Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

3 "That is the picture as it looks from here just prior to going on the air Jan. 28, 1954," writes owner-mgr. J. Patrick Beacom. "We purchased a Continental 1-kw transmitter, RCA antenna, GPL image orthicon camera chain, GPL film equipment, General Radio Co. monitors and RCA audio equipment for a total cost of $117,565. This is probably the lowest cost for a completely equipped station with camera chain, etc. By keeping costs down, we have every reason to believe we will be able to make WJPB-TV pay its way in the small Fairmont-Morgantown market." Base rate will be $200, network will be ABC but no interconnection promised before April and with some programs from DuMont & NBC. Rep will be Headley-Reed. Nearest stations are Wheeling's WTRF-TV (Ch. 7), 51 mi. away, and WTAP, Parkersburg (Ch. 15), 77 mi., so that for all practical purposes it opens up a new TV area. Note : When he started KVOS-TV, Bellingham, Wash. (Ch. 12) last May, Rogan Jones boasted that with home-built transmitting equipment and no live camera he had added TV to his radio plant for only $82,000, published $90 Class A hour rate, still lowest of record. Next lowest rate seems to be the $100 published by upcoming new WKNY-TV, Kingston, N.Y. (Ch. 66). If there are any lower, we haven't heard of them, though one respondent to our Factbook questionnaires, on the air since last spring, actually reported he publishes no rate card — for whatever that connotes ! COLOR STILL 'IMMINENT'; CBS & NBC PLANS: Date of FCC color decision still can't be pin-pointed. The only thing sure is that "it's closer" through the mere passage of time — and there's a fair possibility it won't come until after Christmas. Commission has been sandwiching the color discussions in its huge agenda of business, some of which it obviously considers more urgent. Betimes, it has been subjected to considerable urging from both the "fast" and "slow" color schools. Remember NARDA's frank letter to FCC about month ago? On behalf of heavily stocked retail dealers, it expressed hope decision would be delayed until as close to Christmas as possible so as not to disrupt normal trade (Vol. 9:45). None other than Sen. Johnson (D-Colo.), who has long been needling FCC and the industry for speed on color, wrote NARDA from Denver Nov. 30 that he hopes the decision comes Dec. 31 or shortly thereafter. Commission may well have eye out for trade, therefore, in belief that the healthier the industry the better able it will be to introduce color — that a few iveeks more or less can mean little as far as the long-term growth of color is concerned. It's a far cry from the hell-in-a-hack demand for color of recent memory. * *’ * * Game of "who's first" in color among stations, meanwhile, has become quite frenetic last week or two. Even more close-mouthed than NBC on color plans, CBS has been quietly colorcasting in New York only 5:30-6 p.m. Fridays, is now aiming for Mon.-Wed.-Fri. 5:30-6 series to start Jan. 15, including only New York and Baltimore at first, then on Feb. 1 extending to Chicago and Los Angeles. Though AT&T promised to bring Jan. 1 Tournament of Roses to only 13 NBC-TV affiliates (Vol. 9:49), the irrepressible Walter Damm, WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, finally wangled a regular color hookup. Not to be outdone by his northern colleague, the manager of another old-line NBC affiliate, George Burbach, KSD-TV, St. Louis, went into action and got guarantee he wouldn't be left out in the monochrome cold. Then Alvin Schrott, WJAC-TV, Johnstown, Pa. , reported: "We will be the first TV station in the country to be fully converted for the transmission of network color" — though he does say AT&T will be able to supply a "90%" signal instead of 100%. But AT&T isn't guaranteeing signal to WJAC-TV, so station is in same position as many others with only microwave between them and color origination point. At the moment, only 15 stations (Vol. 9:49) are guaranteed by AT&T, though other NBC-TV affiliates are still in there pitching — notably Stanley Hubbard's KSTP-TV, St . Paul , whose chances appear slim at this late date. Another change affects Denver, where KOA-TV is due on air Dec. 24. It will replace KFEL-TV as NBC affiliate and take color Jan. 1. As example of color promotion among stations, KOA-TV has invited 1500 guests to see program, closed circuit, on 3 color sets in Cosmopolitan Hotel. [For color's impact on trade, see p. 8.]