Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

7 Telecasting Notes: Unique public service tieup of CBS (both TV & radio) with Time Inc. has latter readying 24-p. “guide” to procedures, regulations and customs of national political conventions, with Timewritten history of past conventions, for free distribution to audience just before Chicago conventions in July . . . Worth close attention: “The BMI Clinic Story,” 12-p. section with detailed coverage of all 42 Broadcast Music Inc. clinics of last 2 weeks, published by Billboard, May 17. In wake of radio clinics, 3 TV clinics have now been scheduled: In New York’s Waldorf-Astoria, May 19-20; Chicago’s Palmer House, May 22-23; Hollywood-Roosevelt, May 26-27 . . . Blue shirts look better than white on TV — and now the politicos studying telecasting techniques at CBS-TV’s “television school” for Presidential and Senatorial candidates in Washington (Vol. 8:19) make that a No. 1 “must,” says CBS news release . . . Committee for Free Asia Inc., San Francisco, whose TV-radio work is headed by ex-NBC v.p. John Elwood, reports “magnificent example of cooperation and public service” in fact that 78 TV stations have accepted its 13-min. documentary Truth Shall Make Men Free, depicting resistance to Red aggression in Asia . . . CBS ad artists won 9 awards of Art Directors Club of N. Y. this week, embracing newspaper and trade paper ads, booklets, direct mail; in new TV category, award went to Benton & Bowles’ Ray Lind for TV commercials for Brewing Corp. of America . . . Denver’s KFEL had its closed-circuit TV (2-camera chain), same as used for World Series last year, set up at this week’s big Denver Home Show; not only was entertainment picked up, but KFEL staff demonstrated what makes TV tick . . . Chicago Cubs & White Sox Sat. & Sun. games on WGN-TV, sponsored jointly by Chesterfield and Hamm’s Beer, being fed via microwave to WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, and coaxial to WHBF-TV, Rock Island . . . Cleveland Indians games, 7 Sun. and 3 night, being piped to WJAC-TV, Johnstown, on special hookup . . . Public Utility Advertising Assn., meeting in Minneapolis, picked Milwaukee Gas Light Co.’s Milwaukee Newsreel (Wed. 8:45-9 p.m. on WTMJ-TV, thru Cramer-Krasselt Co.) for first award in TV class in its 1952 Better Copy Contest . . . TV is now so important to Motion Picture Assn, of America (MPAA) that directors have decided members henceforth will include income from TV picture production and distribution in reckoning annual dues (half of 1 % of gross) . . . Philadelphia’s WCAU & WCAU-TV dedicate new 100,000-sq. ft. office-studio building at City & Monument Avenues, completed at cost of $2,000,000, with many VIPs attending, noon, May 27. New York’s WCBS-TV raises base rate for Class A hour from $3750 to $4000 as of June 1, when Class A announcements will also be hiked from $775 to $800. New Rate Card No. 11 also introduces new “D” classification covering 10 a.m. and after-midnight, with base hour rate of $750. New volume discount of 45% is applicable, after other earned discounts, on schedules of 12 or more daytime announcements per week. Among TV-radio people attending Washington correspondents’ famed Gridiron dinner May 10 were FCC chairman Paul Walker, ex-chairman Paul Porter, WDAF-TV mgr. Dean Fitzer, CBS executives Earl Gammons & Merle Jones, NBC executives F. M. Russell, Wm. Brooks, Wm. Me Andrew, Gene Juster, Harry Bannister, Henry Cassidy. Members of Gridiron Club, who participated in skits, included radio commentators Richard Harkness, Ray Henle, Ned Brooks, Albert Warner. Liberty Broadcasting System folded this week, its promoter Gordon McLendon charging “conspiracy” on part of baseball clubs to withhold authority to carry games. Alfred I. duPont Foundation Awards for 1952, consisting of plaques and $1000 cash, were presented at Washington dinner May 17 to: (1) WCAU & WCAU-TV, Philadelphia (large station class) for “encouraging, fostering, promoting and developing ideals of freedom and for loyal devoted service to the nation and to communities served by them”; (2) WEEI, Boston (smaller station class) for “developing ideals of freedom”; (3) Joseph C. Harsch, commentator now with WOL, Washington, recently with Liberty Broadcasting System, for “consistently excellent and accurate gathering and reporting of news by radio.” In first category, special commendations went to WAAM (TV), Baltimore; WBBM, Chicago; WLW, Cincinnati; WHAS & WHAS-TV, Louisville. In second category, commendations went to WHCU, Ithaca, N. Y.; KFBI, Wichita, Kan.; KUOM, Minneapolis. Commentators receiving special mentions were Howard K. Smith, CBS, London; Edward R. Murrow, CBS; Sunoco’s 3-Star Extra (Ray Henle), NBC. Committee on awards comprised Dr. Francis Gaines, U of Virginia, chairman; Mrs. Jessie duPont; Ben McKelway, editor, Washington Star; Dr. Hadley Cantril, Princeton U ; Mrs. Miriam Cole Houghton, president. General Federation of Women’s Club. At Washington dinner, it was announced that Roger W. Clipp, gen. mgr. of WFIL & WFIL-TV, Philadelphia, winner of 1951 award, has presented his $1000 check to establish a scholarship under duPont Foundation. “Clarification” of FCC’s rebroadcasting rules, issued this week as Public Notice 52-464 (Doc. 9808), still leaves many questions unanswered, in opinion of most attorneys. Problem originally came to focus in 1950 when WJIM-TV, Lansing, picked up and rebroadcast signals of WWJ-TV, Detroit (Vol. 6:29,40). WJIM-TV had NBC’s permission, but WWJ-TV objected. This week’s ruling makes two things clear: (1) The station whose signals are picked up — not the network or sponsor — is the “originating station.” (2) If station refuses to let another rebroadcast its signals, it must give FCC reasons. Biggest question: What reasons are adequate? Many attorneys— in and out of FCC — say there are “hundreds” of good reasons. Gordon Brown, owner of WSAY, Rochester, says he can’t visualize any. In fact, he convened press conference in Washington to report that he plans to rebroadcast selected programs from all network affiliates in Rochester — and negotiate with sponsors for payment. Private TV stations and commercial sponsorships in Great Britain are envisaged in Parliamentary White Paper issued in London this week. In renewing BBC charter for 10 years, Parliament states: “Provisions should be made to permit some elements of competition when the calls on capital resources at present needed for purposes of greater national importance make this feasible.” But this hope for competitive and local TV services along lines of U. S. system, with advertisers footing bill, is seen as 2 years off at very least. Moreover, BBC would continue to have first claim on equipment in event of shortages. BBC now puts on 4-6 hours of TV programs daily over 4 transmitters. Britain’s 1,500,000 TV set owners must pay annual £1 license fee ($2.80) for radio, £2 for TV-radio combined. Sylvania’s experimental uhf station and its tube plant in Emporium, Pa. were shown off May 16 to FCC delegation comprising Comrs. Hyde, Sterling, Webster, plus staff engineers Curtis Plummer, Edward Chapin, Mclvor Parker. Station has been operating on 509-528 me and 870-890 me, with 300-watts, using test pattern and monoscope pictures. For FCC visit, Sylvania obtained special authority to pick up and rebroadcast live programs from WJAC-TV, Johnstown, 90 miles away — an experimental satellite demonstration.