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

7 CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORP., which not only operates string of govt.-owned radio stations and a broadcasting network in competition with private enterprisers, but also is charged with regulating Dominion’s radio and TV, apparently isn’t going to issue any CPs for private TV stations until its own first 2 are completed in Toronto & Montreal sometime next year (Vol. 7:22, -29-30). Nor will it even disclose who are the private applicants, and for what channels. Indeed, efforts to get list of applicants and channels sought from official sources have met with official avowal that such information isn’t releasable! From private sources, however, we learn these applicants have thus far been heard, decisions on all deferred: CKEY & CFRB, Toronto; CKAC & CFCF, Montreal; CKLW, Windsor; CFRA, Ottawa; CKNW, New Westminster, B. C.; Canadian Famous Players Ltd., theatre chain, for Toronto; Mastervision Ltd., radio manufacturer, also for Toronto. Denied was application by CHML, Hamilton, presumably because CBC wants to build own station on the one vhf channel allocated there. There may be other applications on file, but CBC won’t tell who they are. [For list of proposed TV channel allocations in Canada, see pages 59-60, TV Facthook No. 13.~\ Thus, Canada lags behind even Mexico in TV, and of course far behind U. S., even with our freeze — albeit some 50,000 Canadian homes near border have bought TV sets to receive U. S. stations. Exasperated private broadcasters partially blame U. S. interests for bureaucracy-bound condition in their country. Said one : “Frankly, the galling part of this whole incredible setup, with its all-powerful State-owned CBC at the apex, could not exist without the benevolent support and cooperation of the U. S. networks, who are such ardent supporters of free enterprise at their own meetings. They feed virtually all their best programs to the CBC, thus permitting it to continue and on much better deals than their own affiliates in the U. S., to our knowledge.” a More lenient provisions of new construction controls toward small jobs (Vol. 7:31-33) have resulted in swift go-ahead for some broadcasters who applied under old regulation for permission to begin construction or alterations. They were notified they’re exempt under new regulations (M-4A, CMP Reg. 6) because their projects require less than 2 tons of steel, 200 lbs. of copper, no aluminum. NPA’s V/ashington office told these 3 applicants their construction isn’t restricted under new controls: WBTV, Charlotte, which had applied to begin alterations to TV studio, valued at $12,064; WOOF, Dothan, Ala., broadcasting building, $28,000; WPAQ, Mt. Airy, N. C., broadcasting station, $11,350. Other applicants whose projects are exempt were notified from field offices where they filed applications. Week’s only application for new TV station was filed by Rib Mountain Radio Inc., seeking Channel 7 for Wausau, Wis., 40% owned by Wausau Record-Herald, 60% by the Central Bcstg. Co. (Morgan Murphy-Waiter Bridges group) which owns AM stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin, is applicant for Duluth, Hibbing, Madison, Eau Claire (TV Addenda 13-C). Total applications now pending: 436. Reported readying applications are KBOR, Brownsville, Tex., opposite Matamoros, Mexico, where new XELD-TV is testing (Vol. 7:31-33); and Oklahoma Television Corp., planning to apply for Channel 9 in Oklahoma City, prepared to spend $1,500,000 on installation including 200-kw transmitter and 1500-ft. tower. Latter group includes Edgar T. Bell, ex-WKY, former Gov. Roy J. Turner, RCA distributor Luther T. Delaney and others. [For list of all applications pending, see TV Factbook No. 13 with Addenda 13-A to 13-H.] Three-man “talent committee” of Salary Stabilization Board began study Aug. 30 of pay policies and problems involving performers in TV, radio, movies and on the stage. Committee, which will advise Salary Board, is headed by Roy Hendrickson, former Agriculture Marketing Administrator. Other members are Philip F. Siff, ex-director of Selznick International and United Artists, and Neal Agnew, ex-Paramount Pictures v.p., now consultant to independent motion picture distributors. William E. Sanborn, member of Salary Board, is serving as committee’s executive secretary. Jerry Fairbanks Productions merger into Isaac L. Levy’s Official Films Inc., for which latter was to pay 175,000 of 2,000,000 authorized shares (Vol. 7:22), has been dissolved — and Jerry Fairbanks resumes presidency of Hollywood firm bearing his name, with Sid Rogell as executive v.p. in charge of studio operations. Firm reports it has secured outside financing, but its current series of TV films will be distributed by Official Films Inc. New president of Official Films Inc. is Billy Goodheart Jr., succeeding Aaron Katz, resigned. Columbia Pictures’ TV production subsidiary. Screen Gems, headed by Ralph Cohn, was merged this week with United Productions of America (Stephen Bosustow), to be called Screen Gems Div. of United Productions of America. Specialty will be animated films. Rialto reports also have Columbia Pictures considering establishment of New York studios for TV production. Snader Telescription Sales Inc. reports it has acquired distribution of 13 first-run Korda films, never before shown in this country, for both movie and TV release, listing 9 of them as follows: The Wooden Horse, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Flesh and Blood, Small Dark Room, Into the Blue, The Small Voice, The Courtneys of Curzon Street, The Angel with the Trumpet, The Wonder Kid. Deletion of Channel 3 from San Diego, part of tentative U. S.-Mexican agreement, worried San Diego educators, since channel was proposed to be reserved for them. FCC wrote them this week, said U. S. got fair shake in revision, assured them educational interests weren’t being neglected, pointed out that they can ask for reservation of another vhf channel in San Diego if they choose. Tentative agreement would move Channel 3 to Mexicali which would lose 7 & 9. Other proposed assignments in area (TV Factbook No. 13) would remain unchanged. Portland-Seattle microwave extension of present San Francisco-Portland coaxial (Vol. 7:33) isn’t expected to be ready for phone service until beginning of 1953, meaning Seattle’s hookup into transcontinental TV circuits is at least that far away, according to Pacific Tel. & Tel. FCC’s uhf propagation studies have culminated in report TRR 2.4.12, TJHF Propagation Within Line of Sight, now available from Technical Research Div., Room 1629 Temporary T Bldg., 14th & Constitution, Washington. With uhf military equipment particularly in mind, RCA has issued Ultra High Frequency Fundamentals, manual available for 75«i from RCA Govt. Service Div. Color Television Inc., San Francisco, unsuccessful bidder for FCC approval of its TV color system, is repox’ted to have secured $4,000,000 contract to manufacture airborne radar and other electronic products developed by Tomlinson I. Moseley, president of Dalmo Victor Co., San Carles, Cal. Existing plant, no longer used for TV since CTI system was rejected along with RCA’s in favor of CBS’s, will be utilized with additional facilities to be built in San Francisco peninsula area, according to CTI president Arthur S. Matthews.