Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

4 SYLVANIA ASKS FCC TO APPROVE SATELLITES: Long-anticipated petition for satellite TV stations, filed with FCC this week by Sylvania, is bound to get serious Commission attention sooner or later. The idea of little repeater stations — reaching into towns which can't get big-city signals and can't support own regular stations — was first given impetus by former FCC chairman Charles Denny at the 1947 NAB convention ( Vol . 3:38), and has had several champions at the Commission ever since. FCC hasn't given satellite principle much thought up to now simply because it has been too busy with more important job of authorizing regular stations. In addition, Commission has always been fearful that satellites might discourage establishment of regular local stations capable of providing local expression. Sylvania has come up with ingenious proposal, however, which it believes should dissolve such fears, hasten favorable action. It would provide for cessation of satellite operations in any town where a regular station is subsequently authorized. If grantee of regular station reimburses satellite operator for costs incurred, satellite would cease promptly. If agreement on payment can't be reached, satellite could continue only for balance of license period, but not more than 3 years. Another concept Sylvania is banking on is provision permitting satellites to grow into regular stations of type currently authorized. Basing its petition on "most encouraging" experience with experimental satellite stations KG2XDU (Ch. 22) & KG2XEL (Ch. 82) in Emporium, Fa. during last year, Sylvania asks for following additional rules to govern satellites: (1) Operation no nearer than 50 mi. from existing or proposed regular station — "proposed" station being one for which a "valid application" has been filed. (2) Use of regularly-allocated TV channels, vhf or uhf, where available. If none available, low-powered operation to minimize co-channel or adjacent-channel interference to stations 50 or more miles away. (3) Licensees to be selected by same criteria used for regular stations — no entity owning more than 5 TV stations of any kind, etc. (4) Power ceiling of 100 watts (no minimum), with height limited to 300 ft. above average terrain — greater height permitted only for "good cause". (5) Satellites permitted to sell spots, operate no regular schedule or minimum hours. Aural station identification allowed. (6) One-man operation permitted, by remote control if desired, with operator to be free for other duties not interfering with satellite operation. * * * * Sylvania says satellites can be built for $15-20,000 each, with operating costs very low, states that it and other manufacturers can make them and that it "will make its patents available" to others. Thus, Sylvania envisions not only the broadening of TV set market, of which it expects to get its share, but its own sales of satellite equipment and royalties from patents. Coverage of 6-mi. radius with 10-watt transmitter and 175 watts ERP was achieved during its Emporium tests, Sylvania reports, "without any appreciable change in the interference conditions of existing broadcast stations." * * * * First to feel the impact of satellites, if they're authorized, would be the community antenna system operators. A free signal from satellite would be hard to compete with. However, unless numerous satellites are established for each town or way is found for satellite to provide several signals economically, community antenna operator's strong suit would be choice of programs. Community operators would be free to apply for satellites, of course, but it's hard to visualize satellite profits comparable with those of community antenna systems. Local TV-radio dealers and big-city station operators, perhaps jointly, would appear to be likeliest potential satellite operators. As it is, many community antenna operators are also dealers, working both sides of street. Also seen as potential licensees, under Sylvania's proposal, would be municipalities themselves. Sylvania* s argument against boosters, which retransmit on same channel as