein resigned last week to hang out shingle in Washington (Earle Bldg.) and Chicago (1 No. La Salle St.). FM section attorney A. M. Hall quit to go into practice in hometown of Marion, Ind. To Washington Merry-Go-Round column’s report he will soon quit to accept teaching post or college presidency, FCC Comr. Durr tells us, “I have no present intention of leaving the Commission.” Survey of 1,900 TV set owners in Los Angeles area (by Television Research, 1022 Fair Oaks Ave., So. Pasadena) shows, among other things: 5 viewers per set; 73% of set owners willing to pay 30-80 cents per show for more costly productions, such as first-run movies, stage shows, etc. (a fillip to Zenith’s Phone Vision idea); 55% saying they go to sports events less often; 46% go to movies less often; 77% listen to radio less often. Survey estimates additional 1,100 sets in area’s public places, such as taverns. FM enthusiast Leonard Asch, operator of Schenectady’s WBCA, head of Patroon Bcstg. Co., holding CP for 10 kw on 1540 kc in Albany, reports J. Myer Schine, theatre chain operator, also owner of Miami’s Roney Plaza, Atlantic City’s Ritz and other big hotels, has become associated with Patroon and other Asch radio projects. Some old-lime FM operators at NAB convention (WELD’s Les Nefzger, for one) were hepped up about FM networks, but don’t want to rely on long chain of outof-the-air pickups, preferring high-fidelity lines. You can expect more and more demand for such lines, accompanied by protestations of current inability to pay tariffs phone company asks. Ace radio columnist John Crosby, New York Herald Tribune Syndicate, followed up series on Walter Damm and WTMJ, Milwaukee (Vol. 3, No. 37) with four articles this week or Col. McCormick and WGN, Chicago, is reported planning similar sketches on other stations. They’re good reading, whether you like what he says or not. TV interference hearing, involving fate of Channel No. 1, is due in early October, with 3-way lineup. Among appearances filed, TVers (TBA, Philco, RCA-NBC) object to FCC’s proposed deletion of channel, say sharing impossible, TV can’t afford losing any bands, in fact needs more. FMers (FMA, Zenith, Armstrong, Yankee, Asch) want 44-50 me retained for FM. NAB says broadcasting can’t afford any loss of frequencies, so 44-50 should either be kept by TV or allotted FM. Communications services all agree on deletion, but have varying ideas about disposal of 6 me band. Warning of a “day of reckoning,” consulting engineer Paul deMars told NAB conferees in Atlantic City that very few FM stations now on the air could meet FCC standards. He pointed out that FM standards were much more exacting than AM and that high power and high gain antennas made job of compliance much more ticklish. He also said that FCC’s coverage predictions are frequently found “grossly in error” when applied to broken terrain, that losses due to shadow effects behind hills and buildings can be very heavy. Facsimile exhibits and demonstrations at Atlantic City drew considerable interest, but many broadcasters said they felt FX is still raw and experimental, mechanically awkward. Nonetheless, John V. L. Hogan’s Newspaper Publishers’ Faximile Service reported 25 subscribers, including Publisher John Knight, who plans to lease recorders out around town in Miami at $65 and $85 per month; lessee owns recorder when it’s paid for. Milton Alden’s people reported some half dozen broadcasters ordering equipment. Surprising was absence of Finch, also an FX pioneer. FX newsroom and page-makeup demonstrations by WFIL and WAAT showed operations not too difficult. Newly elected officers of FMA: Everett Dillard, WASH, Washington, and KOZY, Kansas City, president; William Ware, KSWI-FM, Council Bluffs, v.p.; E. J. Hodel, WCFC, Beckley, W. Va., secy; Thomas F. McNulty, WMCP, Baltimore, treas.; Bill Bailey, reelected executive director. Board of directors now consists of officers and: David G. Taft, WCTS, Cincinnati; E. Z. Jones, WBBB-FM, Burlington, N. C.; Ben Strouse, WWDC-FM, Washington; C. M. Jansky Jr., Jansky & Bailey; Morris Novik, Unity Broadcasting of New York (ILGWU); W. R. David, GE; Roy Hofheinz, KOPY, Houston, retiring president; Leonard Asch, WBCA, Schenectady; Frank Gunther, REL; Stanley M. Ray Jr., WRCM, New Orleans; Raymond Kohn, WFMZ, Allentown, Pa. Officers and first 4 directors listed comprise executive committee. Crosley’s experimental TV station W8XCT, Cincinnati, started test patterns this week, utilizing film, stills, views from Carew Tower, interviews. Sidney Fox’s W6XIS, Salt Lake City, plans starting on same basis Oct. 1. Both hold CPs for commercial (Supp. 18-D), but Fox says he intends to wait for coaxial before being bound by rules, minimum schedule, etc. Committee of 18 stockholders, new manager to be chosen, will attempt to continue operation of Washington’s WQQW (Vol. 3, No. 34, 36), for time being at least; committee also vested with authority to sell, if bona fide customer can be found.