Television digest with AM-FM reports (Jan-Dec 1951)

11 Mobilization Notes: Appeals hoard with final authority to grant or deny individual adjustments under NPA orders was set uii April 24 by IfJPA Administrator Fleisch. mann (NPA Reg. 5). Thr^e-man board will hold open hearings (except where national security is involved) on appeals arising from denial of api>lications for adjustment or exception by NPA industry divisions. T. Munford Boyd, U of Virginia law professor, is chairman. Other menibeis: Frank J. Peterson, former WPB labor consultant and Kansas City AFL Building Trades Council official; .Jack M. Rorimer, cx-WPB appeals board member and onetime v.p.-secy.. Empire Plow Co., Cleveland. NPA has been reorganized to mesh Avith operation of Controlled Materials Plan (Vol. 7:15). Present 20 industry divisions have been expanded to 35, grouped under 4 overall bureaus, replacing Industry Operations Bureau. New bureaus are Industrial & Agricultural Equipment; Metals & Minerals; Chemical, Rubber & Forest Products; Textile, Leather & Speciality Equipment — with Electronics Div. coming under latter. Asst, administrator Horace B. McCoy heads Textile, Leather & Specialty Equipment Bureau; Norman W. Foy, Republic Steel official, has been named asst, administrator to head Metals & Minerals Bureau. h* 'S' '•* Eleven certificates for rapid tax amortization of $6,665,741 in new plants and facilities for production of electronic equipment are included in DPA’s latest list of certificates granted April 9-13. While electronic production certificates account for 11 '/c of the 94 granted, they amount to only 3% of the $218,523,000 dollar-value approved during 4-day period. Most of the electronic certificates are for expansion of tube production, including $4,088,390 for new Lansdale (Philco) tube plant at Fredei’ick, Md., with 5-year writeoff for tax purposes on 75 ''/o of that amount. Sylvania was issued 6 of the 11 certificates, giving that firm total of 10 certificates for $10,011,318 worth of expansion to date (Vol. 7:10-11, 16). Electronic tube production expansion certified by Govt, is generally for special-purpose tube types for which civilian production facilities can’t be readily adapted. Over-all average alloAvance for amortization is 70%. Sylvania was issued these necessity certificates for expansion at 5 localities: Electronic tubes — Salem, Mass., expansion valued at $346,893, with 80 %■ of this amount to be amortized in 5 years; Montoursville, Pa., $216,756 at 80%; Emporium, Pa., $67,301 at 85%. Electronic tube production equipment — Warren, Pa., $165,290 at 85%?; Radio-TV Div., Buffalo, $114,450 at 85%c. Coils — Salem, Mass., $93,275 at 75%. Other firms receiving certificates for expansion of electronic production facilities: Weston Electrical Instrument Co., Newark, air radio course indicator, $1,500,000 at 90%; Electrons Inc., Newark, electronic tubes, $35,000 at 85%; Resistance Products Co., Harrisburg, Pa., Avirewound resistors, $25,110 at 80%,; Chatham Electronics, NeAA'ark, electronic & radar tubes, $23,276 at 807% EdAvin T. Gibson, General Foods v.ja., former deputy DPA administrator, Avas promoted April 27 to acting Defense Production Administrator to succeed — at least temporarily— Maj. Gen. Wm. H. Harx'ison who leaves post May 1 to return to presidency of IT&T.. Some of Harrison’s aides, including W. W. Watts, RCA v.p. on leave, may also quit to give ncAv administrator freer hand in selection of staff. Edmund T. Morris Jr., We.stinghouse Electronics & X-ray Div. diiectoi on leave, Ajnil 2.‘5 took over chairmanship of DPA’s top-drawer Electronics Production Board (Vol. 7:11-12,15). The Fee is going to have its hands full, once comments on allocations plan are in--all due by May 7 (Vol. 7:15). Questions of all kinds Avill be dumped in its lap, probably including some shockers. Very feAv commercial interests have filed comments yet, but educational responses have begun to dribble in. There are likely to be hundreds of each by deadline. [We Avill summarize all comments after May 7 deadline.] First station comment came from KTTV, Los Angeles. It points out dilemma: Station can’t protect Grade A scx'vice of adjacent-channel station 60 miles aAvay and at same time (a) meet minimum power I'equirements in serving city of 1,000,000 Avith antenna over 1000 ft. and (b) utilize maximum power with antennas over 500 ft. Station asks that adjacent-channel ratio be changed from 0 db to —6 db. Educational issue is bringing such comments as these: (1) U. S. Confei’cnce of Mayors and New York City’s WNYC ask that municipalities be permitted to apply for reserved channels. FCC’s proposal Avould admit only accredited educational institutions. (2) U of Tampa says it can’t afford station, but reports that Ted Mack offers it 20%, of time and 10%; of stock if he gets station. Pittsburgh’s Mayor David Lawrence, president of Conference, is all excited about TV, exhorting his confreres to stimulate local educators — apparently with occasional results. He says reserved channels “should never” be turned over to commercial interests. Some mayors have caught his enthusiasm — we’ve heard of Milwaukee’s Zeidler, Binghamton’s Kramer, St. Louis’ Darst. Interestingly, KSD.TV’s George Burbach is serving as advisor to educational committee in St. Louis. Focus of educational activity. Joint Committee on Educational Television, was formalized this week. Executive director and secretary is Richai'd Hull, WOI-TV, Ames, la. (country’s only educationally-owned station). Telford Taylor and Seymour Krieger continue as counsel. Stuart Haydon is general consultant (publicity, etc.). Chairman is Dr. Edgar Fuller, of National Council of Chief State School Officers; Dr. David Henry, president of Detroit’s Wayne U, is vice chairman. FCC Avould allocate entire spectrum, including govt, frequencies, under bill (S. 1378) introduced this Aveek by Sen. EdAvin Johnson, chairman of Interstate & Foreign Commerce Committee. It’s his reaction to recommendation of Communication Policy Board that President set up board to coordinate govt, frequency users (Vol. 7:13). Says Sen. Johnson: “This bill would get rid of the dog-in-themanger attitude of govt, users who Avaste frequencies.” Asked if he thought FCC would need to be enlarged to handle neAv duties, he said: “No. They’ve got plenty of people, plenty of time.” Bill provides for following to be inserted into Sec. 305(a) of Communications Act: “All such GoA’^ernment stations shall use such frequencies as shall be assigned to each or to each class by the Commission under rules and regulations prescribed by it and Avhich shall be approA'ed by the President. The Commission may hold public hearings in connection with the assignment of frequencies to such Government stations and shall make public announcement of such assignments, except Avhen the interests of national security require the Avithholding of information with respect to any such assignment.” Regarding phrase “approved by the President,” Sen. Johnson says: “I have no Avorry about FCC’s ability to sell the President on its rules and regulations.” Defense I’rndiiefiun IiUfiiiry Cenfer will be .set up aboid. May 1 by NPA and DPA in main lobby of old Govt. Accounting Office Bldg., 5th & G Sts. NW,