Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

4 COMMISSION'S SURVEY OF UHF ECONOMICS: First documented figures on the economics of post-freeze telecasting show uhf & vhf stations faring equally well — within the framework of a rather limited study. Highlights of FCC's recent survey of post-freeze stations (Vol. 9 :31, 33-34) were revealed by Comr. John C. Doerfer in address to Maryland-D. C. broadcasters. He said 83 of the 101 post-freeze stations operating Aug. 1 returned Commission questionnaire, and their replies showed post-freeze uhf & vhf stations evenly matched from standpoint of profitability, average revenues and revenues from network shows. More data on survey is expected from FCC next week, presumably including breakdowns of such factors as size of markets, number of stations in markets, etc. Majority of vhf & uhf stations surveyed had reached or were well on way to profitable operation, Doerfer said. Responding stations were evenly divided — 42 vhf, 41 uhf. Already operating at a profit were 8 vhf, 8 uhf. Cautioning against drawing quick conclusions from survey, Doerfer pointed out that figures aren't necessarily typical. Lending credence to optimistic interpretation: (1) Average station surveyed was only 5 months old. (2) Survey period included traditionally poor summer months of June, July and August. There are these caution signals, on other hand: (1) Stations covered were only about one-fourth of the total post-freeze CPs. (2) Only 2 respondents were in markets which have pre-freeze stations. Real problem for both vhf & uhf post-freeze stations — on which this report sheds little light — is in old TV markets. Today, about one-fourth of uhf grantees are in such markets, and FCC can be expected to make further surveys to check particularly on economic health of new stations in such competitive situations. Comparing current situation with vhf 1 s early days, Doerfer pointed out that the 40 stations which operated for full year of 1948 lost $8,500,000. Commission's records show that no TV station made profit in 1948, only 6 of 98 stations operating in 1949 were in the black, and in 1950 — first year TV stations showed aggregate profit — 53 of the 107 stations were still running in the red. Even now, Doerfer noted, some pre-freeze stations in highly competitive markets such as New York and Los Angeles are on a loss basis. Obviously directing his remarks to the uhf operators who have been asking FCC to protect them from further vhf competition or let them switch to vhf channels, Doerfer declared: "We can't be concerned with individual inequities. The only time you can invoke the regulating function is where the whole industry is threatened and the public interest is involved." To both vhf & uhf aspirants, Doerfer had words of advice. He said, in essence: It's common sense not to expect quick prof itable operation in markets already heavily served by pre-freeze stations. Principal factors making for success in long run will be "programming and intelligent managerial operation." 7 MORE NEW STARTERS, MOSTLY SMALL TOWNS: Taking into account dropout of Buffalo's WBES-TV (p. 3), on-air total rose to exactly 547 this week (227 vhf, 120 uhf) as 7 more began testing. Four of the new starters were vhf and most are in relatively small communities but with populous service areas. Most significant about the new starters was fact that a state university grantee goes into full-fledged commercial operation, while a new uhf owned by theatre interests undertakes operation right "under the gun" of New York & Philadelphia stations. The newest starters: KOMU-TV. Columbia, Mo. (Ch. 8), U of Missouri's commercial station, is all set for a few hours of preliminary testing on air of GE transmitter, Sun. , Dec. 20, definitely begins program operation Dec. 21. Getting service from all 4 networks, it starts with 25 network shows and imposing array of other sponsorships. It opens new TV area in center of state, 123 mi. west of St. Louis, 131 east of Kansas City. University's TV director is Dr. Edward C. Lambert. George J. Kapel is station mgr. ; Wm. A. Vaughn, program mgr. ; Duane Weise, chief engineer. Base rate is $200. Rep is K-R Television. Note : Not in the slightest abashed that it has elected to operate commercially (as does Iowa State's WOI-TV, too) rather than go along with the non