Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

authoritative news service OF THE VISUAL BROADCASTING AND FREQUENCY MODULATION i arts and INDUSTRY M MICHiSAH 2020 • VOL 4, NO. 45 November 6, 1948 PUBLISHEO WEEKLY BY / RADIO KEWS BUREAU, 1519 CONNECTICUT AYL N.W., WASHINS EXTENSIONS OF AT&T'S TY CIRCUITS: Schematic of AT&T's intercity TV connections as projected through 1950 (see insert page) shows plan for eventual 5-channel service for East Coast and most Midwest. As explained at resumed TV "line" rate hearing this week, most new connections will be microwave — all, in fact, save Toledo-Dayton-Cincinnati 3-channel links and Indianapolis-Louisville spur, which are coaxial. No timetable for individual circuits was proffered by phone company spokesmen, but first new one will be coaxial connection of East-Midwest via Philadelphia-Pittsburgh-Cleveland. This starts Jan. 12, in time for presidential inauguration. Cable is in, company is pushing repeater installations, network time allocation conference for use of the 2 circuits has been set for Nov. 15 in New York, FCC rate hearing was still concerned with AT&T's interconnection ban (Vol. 4:40-41), Philco's David B. Smith testified that if ban is upheld it would "most likely hold up TV." He called it an "artificial restriction," claimed coaxial signal was poor in comparison to microwave (2.7 vs. 4.5 me bandwidth), besides being more costly than privately-owned system. DuMont *s Rodney Chipp testified he could install microwave relay system (Nev/ York to Boston or Pittsburgh or Washington) that would cost $20 to $35 per mile per month, including maintenance and 4-year amortization. Hearing resumes Dec. 27, MR. TRUMAN, TELEVISION AND TKE FCC: You can be reasonably sure that Radio, par ticularly TV, will be a "pet" industry of the Truman Administration. And for very good reasons, too; (1) Radio acquitted itself extraordinarily well in the election campaign, was the one medium underdog Truman and cohorts could not condemn for editorializing, unfair time allotments, or wrong polls — though its commentators were quite as cockeyed in their forecasts as the rest. On the management side, however, it proved non-partisanship continues to be the best policy of the broadcasting fraternity. (2) The Truman years (1945 onward) are the years of TV*s business birth and flourishing growth. If TV in all its aspects does the business promised — injects, as predicted, up to $8 billion into the economic bloodstream of America (Vol, 4:44) — it justly deserves the paternal encouragement of the Administration in power. (3) Radio manufacturing has been singularly free from serious labor problems in recent years, and the broadcasters usually have adjusted their labor troubles without strikes. That's not to say that either manufacturers or broadcasters relish prospect of repeal or emasculation of the Taft-Hartley Act — but the fact remains that Labor has no basic quarrel with Radio. As for threatened new excess profits tax, radio enterprisers share same apprehension as all industry. (4) On the regulatory side. Radio — and particularly TV — has an experienced, understanding and sympathetic FCC chairman in Wayne Coy, who enjoys high White House standing. And an FCC not so inclined toward harrassment as some of its precursors. Notwithstanding his New Deal background. Coy has never been a business baiter or bleeding heart ; indeed, he often shows a more enlightened long-range business outlook than others who purport to speak for the industry. The election strengthens his administrative hand considerably. Copyright 1943 by Radio News Bureau