Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)
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2
biz execs, including the N.Y. labs, received the news with interest but without any apparent sense of immediate danger. n
"All-time low" in motion picture production was reported at Nov. 10 meeting of Screen Actors Guild (AFL) in Hollywood, representing some 8000 performers. But it predicted 1953 is probably "rock bottom". Blame was placed not merely on TV but on "technological evolution" from so-called "flat" pictures and on increase in production abroad of pictures aimed for American market. On other hand. Guild noted that employment of actors in TV movies and filmed commercials has "taken up some of the slack" caused by decrease in output of theatrical films.
3 VHF, 3 UHF START, DOZEN ABOUT READY: Six more can be added to list of on-the-air
stations, 5 going into non-TV cities — including Topeka, Kansas capital. They bring to 517 total now operating commercially and/or testing, of which 108 started in the ZVz months (106 days) since Aug. 1 when we predicted one-a-day for rest of this year.
Readying to start momentarily are more than dozen others, some possibly at week’s end — notably KOMO-TV, Seattle ; WSIX-TV, Nashville ; KTVU, Stockton, Cal. ; KCOK-TV, Tulare, Cal. ; WLAM-TV, Lewiston, Me. ; WWOR-TV, Worcester, Mass. ; WKJG-TV, Ft. Wayne, Ind. ; KGTV, Des Moines ; WBLN, Bloomington, 111. ; WCOC-TV, Meridian, Miss. ; WNCT, Greenville, N.C. ; WJDM, Panama City, Fla. ; CFPL-TV, London, Ont. This week's:
WIBW-TV, Topeka, Kan. (Ch. 13) began testing Nov. 10, was all set to start programming Nov. 15 with CBS affiliation and some ABC & DuMont shows. It's the first station in capital city, which is about 60 mi. west of Kansas City, also the first venture into TV for Capper Publications (Topeka Capital, Capper's Farmer, etc.). Gen. mgr. is veteran broadcaster Ben Ludy, with Art Holbrook as TV mgr., Lewis Dickensheets as chief engineer. Equipment is RCA throughout, with 905-ft. Lehigh tower. Base rate is $300. Rep is Capper Publications.
WCIA, Champaign, 111. (Ch. 3) began intermittent test patterns Nov. 12, is slated for CBS & DuMont affiliation. It's first vhf in area (with U of Illinois' WILL-TV on Ch. 12 not due until late 1954), plans to pick up network from ChicagoTerre Haute coaxial via Danville with parabolic on roof of Inman Hotel. It's owned by combination of broadcasters, including publisher of Champaign News-Gazette. Equipment is RCA, with Ideco tower. Pres. & chief stockholder is attorney August C. Meyer; gen. mgr. is Harry Y. Maynard, ex-KTLA, Los Angeles ; sales mgr. , Guy F. Main, also ex-KTLA ; chief engineer, M.D. Hunnicutt Jr. Base rate is $350. Rep is Hollingbery.
WRBL-TV, Columbus, Ga. (Ch. 4) began testing Nov. 8, is reported by mgr.
J.W. Woodruff Jr. to be all ready for commercial debut Nov. 15 as CBS affiliate. It has 5-kw GE transmitter, 460-ft. Ideco tower, but temporarily is using 1-bay antenna and putting out only about third of power potential. Nevertheless, said Woodruff, signals have been seen beyond the Florida border, 128-150-mi. Station is result of merger of Woodruff radio family (also identified with Coca-Cola Corp. ) and R.W. Page Corp. , owners of WGBA (which will be sold) and of Columbus Enquirer & Herald. (Publisher of the newspapers, James Edward Page, 58, died on Nov. 10 — just 6 hours before his wife, both of heart attacks.) Station's operations director is George Gingell, program director Ridley Bell. Base rate is $200. Rep is Hollingbery.
WFIE , Evansville, Ind. (Ch. 62) began test patterns Nov. 8 from RCA transmitter plant and 527-ft. tower, less than 3 months from time ground was broken for entire project (no AM affiliation). It's second uhf in area, WEHT, Henderson, Ky. (Ch. 50), just across Ohio River, having started Sept. 11. WFIE is owned by the Jesse D. Fine theatre family, managed by Ted Nelson, ex-Polan Industries. It affiliates with ABC, DuMont & NBC, starts with $200 base rate. Rep is O.L. Taylor.
WNOW-TV, York, Pa. (Ch. 49), city's second uhf, began test patterns Nov. 9 — about 3 weeks after delivery of DuMont 1-kw transmitter. It was long delayed by slowness of transmitter, rival WSBA-TV (Ch. 43) getting started in Dec. of 1952.
It's headed by Lowell W. Williams, with John Border as commercial mgr., Glenn Winter chief engineer. Network is DuMont, base rate $200. Rep is Hollingbery.
KTVE, Longview, Tex. (Ch. 32) is now on commercial schedule, located on the coaxial just 32 mi. east of Tyler, where KETX (Ch. 19) began operating Aug. 24. It reports no network affiliation, however. Owner is appliance dealer A. James Henry. Wm. M. Morrow Jr. is commercial mgr. Equipment is GE, base rate $150, rep Forjoe.