Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

unprepared, so it's asking attorney general for ruling. Maryland board previews all films, levies fee of §2 per 1,000 feet. Choice bits about TV coverage of Philadelphia; NBC's Bob Trout telling AM audience, at about 9:30 Wednesday night, "I see on the television screen where President Truman's train is pulling into the station" ... .Democratic National Committee's nimeo instructions to delegates, v/arning them "millions of curious eyes are on us" — so they shouldn't do anything untoward while kinescope might be focused on them unawares. ... Splendid camera handling during boresome speeches, catching closeups of delegates, spectators, VIPs in various attitudes of attention, boredom, slumber, etc., none suspecting they were being "watched" ... .Best shot of all, in our book: Face of big Convention Hall clock as one speaker opened by promising to talk "only a few minutes" ; same clock when he had finished — about half hour later. 3 GRANTED, 6 APPLY, OiiS DROPS: Syracuse got its full quota of 3 TV grants this week, first CPs issued by FCC in more than month. Channel No. 5 went to WSYR (Newhouse newspapers). No. 8 to Meredith Publishing Co. (Better Homes & Gardens), No. 10 to WAGE. Week also saw 6 more applications filed, one withdrawn — that of Atlantic City World, leaving that city 4 for 1. Indicated as filing soon are WAIM, Anderson (S.C.) Independent, and Milwaukee's WMAW. Week's applications included 2 more from Edward Lasker, ex-adman, now Hollywood film producer, asking for No. 10 in Portland, Ore., now 5 for 4; No. 7 in Fresno , Cal . , now 6 for 4. Lasker previously had filed for Denver, Salt Lake City, Seattle (see TV Addenda 4-A and 4-B). Another noteworthy application asks for Channel 12 in Manchester, N.H. , filed by principals of local WKBR and including such stockholders as John W. Guider, ex-Washington radio attorney, president, 30%; William J. Barclay and Scott Killgore, Collins Radio Co. ; and certain employes of DuMont and WPIX, New York (see TV Addenda 4-C herewith). Week's other applicants: For Oklahoma City, KOJiA, No. 5 — now 4 for 3. For Nashville, WLAC, No. 7. For Greenville, S.C., WFBC-News & Piedmont, No. 10. [For further details about all foregoing grantees and applicants, see TV Directory No. 4 and addenda to date.] PLAIN TALK ABOUT CHANNELS 2 6 : Direct ansv/ers from those who know point to this unequivocal conclusion: FCC has no intention of deleting TV channels 2-6. So, you occupants of those frequencies, and grantees and applicants too, need suffer no qualms over those purported predictions of FCC's acting chief engineer John Willoughby that those channels are due to be taken away from TV, and that vihf for both monochrome and polychrome is only 2 years away (Vol 4, No. 28). There's not the slightest doubt now that he spoke for himself alone, not FCC — if indeed he said what he was reported to have said. But it's still a fact that by reason of his ^ey position he threw a mental monkey-wrench into the planning of some TV enterprisers. Lending force to general attitude that low-band folks have nothing to fear was this strong statement by Comr. George Sterling, ex-chief engineer: "As long as I'm a member of the Commission [his term runs to 1950], I would oppose any effort to dislodge TV from Channels 2-6. If the Commission entertains any thought of removing Channels 2-6, it should have done so when channel-sharing was considered and No. 1 deleted. With the nation-wide interest in TV, both the public and industry require assurance on the part of the FCC of the permanence of these allocations. I think the deliberations of the Commission on TV allocations plainly indicate its intent." Said Comr. Hyde: "What 'Willoughby is alleged to have said has no basis in any Commission deliberations." Comr. Jones subscribed to Hyde's statement. Comrs . Walker and Webster, both just back from overseas meetings, were vinfamiliar with Willoughby incident, declined comment. As for Chairman Coy, his "no comment" still stands (Vol. 4, No. 28) ; he thinks a mountain was made out of a molehill. But what FCC as such won't seem to recognize, in choosing to ignore Willoughby tempest, is effect on those who spent, are spending, or are expected to Spend millions of dollars on low-band construction. First, there's the natural and probable further stalling on part of CP holders (36 of the 81 outstanding have held CPs for 18 months or longer). Then, there's the mental hazard among CP holders.