Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

4 leading to those stations — provided there's only microwave, no coaxial, from the origination point to the stations. Quality of this "uncorrected" color is something else. Engineers say that 50-65% of color burst can get through ordinary microwave. This gives fair color in some instances. However, if phase is not corrected, color loses varying degrees of fidelity. Yet, picture of 50-75% color quality can be obtained by adjusting chroma control on receiver. This is how WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, got Nov. 22 Colgate Comedy Hour in color, first commercial colorcast (Vol. 9:48). Even though AT&T doesn't spruce up its facilities to such stations as WTMJTV, by Jan. 1, there's nothing to stop them from telecasting color received if their transmitters have been equipped to do so. How many stations will be so equipped and plan to transmit color by Jan. 1 is unknown. With so much attention on Jan. 1 show, it's sometimes forgotten that about a dozen affiliates of other networks in the 13 cities have priorities for RCA color equipment , too — as high as that of NBC affiliates, or higher. Therefore, it would not be surprising if CBS pulled a big color whingding on or before Jan. 1. NBC-TV has no plans, meanwhile, to feed network any more commercial color programs, like Comedy Hour, until FCC approval of compatible system is obtained. Though actual commercialization of color will come about 50 days after the system is approved, networks and stations will have no trouble getting FCC to waive rules to permit commercial colorcasts before new rules are legally effective. Date of FCC approval is still anyone's guess. Commission discussed color Mon. Nov. 30, meets again on it next week, probably Thursday-Friday. Again, chances are against approval next week — but it's getting mighty hot. All anyone at FCC can say is that it can come any time now. There is no fixed target date. At the manufacturing and trade levels, meanwhile, color demands greater and greater share of attention (see p. 11). 10 CPs, 3 DROPPED, ALLOCATIONS CHANCES: In exceptionally active week, 10 CPs were issued by FCC, along with 2 initial decisions. At same time, 3 uhf CPs were surrendered, while several important allocations changes were made final. The CPs : Clearwater, Fla., Pioneer Gulf TV Bcstrs., Ch. 32; Miami, WMIE, Ch. 27; Lexington, Ky. , WLAP, Ch. 27; Bloomingdale , N. Y., WIRY, Ch. 5; Cleveland, 0., WHK, Ch. 19; Jackson, Tenn., WDXI, Ch. 9; Provo, Utah, KOVO, Ch. 11; Richmond, Va. , WTOB (Winston-Salem), Ch. 29. Educational grants were Cincinnati, Greater Cincinnati TV Educational Foundation, Ch. 48; Oklahoma City, Okla. Educational TV Authority, Ch. 13. Initial decisions were awarded to WDAE, Tampa, Ch. 13, and WDAL , Duluth , Ch. 3. WDAL received approval when opposition dropped out, but WDAE was favored after fight with Orange TV Bcstg. Co. and Tampa TV Co. In Tampa case. Examiner Cooper favored WDAE-Tampa Times because of "superiority of experience, local ownership, and integration of ownership and management." Examiner also felt it would have better staff, build and operate the way it said it would. He said that Orange TV couldn't possibly operate as promised, and he asserted that W. Walter Tison, owner of WALT and largest stockholder of Tampa TV (20%), had done poor job of operating AM. * * * * CPs dropped this week were: WIBM-TV, Jackson, Mich. (Ch. 48) ; KIT-TV, Yakima, Wash., (Ch.23) ; WMIL-TV, Milwaukee (Ch. 31). Carl Haymond, holder of Yakima CP and operator of vhf KMO-TV, Tacoma, told FCC uhf isn't suited to Yakima, immediately filed petition asking assignment of Ch. 2 or 5 to Yakima. WMIL-TV, Milwaukee, dropped CP same day Commission finalized assignment of Ch. 6 to suburban Whitefish Bay, filed application for the new channel. In assigning Ch. 6 to Whitefish Bay, acting on petition of WISN, Commission rejected argument of WCAN-TV (Ch. 25) and UHF Assn., stating that no licensee is entitled "to a 'freeze' on changes [in allocations] because of a possible adverse effect on private commercial interests." In complicated Wisconsin-Minnesota allocations squabble. Commission ended up by rejecting proposals to add Ch. 10 or 12 to Duluth and Ch. 10 to Virginia, Minn.