Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

TV Dominates the NAItTB Convention, page 1. in this ‘Stand By for Freeze End’, Says FCC, page 1. issue: 1 Dangers Seen in UHF Channel Spacing, page 2. l Precepts & Examples for TV Operation, page 3. Engineers Feast Eyes on TV Equipment, page U. FCC Continues as Booster for Radio, page 6. More ‘Inboard Pricing’; Output Down, page 10. February Network TV-Radio Billings, page 16. TV DOMINATES THE NARTB CONVENTION: "The child is father of the man" — not much question about that now, so far as TV and Radio are concerned, in minds of most of the 3000 or more persons who attended this week's record-breaking NARTB convention in Chicago (official registration: 1635). This time, TV really took over — the management & engineering conferences, the exhibits, the speechmaking, the planning, the hoping, the news, the gossip. This time, there was scant doubt in the minds of NARTB 's 1350-odd broadcasting members that they want to get into the swim with the 108 telecasters as soon as possible. Biggest news was FCC Chairman Walker's assurance, widely publicized, even via the newsreels, that the 3%-year-old freeze will be lifted within 2 weeks, which now really puts the Commission on its mettle to finish that back-breaking job by April 14. There wasn't much new in the chairman's eagerly heeded and beautifully phrased speech that we haven't reported before, so far as plans for new allocations and rules are concerned. Hence we'll stick to its gist in ensuing pages. There was lots of punch, plenty of keen thinking, in another outstanding convention speech — that of Avco-Crosley topkick James D. Shouse on the business outlook, with special concern for political overtones and the state of the TV-radio businesses. Accordingly, we've printed salient portions as Special Report herewith. There were other highlights, of course — the stirring speech by NARTB president Harold E. Fellows, ending first term, designed to impress upon the industry its own strength, importance and responsibility in the nation's social and economic fabric ; the great ovation accorded WTIC's Paul Morency, chairman of radio network affiliates, for spearheading battle against radio rate cuts due to TV's impact; the weaning of important Broadcasting Advertising Bureau (BAB) away from parent NARTB, with membership of own now totaling 572; and the various panels and symposiums. Your trade press will dilate on these ; we have chosen to report in these pages only on basic developments and trends relating to TV, as we discerned them. STAND BY FOR FREEZE END/ SAYS FCC: "Within the next 2 weeks," FCC Chairman Paul Walker told NARTB convention April 2, Commission will lift freeze — "barring some last-minute snag." Actually, absolutely earliest date is April 14. Inasmuch as FCC plans a Monday release date, there's 50-50 chance it will be April 21. FCC's conference with Canadians went off smoothly in Chicago, so no delay is expected on that score. It was straightforward matter of compromise, both sides feeling they made best deal possible. No other holdup is apparent at the moment, though some people have been taken aback by analysis of allocation plan, presented at convention by West inghouse ' s Ralph Harmon, which implies that plan will put uhf stations at competitive disadvantage with vhf (see p. 2). Planning to streamline processing of applications after freeze, FCC staff has been feeling out industry attorneys and engineers for reactions to this: Start with completely clean slate. Return all 522 applications already in, or declare them "dead" — and start from scratch, maybe with new application form. Most of those queried lean towards idea, though some wonder whether 90 days COPYHIOHT 1SB2 BY RADIO NEWS BUREAU