Television digest and FM reports (Feb-Dec 1947)

hold CPs, 3 more have applications pending. (See TV Directory, Supp. 18-D, plus 6 subsequently added applications, as reported this week and last.) NBC's real TV topkick is Frank Mullen, executive v.p., who got his early schooling in, absorbed his boundless enthusiasm for, TV from RCA's Gen. Sarnoff, whose aide he was before going to network post. That he's realigned NBC setup with TV uppermost in mind was made manifest this week when he designated TV v.p. John Royal, engineering v.p. 0. B. Hanson, promotion chief Charles Hammond as his assistants, and placed whole TV Dept, under Noran Kersta, also reporting directly to him. These new direct lines of contact are avowedly intended to expedite TV activity. HEW m LOG OH THE WAY: We're revising and bringing up-to-date our FM Directory (Supp. 53), will have it for you in about a week. We've found our experiment of using symbols to indicate status of grants and applications has pretty well licked job of keeping the log current; it's simply a matter of changing symbols and writing in facilities granted as reported in our weekly pink addenda sheets. For ease in adding new applications and your own notes, each printed page will be faced by a blank page. If log is kept current, you will know exact status of FM at any time — licenses, grants, applications, who's on the air. Extra copies will cost $2.50. SIGHT AMD SOUND “Absolutely not true,” is Chairman Denny’s reply to inquiries on latest rumor he has signed contract with NBC to become its general counsel Jan. 1. But rumor won’t down he has given NBC reason to believe he will, when free to do so, accept offer to head legal dept. At moment he’s aiming to get International Telecommunications Conference at Atlantic City wound up by Oct. 4 at latest. Everyone involved credits him with doing great job as ITC chairman, so logical deduction is he will return to Washington, wind up FCC job, quit while he’s riding highest. World Series goes on all New York’s TV stations, each taking turn at pickup chore, and will be relayed to any others within reach, under Friday agreement whereby Ford and Gillette (latter the regular radio sponsor over MBS) will pay $65,000 for rights. Baseball’s “Happy” Chandler accepted this offer rather than $100,000 asking price met by Rheingold Beer. Even President Truman told press conference he hoped to get chance to watch games via TV. Series is expected to hypo TV set sales; in New York big Davega chain is offering to rent sets at $75 to $215. Keen, capable Gordon Gray, Winston-Salem (N. C.) broadcaster-publisher, whose pioneer WMIT is one of country’s finest installations and who has long been strong protagonist of FM, has been appointed Assistant Secretary of the Army in revamped War Dept, setup under Secretary of Defense Forrestal. He will resign his seat in State Sennate, make home in Washington. In World War II, he enlisted as a private, served overseas, came out a captain. American Television Society’s 1947 awards, announced Thursday by President Don McClure, went to: Electric Assn, of Chicago, for outstanding community effort to promote TV; Dramatists Guild, for outstanding programming; WOR’s John R. Poppele, TBA president, for leadership in industry problems; Paramount’s George Shupert, former ATS president, for unselfish efforts in behalf of TV in general and ATS in particular. Hearing on deletion of TV Channel No. 1 and abolition of sharing (Vol. 3, No. 33-38) has been set for Oct. 13 before FCC en banc. Hearing will concern only status of 44-50 me (TV Channel 1) and not which services should get what frequencies within the band. With Petrillo’s dispensation, all stations were permitted to duplicate Community Chest Hollywood extravaganza Friday night over FM adjuncts. Even network-owned FM stations carried show same time as on AM outlets. “Theater of Tomorrow,” was way Washington Post described RCA’s 6x8-ft. TV projections for theatermen in city for this week’s Theatrical Equipment Supply Manufacturers’ Assn, convention. Equipment was same shown at NBC’s Atlantic City convention (Vol. 3, No. 38), same also that Warners and 20th Century-Fox have ordered for experiments (Vol. 3, No. 36). Reactions of some was they’d soon be showing audiences news in the making. A few said quality is comparable to movies, certainly vastly better than early flickers. Live and film subjects telecast by WNBW, some off coaxial from New York, were excellent, especially NBC’s own newsreels, showed vast improvement in program techniques. Keen attentiveness to 2-hour shows each of 3 nights proves large-screen does not tire eyes, makes up in interest what it may still lack in definition and luminosity. Next step promised by RCA: full theatersize screen, 20xl6-ft. Phone Vision patent situation is given as reason why Zenith hasn’t pushed pay-as-you-look system through FCC and telephone companies. But that hasn’t stopped company from publicizing method, nor of answering attacks on system. Zenith’s Gene McDonald last week took RCA’s Sarnoff to task for deprecating Phone Vision (Vol. 3, No. 38), reiterated that it permits reception of free telecasts, requires payment only for special programs too expensive to be borne by advertisers (first run movies, stage shows, etc.). Washington’s WQQW stockholders took station off the block, decided at meeting Thursday to run it “on sound business basis” (meaning no more senseless commercial restrictions, no more pinko stuff), after raising $50,000 more capital on notes. Biggest new note holders: Simon Gerber, retired druggist, $25,000; Morris Rodman, real estate, $15,000; Mrs. Luke Wilson (of Woodward & Lothrop dept, store family), $5,000. New 4-bay FM antenna is offered by Wind Turbine Co., West Chester, Pa., for $3,900, installed, east of the Mississippi. Claims: light weight (263 lbs without beacon, 325 with), 3.5 gain, stainless steel, needs no de-icing equipment. A 6-bay unit is also in the works. Add TV sponsors: Buchanan & Co., ad agency that’s always been hot on TV, is itself sponsoring twice weekly “Telenews Digest,” newsreel, on KTLA, Los Angeles, pending turning it over to one of its accounts; on same station, time signals by Television News, new fan-trade paper. Clear Channel hearing got another postponement this week — to Oct. 20.