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

4 permanent, and (2) As soon as station has equipment capable of more power, pressures grow for permission to use it. Example cited at Commission is WNHC-TV, Nevj Haven. It was granted as "community" station, with 1-kw maximum. But, FCC men say, station was given 1.82 kw in "a moment of Commission weakness." Station bought 5-kw transmitter, but has been limited to only 500 watts of it. This week, it asked permission to use full 5 kw. Commission’s basic premise, stemming primarily from legalistic caution: We will permit nothing outside of existing rules until freeze is over. This goes for powers, heights , station classifications. It even applies to propagation curves, despite fact FCC knows they're obsolete. All during freeze, and currently, it has been granting site changes, etc., calculating coverage on old propagation and protection data. Stations have been pounding at Commission gates for hikes to FCC-proposed 100 and 200 kw, but Commission has been adamant, is likely to stay that way until someone comes up with arguments more persuasive than those employed to date. Now that virtually everyone's throttle is wide open, only prospects for further improvement before end of freeze are; (1) Installation of 5-kw transmitters by those few stations, not communitytype, using smaller units — WFMY-TV, Greensboro ; WTTV, Bloomington; WLWD, Dayton; WICU, Erie ; KDYL-TV, Salt Lake City. Incidentally, WBNS-TV, Coliimbus has been operating 5-kw job, not .5 kw as reported in Vol. 7:30. WFMY-TV has already asked for CP to install 5-kw. Others may elect to wait for freeze-end, install big ones then. (2) Use of higher-gain antennas. Commission will permit outlays for these, but won't let stations touch transmitters to get more than 5 kw. Not too many of these are expected — also because of freeze-end uncertainties. (3) Construction of taller towers. Actually, this means more than do most power boosts. Number of these are in works, steel availability permitting. NEW CURBS WON'T END STATION BUILDING: Still no "ban" or "freeze" on TV-radio station alterations and construction — notwithstanding widespread misinterpretations of new NPA regulations placing construction under Controlled Materials Plan (Vol. 7:31). Small scale construction may be easier to start, in fact, under new controls than it was under old (Vol. 7:19 et seq). On basis of best information, it's likely these types will get go-ahead from NPA in fourth quarter: (1) Remodeling of TV or radio studio & transmitter buildings. (2) New station construction on modest scale. These projects may be deferred; (1) Big new TV antenna towers. (2) Radio City-type buildings. But by time freeze is over, it's unlikely TV station building will be subject to severe restrictions — barring shooting war, of course. Big industrial expansion program for defense production, which necessitated building controls, is scheduled to be over the hump by first or second quarter 1952 and construction material situation will then be much more favorable. Principal provisions of new building regulations (M-4A, CMP Reg. 6), as they apply to broadcast stations; (1) NPA won't specifically OK any construction before Oct. 1. (2) No new building can be begun before Oct. 1 unless builder has all the materials he needs, or doesn't need more than 2 tons of steel, 200 lbs. of copper or any aluminum. (3) After Oct. 1, anyone may build — and receive guaranteed allotment of materials — if he doesn't need more than 2 tons of steel, 200 lbs, of copper or any aluminum. (4) If he needs more than that, he must apply to NPA. If application is approved, he'll receive allotment of all the steel, copper and aluminum he needs. If it's denied, he can't build in fourth quarter. Most broadcast alteration and construction projects use relatively little controlled materials, and NPA approval is expected to be more or less routine. Many alterations need less than 2 tons of steel, can be built without application. FCC offered to supply NPA with general criteria on "community need" as it applies to TV-radio stations — for use in deciding applications for construction of broadcast facilities. NPA turned down offer, said it was applying no "predetermined standards," but would use FCC as source of information in checking applications.