Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

THEATRE-TV “compromise solution” was offered FCC Feb. 27 by Motion Picture Assn, and the National Exhibitors Theatre TV Committee. New proposal, submitted as alternative to their long-standing request for allocation of frequencies for exclusive theatre-TV use, would eliminate necessity for further allocation hearings. Theatre-TV proponents petitioned Commission to rule that “limited or restricted common carrier furnishing only a theatre-TV transmission service” is eligible to use current common carrier allocations. In addition, they want FCC to issue “statement of policy” (1) directing common carriers to cooperate in elimination of frequency conflicts, (2) ordering interconnection with existing common carriers where frequency conflicts can’t be ironed out, (3) stating that in such cases common carriers “will be expected” to provide satisfactory equipment to accommodate wide-band theatre-TV signal. Hearings have been suspended since Feb. 9 while Commission decides whether further hearings “would serve any useful purpose.” This week FCC dismissed petition by Western Union to include in theatre-TV hearing the question of interconnection between theatre-TV systems and common carriers. Issue is “not germane” to theatre-TV allocation proceeding, said Commission, “and is prematurely raised.” Novel success story of radio station in TV — TV antenna manufacturing, that is: Veteran chief engineer W. E. “Bill” Antony of KWKH, Shreveport, La., likes to invent radio gadgets in spare time. Some 3 years ago, he developed unique TV receiving antenna using fullwavelength circular aluminum elements for both driven and reflector units. KWKH exec. v.p. Henry B. Clay says it worked so well in picking up tropospheric transmissions from Dallas TV stations (180 mi.) that station set up Telesine Antenna Corp, and began manufacturing antennas in KWKH transmitter plant, station engineering staff doing the production. Several thousand were sold to public, as result of word-of-mouth advertising. With coming of uhf, miniature edition of Telesine antenna was developed and production line capable of turning out over 2000 a day set up in transmitter plant, with outside woi-kers hired for assembly work. But KWKH’s interest in TV isn’t confined to making receiving antennas; it’s applicant for Ch. 12 in Shreveport. So that Ottawa can have TV in time for the Coronation in June, British Marconi will supply special transmitting equipment, with single-bay antenna, permitting CBC by mid-May to cover 15-mi. radius temporarily. Later, station (Ch. 4) will have 55 kw ERP from 12-bay antenna. Ottawa won’t have own studios but will transmit programs from CBC’s stations in Montreal and Toronto, both Marconi installations. Coronation pictures, of course, will be films — same as those supplied, within 24 hours, to U. S. networks. “Free-riders” won’t get into NARTB’s Los Angeles convention, April 28-May 1, for it has been decided to limit registration (fees $35 for management conference, $25 for engineering conference) to stations or allied industry firms which are active or associate members, plus ad agencies, attorneys, etc. not eligible for membership. You can get full dope on convention by writing C. E. Arney .Jr., NARTB, 1771 N St. NW, Washington. Built-in TV facilities in public halls and courtrooms were urged by CBS-TV news & public affairs director Sig Mickelson in address Feb. 27 to Fair Trial-Free Press Conference of N. Y. County Lawyers Assn. He urged legal profession to recognize presence of TV cameras and radio microphones as an “inherent right not subject to interpretation and not to be given or withheld by public officials.” Sports TV restrictions will continue in some form, but they face substantial modification. This seemed apparent this week as Govt.’s TV anti-trust suit against National Football League in Federal District Court, Philadelphia, ended fourth week after 10-day recess (Vol. 9:5-7). NFL argued that past court decisions exempt sports from antitrust laws. Justice Dept, replied that past decisions don’t apply because they involved contracts between individual players and team owners, whereas this is first anti-trust case involving sale of TV-radio sports rights. Judge Grim has twice rejected defense motions to dismiss suit. Although observers think he probably won’t order elimination of all TV restrictions, he may decide on compromise permitting teams to “blackout” TV when they’re home but allowing stations to carry any other game when home team is away. NFL opened defense case this week with League commissioner Bert Bell on stand. He testified at first that unrestricted TV wTould “positively” kill pro football, but under cross-examination next day he admitted that pro football can live with TV, although “not in the same class and style.” New way to measure audience? Toledo water commissioner George J. Van Dorp says he can tell which TV programs are watched most by measuring how much water consumption rises every half-hour during between-program “breaks.” Said Mr. Van Dorp in Toledo Blade interview: “Water pressure remains high during a TV program, while everybody is sitting quietly watching, but suddenly drops at the end of the program because — guess what — so many persons get up and go to the bathroom at the same time.” According to Editor & Publisher , newspaper’s promotion mgr. Harry Roberts is distributing reprints of interview, “and if advertisers get the idea that most folks are in the bathroom while their TV commercials are on, Mr. Roberts won’t care. He’s promoting a newspaper.” Political candidates would be well advised to concentrate their TV efforts on last 10 days before election, according to preliminary findings of Miami U (Oxford, O.) survey financed by $10,000 Crosley grant. Supporting the recently stated views of CBS chairman Wm. S. Paley (Vol. 9:3), it found that viewers’ interest in watching presidential candidates suffered “decided” mid-summer decline and said that candidates might do better to spend more time “whistle stopping,” saving TV efforts for final week or so. Prof. Joseph C. Seibert, who headed survey, also reports that citizens who followed campaign on TV were better acquainted with issues than those who didn’t, and that TV was highly effective in projecting candidates’ personalities. Muskegon-Grand Rapids fight, wherein FCC refused a hearing to WGRD, Grand Rapids, on its protest to grant to Leonard Versluis in Muskegon (Vol. 9:6), is now in the courts. WGRD asked D. C. Court of Appeals to stay Versluis’ grant and make Commission grant a hearing. WGRD asserts that it’s a “party in interest” in that Versluis’ TV station would cover Grand Rapids, affecting advertising revenues of WGRD. WGRD also charges Versluis with trafficking in licenses because of his sale in 1951 of WLAV-TV. Grand Rapids (now WOOD-TV). First AM station on Guam, 610 kc, 1-kw, is sought in application filed with FCC this week by Radio Guam, 60% owned by Harry M. Engel Jr., gen. mgr. of KVEN, Ventura, Cal., 40% by Phil Berg, retired actors’ agent. Presumably, grant can be made without trouble, since Guam comes under FCC jurisdiction and there are plenty of frequencies available in the Pacific. New edition of semi-annual Time Buyers Register, listing 1700 timebuyers and 5000 accounts they handle, has been issued by Executives Radio-TV Service, 2 East Ave., Larchmont, N. Y. ($15).