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

eluding associated equipment, deliverable in about 18 months, the company says. Federal Telephone & Radio points out that it' produced first 1-kw unit for 490-mc, for CBS in 1946 and states it vi'ill have uhf transmitters "when required". Federal also reports increased vhf activity, saying 2 of last year's new stations use its transmitters, that 2 more will be delivered within 60 days, that company has number of additional orders on hand. Zenith unleashed another full-page ad in April 29 New York Herald Tribune, stating: "FCC Announces Plans For 10 TV Stations For New York City-Newark. . .3 in the New Ultra-High Frequency Channels I And Zenith Sets Need No Converter!" ^ Uf •T* 0* ^ NPA hasn't set policy on materials availability for transmitters and towers, but its Electronics Division this week submitted plan to top echelon, making some provision for them (see p. 13). NPA climate appears favorable at this moment. TV-radio station construction is no longer exempt from NPA building restrictions (Vol. 6:3,6). In move designed to save structural steel for defense and defense-supporting civilian programs, NPA May 4 amended M-4 order to require specific authorizations to build or make major alterations on TV-radio broadcasting buildings and newspaper plants. Larger apartment house and luxury home construction are major targets of new ruling. FREEZE CQNNENTS BEGIN, DELAY FEARED: Flood of TV allocation comments — first wave — broke on FCC this week when educators filed some 200 statements. Second wave — from commercial stations and applicants — will arrive on May 7 deadline. Some of latter, like strongly-worded petition filed this week (see below) may augur delays of various sorts, including even possible court action. [Note : We'll summarize all the comments filed after they're all in.] Among comments on allocation principles to come next week will be requests for: changes in height-power-interf erence ratios , correction of uhf terrain factor, lifting of 200-kw ceiling on uhf, changes in Gulf area channel spacings. City-by-city comments will include the obvious — opposition to educational reservations and channeljuggling to provide more vhf stations. A number are bound to say: "We're willing to take a reduction in power in exchange for slight reduction of 180-mile separation." Others will point out: "City-to-city , we're just under 180 miles, but transmitter-to-transm.itter v/e're over 170-mile minimum." DuMont is filing whole new allocation proposal, with prime objective of getting more channels where population density is greatest — furthering network competition. It will stipulate new system of "priorities," claiming them to be more realistic than FCC's. DuMont claims FCC hasn't stuck to its own priorities. DuMont is even using big electronic computer at MIT to evolve answers to complex allocation formulas, reports results so far are very encouraging. It has also prepared elaborate map for hearing, with lights representing top 300 markets. Lights are actuated by punched cards, can show at a glance which channels are reserved, which are occupied, how each channel is allocated, etc. DuMont plan reduces amount of vhf -uhf intermixing, but says survey of applicants indicates uhf will go ahead fairly well, even in intermixed areas. t Vast majority of comments from schools — large and small — are almost identical. Actually, most merely filled out or followed a form, saying they commend FCC for reserving channels, hope to make use of them eventually although they have no plans now. And in cities where only uhf is reserved, they regret that vhf isn't set aside. A very few say they plan to apply for stations soon. Joint Committee on Educational Television, formed to conduct campaign and aided by Ford Foundation money (Vol. 7:17), will again carry ball for educators when city-by-city hearings begin June 11, In its comments, it asks for (a) reservation of "flexibility" channels (see TV Allocation Report) where no others are available, (b) change in "priorities" to specify an educational service to all parts of U.S., (c) vhf reservation even in cities with fewer than 3 vhf channels, (d) a chance of