Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

SIGHT AND SOUND Sorry, we can’t fulfill deluge of requests for JTAC Report on uhf (Vol. 4:39) — only 20 copies were allowed us, and they went to first who asked for them. But JTAC’s chairman, Philip F. Siling, says if demand from bona fide sources is great enough, 149-p. book will be reprinted. Write him to be placed on his list: Commonwealth Bldg., Washington, D. C. “Television is here now, and nothing can stop it.” Thus FCC Chairman Wayne Coy, interviewed by Dick Harkness on NBC-TV Wednesday, again olfering reassurances current channel “freeze” won’t affect present set owners (Vol. 4:39-41). “As with automobiles ... 30 years from now there will still be new models. My advice is to buy a set now, if you can get one, and enjoy the pictures. They won’t change.” NAB-TBA liaison committees meet Tuesday, Oct. 19, in New York’s Waldorf-Astoria to decide respective “areas of identity and diversity” (Vol. 4:30 et seq). Outcome of meeting will probably determine basis on which NAB board (meeting Nov. 17-19) will be asked to authorize setting up own TV Dept. Thorny Paramount-DuMont interlocking ownership question may be answered once and for all in early December. That’s best guess of date by those who ought to know, following FCC’s order this week that Examiner Jack Blume prepare proposed findings on those issues of San Francisco TV hearing. Commission felt it best to get 2-year-old problem out of way, not let it drag till after lifting of freeze on application processing — possibly a year hence. Du.Mont Network has named Rodney D. Chipp as chief engineer, transferring Scott Helt to research division of DuMont Laboratories at request of engineering v.p. T. T. Goldsmith . . . Another top engineer just promoted, with TV building job his next big project, is Dick Evans, KSL, Salt Lake City, upped to station manager. Cincinnati’s WLWT isn’t making profit yet, but Avco v.p. R. C. Cosgrove told New York Society of Security Analysts the other day that that “it is losing less money proportionately than any other major telecasting station on which we have been able to get operating figures.” Baltimore’s WBAL-TV is now operating more than 60 hours weekly, this week added Mon-Fri. simulcasts of Hi-Jinks variety 12:15 p.m. and Television Matinee 4-5 p.m., plus other afternoon features. TV sets reported moving so fast in Baltimore area, that 22,020 reported at Sept. 30 should reach 34,000 by Dec. 31. Du.Mont Network has tied up, as at political conventions, with Newsweek Magazine for coverage and commentaries Election Day, Nov. 2, magazine again detailing top pundits Ernest Lindley and Kenneth Crawford to job. NBC says Life Magazine election tieup is on spon.sor basis. WBKB’s plans to microwave Purdue and Illinois U football games into Chicago, as projected by ex-manager Bill Eddy (Vol. 4:29), have been dropped by new station director John Balaban. The architecture of TV structures features current issue of RCA News, which features plans for 3 TV buildings designed by Architect Rene Brugoni and consulting engineer Ben Adler — with projections and designs. Also article by CBS chief engineer A. B. Chamberlain, with illustration.s, on plans for CBS’s Grand Central TV stutlios. All-day schedule of New York’s W.ABl) now set by DuMont to start Nov. 1, station operating 5 days weekly 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Vol. 4:39). Stratovised linking of East and Midwest TV networks Monday (Vol. 4:40,41) didn’t pan out, signal received at Cleveland’s WEWS being inadequate for feeding Midwest stations. WEWS, however, went off air and told its viewers to try plane’s Channel 6 and got number of calls reporting reception. Westinghouse said viewers reported good to excellent reception in such diverse areas as Beckley, Fairmont, Clarksburg, W. Va. ; Mansfield, Zanesville, Newark, Canton, 0.; Buffalo, Niagara Falls, N. Y.; Waynesboro, Front Royal, Va. ; Wilkes-Barre, Latrobe, Indiana, Pa. (crowd of 2,500 watching in rain in latter town) . “Rather pessimistic outlook” on uhf TV, at present, is being borne out by 500 and 850 me Washington experiments (Vol. 4:37,38), RCA’s Dr. George Brown reported to some 250 attendees of Washington IRE section Monday. He said only 4% of converter installations receive signal comparable with that of WNBW’s Channel 4 reception; that 1,000 kw would be needed for 50%. Ray Kell reported color TV in good shape at transmitting and receiving ends, but stymied by uhf propagation problems. More measurements are planned for December when leaves are off trees. RCA Laboratories, incidentally, has just published Vol. II (1940-47) of 485-p. Radio at Ultra-High Frequencies. TV novelty doesn’t wear off. Arguments to the contrary got another resounding wallop this week from Young & Rubicam’s research chief. Dr. Peter Langhoff, speaking before AAAA’s Pacific Council at Arrowhead Springs, Cal. He cited Hooper survey of three 500-family groups during 6-evening period, showing that 60% of group owning TV sets 3 months or less were using sets; same for second group (3-12 months) ; 54% for third group (over a year). Consistently, sets-in-use figure was about double that of radio. As for sponsor identification; “Texaco Star Theatre” had 95% during Aug.-Sept., whereas radio version got 33%; “We The People” had over 80% on TV vs. 33% on radio. Raytheon has informed FCC that New Bedford WNBH interests have withdrawn from deal to acquire 49% of stymied WRTB, Waltham (Vol. 4:25), so Raytheon is now negotiating with New York investment counsel Edwin Norman Clark, 32 E. 57th St., who has group willing to invest $600,000 in station, final deal to be worked out by Oct. 27. If deal doesn’t pan out, Raytheon says it will drop CP, on which it claims to have spent $184,051 up to Aug. 15 but which FCC hasn’t yet given requested extension. If Raytheon drops, it will give Boston 3 available channels (7 applying) unless freeze changes things and unless FCC accedes to proposals Channel 13 be moved to Fall River-New Bedford or Providence. Booming Admiral’s third quarter sales of $15,128,165 and net of $804,489 (vs. sam.e period 1947’s $11,120,436 and $330,993) brought its sales for first 9 months of this year to $42,514,509, up 30% from $32,669,223 for same period last year; earnings to $2,037,786, up 71% from $1,185,449 same period last year. TV in another war could link ring of radar stations around United States, to central fire control office, giving immediate picture of approaching danger. Such is glimpse into future by RMA mobilization committee chairman Fred Lack, who beat drums for R.MA’s plan of spreading government contracts (Vol. 4:34) in speech Thursday before officers attending economic mobilization course at Navy Supply Corps School, Bayonne, N. .1. RC.V s 1949 tube reference notebook is out, includes considerable TV service diita prepared by specialist John Meagher.