Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

for financial backing. Reaction was best summed up by Ford Foundation spokesman: "This isn't the end of the world for educators, contrary to what they might think. New York probably can raise enough money from private sources, as the commission recommended, to finance at least some stations. "But we're worried about places like Connecticut, which might have trouble raising funds for its 3 stations if legislature follows New York's lead." Connecticut Board of Education holds CPs for uhf stations in Bridgeport, Hartford, Norwich. Many educational and lay groups were keenly disappointed, openly expressed concern. New York Times, which ran full text of commission report Feb. 25, editorialized: "The majority decision. .. commands the sun of technological progress to stand still, relying on the magic lantern when a great new instrument of teaching is at hand. [It] has decided that one picture is not worth a thousand words, or at least the investment is not safe enough to put the state into it. We cannot believe this decision will stand. The clock of educational progress is not so easily stopped." * * * * What to do next in New York will be thoroughly discussed at regular meeting of Joint Committee on Educational TV in Washington March 4. And New York Citizens Committee for Educational TV, headed by Winthrop Rockefeller, will meet 2 days later to thrash out strategy. Big decision to be made is whether to try to raise funds privately or push for passage of Bryages-Ollif f e bill in state legislature to finance 3 pilot stations at undetermined sites. Dr. Milton Eisenhower's National Citizens Committee for Educational TV will enter picture in big way if decision is made to go for private funds. That's why the committee was created. It can look for assistance from some pretty big industrial figures in state, among them Marion Folsom, recently Eastman Kodak treas., who was co-chairman of Eisenhower group until he became Undersecretary of the Treasury. Ford Foundation won't be much help for time being; its funds earmarked for educational TV stations have been allocated and more won't be forthcoming for some time. "Despite some opinions, our funds are not limitless," a spokesman commented. Speed now becomes paramount among educators, faced with deadline of June 2, when FCC may consider making unused reserved channels available to commercial applicants. Comr. Hennock, who must be particularly galled by setback to her pet project in her home state, is now expected to spearhead drive to get deadline extended for educators. Their record to date: only 22 applications, 14 CPs, no stations built -though KUHT, Houston, and KUSC-TV, Los Angeles, are expected on air shortly. N.Y. Commission heard 200 witnesses in favor of regents' plan and only 8 opposed, yet recommended state appropriate no public funds for projected uhf network, which would comprise already-granted stations in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York, Rochester, Syracuse. Utica application still pends ; applications are yet to be filed for other 2. THE UHF MARKETS: SOUTH BEND, IN9.: South Bend was ready for uhf and is taking local TV in its stride. Principal ingredients in formula are conservative operation by AM-newspaper interests, solid engineering planning and close cooperation with trade. Mother Nature helped, too, for north-central Indiana is blessed with the flat terrain ideal for uhf propagation. Nevertheless, there's been no house-on-fire rush to buy sets. While sales are brisk, there's no buying panic, and some dealers who miscalculated the market's potential may fall victim to swelling-of-the-inventories. Development of audience actually has been orderly, apace with servicemen's ability to install uhf antennas. * * $ * No two uhf markets have exactly same problems, or fit same set of circumstances. That's most obvious conclusion we can draw from our personal surveys of uhf areas — York & Atlantic City (Vol.9:6), Wilkes-BarreScranton (Vol.9:7) and our visit this week to South Bend. But by same token, all uhf markets have many characteristics in common, and experiences of the pioneer uhf markets should materially benefit both telecasters and trade in the new markets to come. WSBT-TV, which went on air Dec. 22 on Ch. 34 — beating its originally an