Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

MEMPHIS WMCT FIRST IN MID-SOUTE: You can add another station, another new market to your TV log — total now on air commercially 43. Memphis Commercial Appeal's WMCT begins commercial operation today (Nov. 13) with Coca Cola sponsoring big TennesseeMississippi grid game. Next will come Albuquerque Journal’s KOB, which now reports it will definitely begin commercial operation Nov. 22. And this week, Meredith's now-building Syracuse WHEN asked FCC for an STA effective Dec. 1. WMCT has TV's tallest tower — a 750-ft. radiator operating with full 13.6 kw visual, 7.12 kw aural powers. Channel 4 tests last few weeks have given consistently good coverage over average 98-mi. radius, reports manager Henry Slavick, phenomenal for anybody's station. Several reports of good reception have even come from Little Rock, 132 mi. Memphis already has had 3,500 receivers shipped in; big drive for buyers begins with formal WMCT dedication Dec. 11. Meanwhile, test patterns interspersed with set-promotion announcements will be carried daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. First new station application in nearly month was filed with FCC Friday; Big Larus tobacco firm, operating Richmond's WRVA and applicant for TV there, also applied for Channel 13 in Norfolk, making it 4 for 3 in area. Other station news; Seattle's KRSC-TV, scheduled for Thanksgiving Day debut, signs "non-interconnected TV affiliation contract" with NBC — nomenclature is NBC's to denote it will take NBC kinescope recordings pending "line" hookup, also as dig at "network affiliation" claims being made by rivals ... CBS-TV finally cracks Midwest field Jan. 12, when East-Midwest hookups are linked, via Chicago Tribune's WGN-TV which has been signed as a "full primary affiliate" ; you can expect others in Midwest claimed by other networks to sign on CBS in line with current non-exclusive trend (firstcome commercials, first served). THE TRUMAN TIE-DEAL' AND RADIO: Here's another reason why FCC and the new Truman Administration are not likely to go off half-cocked, do anything to upset lush Radio-TV applecart, in flush of Truman victory — as suggested to us by one staunch, happy and highly placed New Dealer after discussing our rather bullish appraisal last week of "Mr. Triaman, Television and the FCC" (Vol. 4;45); Even if a lot of New Dealers stay (or return) under new Administration, they're now older, wiser, more realistic, more inclined to be careful and cautious and sympathetic toward business, especially to so highly promising an infant industry as TV. And it's axiomatic that there's no conservative like an ex-world shaker, viz., such original New Deal brain trusters as Ray Moley or Tom Corcoran. Or, in radio, such ex-FCC chairmen as James Lawrence Fly and Charles R. Denny, now pillars of the New York radio community. There's still another factor, we're reminded, that should conduce to a friendly attitude toward radio's problems. On Capitol Hill, 2 Senators-elect own radio stations and thus presumably know the score; ex-Gov. Robert Kerr (D-Okla.), owner of WEEK, .Peoria, also a TV grantee; ex-Rep. Lyndon Johnson (D-Tex.), KTBC, Austin. GOP Senators Knowland (Cal.) and Taft (0.) also have family radio interests. On House side, there may be some new Congressmen who have interests in radio; we don't know yet. But reelected Congressmen and their radio interests (all, oddly enough. Republicans) are; Reps. Harris Ellsworth, KRNR, Roseburg, Ore.; Alvin O'Konski, WLIN, Merrill, Wis. ; John Phillips, KPAS, Banning, Cal. ; Kingsland Macy, WFAS, White Plains, N.Y. In Truman's present cabinet are Commerce Secretary Charles Sawyer, who owns WING, Dayton, and WIZE, Springfield, 0., and Army Secretary Kenneth Royall, who owns about 25% of WGBR, Goldsboro, N.C. Then there's Assistant Army Secretary Gordon Gray, owner of WSJS, Winston-Salem. They haven't, and can't be expected to, throw their radio weight around — but they do know what it's all about. And not to be overlooked are ex-FCC chairman Paul Porter, former OPA Administrator and party stalwart who may be called back into public service ; his crony and OPA predecessor Chester Bowles, ex-ad agency owner. Democratic Gov-elect of Connecticut; Gov. Beauford Jester of Texas, chief owner of }CrVTX, Waco, stockholder in TV-seeking Telenet System Inc. (Vol. 4:36).