Television digest with AM-FM reports (Jan-Dec 1950)

TV Directory No. 10), we find among 50 top sales areas just 10 as yet without TV outlets ; Hartford-New Britain, ranking 20th; Portland, Ore., 22; Denver. 26; Scrant on-Wilkes-Barre , 30; Springf ield-Holyoke , 32; Akron, 35; Youngstown, 36; Worcester. 41; Allent own-Bethlehem-East on , 43; Lowell-Haverhill-Lawrence , 45. Populations of all of these are above 300,000, subject to revisions when 1950 census is reported. Studying next 50 areas in FCC's ranking, we find 34 must yet get their first TV stations — all of them 100,000 or more population in 1940, probably considerably more now: Bridgeport , 53rd (leaving out of account RCA-NBC still experimental uhf station there) ; Sacramento , 54; Fall River-New Bedford, 55; Nashville . 56; Des Moines (served from Ames), 59; Trenton, 60; Tampa-St. Petersburg, 61; Canton, 63; Flint , 64; Peoria, 69; Harrisburg, 70; Spokane , 71; Duluth-Superior , 72; Reading. 73; Tacoma (served by Seattle), 74; Chattanooga, 76; Saginaw-Bay City, 77; San Jose, 78; Fresno , 79; South Bend, 80; Fort Wayne, 81; Wheeling, 82; Atlantic City, 83; Water bury, 85 ; Wichita, 86 ; Knoxville , 87 ; Charleston, W.Va. , 88 ; Portland, Me. , 89 ; Beaumont -Port Arthur, 90; Huntington, W.Va. -Ashland. Ky. , 92; Evansville , 93; Shreveport . 96 ; Racine -Kenosha. 97 ; Little Rock. 98. Note : Since last Jan. 1, only 7 new applications have been filed, making total pending to date 349 — all reported in TV Directory No. 10 and Addenda. FCC in imposing freeze urged no applications be filed before lifted (Vol. 4:39-40), stating they would be given no priority. FCC's table of proposed allocations by states & cities, vhf & uhf, is available as Supp. No. 64; by vhf channels. No. 65. 'WARHING' TO NEWSPAPERS §c TELECASTERS: No signs of abatement in Zenith's campaign for Phonevision — despite tangle with FCC (Vol. 6:22-23). Now, Comdr. E. F. McDonald has written to newspaper publishers, in frank effort to enlist their support for Phonevision, to tell that his pay-as-you-look system would render TV merely a "half-time competitor" for advertising dollars. Coincidentally, another letter he wrote to CBS president Frank Stanton warns telecasters that theatre-TV is planning to sign up exclusive TV program rights, thus hamper home TV. Letter to publishers warns that TV "looms as the most deadly competitor in history for the advertising dollar... is also beginning to sell time in substantial and growing volume to dept, stores, clothing manufacturers, automobile and appliance dealers and other newspaper standbys that have hitherto used radio very little, some not at all." It goes on to relate that by providing [telecasters] with boxoffice "Phonevision will produce substantial income for broadcasting stations without the sale of advertising during broadcast periods which would otherwise have to be supported by advertising revenue. TV stations will have less time for sale to advertisers, because many of their programs will be paid for directly by their audience." Letter to Stanton says failure of telecasters and TV manufacturers to support Phonevision may permit movie industry to sew up sports, Broadway openings, etc. ; also attacks Theatre Owners of America for allegedly proposing members band together to bid such programs away from TV. "The boxoffice receipts from theatres in just a few major cities," it states, "will enable these theatres to far outbid broadcasters with no boxoffice." Said top-hole newspaper-radio-TV operator, who sent us copy of letter that went to publishers: "It is either desperation or hypocrisy when a man tries to carry water on both shoulders in this fashion." Meanwhile, report was current that Zenith, unable to get feature films for Phonevision tests, is getting ready to sue movie firms. And a "competitor" in field of subscription TV loomed in disclosure by Skiatron Corp. president Arthur Levey, writing FCC this week it has started "pilot" production of "Subscriber-Vision" on same principle as Phonevision but requiring no phone lines. Levey said he will ask for experimental public tests in New York City, same as authorized for Phonevision. On subject of theatre vs. home TV, Fabian and TOA consultant Nathan L. Halpern writes in June Televiser Magazine that there's no contest between them because of: (1) Basic differences between home and theatre audiences. (2) Limitations on ^oduction techniques, for home viewing while theatre TV can give full scope to programs. (3) Requirement that home TV condense its version of plays, operas, etc. to fit time patterns, whereas there need be no "cutting" for theatre TV,