Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)
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commercial educational protagonists, KOMU-TV emblazons across its news releases, in capital letters: "The Commercial Television Station of the University of Missouri."
WRTV, Asbury Park, N.J. (Ch. 58) began test patterns Dec. 14, is continuing on daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. schedule until commercial programming starts Jan. 9. Only 57 mi. from New York City, its area getting vhf service from all N.Y. and some Philadelphia stations, RCA transmitter and 465-ft. tower are located in Eatontown, N.J. drive-in theatre owned by licensee Walter Reade. Station's debut is being preceded by enormous promotion campaign, via theatres and local newspapers largely, accenting fact that WRTV will feature community service rather than try to compete with bigcity and network stations. All commercials thus far sold are local, reports v.p.gen. mgr. Harold C. Burke, onetime mgr. of WBAL-TV, Baltimore, whose staff includes Allen Preville, sales mgr. ; Richard Behrman, production mgr. ; Donald Volkman, technical director. Base rate is $150. No national rep.
KATV, Pine Bluff, Ark. (Ch. 7) got on the air with test patterns night of Dec. 18, was to go commercial next day. With GE transmitter only 25 mi. from Little Rock, that community (now uhf-served) is being covered, and mgr. James A. Walker reports "wonderful signal" all the way to Houma, La., 125 mi. Area also gets some service from Memphis and Monroe, La. Ownership interlocks with John Griffin Tulsa interests, which recently started KWTV, Oklahoma City (Ch. 9). Pine Bluff outlet's sales mgr. is Bruce Compton, program mgr. Roy Pickett, chief engineer Louis Brown. Base rate is $300. Rep is Avery-Knodel.
WDAN-TV, Danville, 111. (Ch. 24) began first tests Dec. 13, is due on air with programs Dec. 27 — second outlet owned by the Gannett newspaper interests, who publish Danville Commercial-News and operate WHEC-TV in home city Rochester, N.Y. It's RCA-equipped , has newspaper's Robert J. Burow as gen. mgr.. Max Shaffer as station mgr., John Eckert, sales mgr. It's directly on AT&T's Chicago-Terre HauteSt. Louis circuit, joins ABC. Base rate is $150. Rep is Everett-McKinney.
WEAU-TV, Eau Claire, Wis. (Ch. 13) began testing Dec. 17 with 10-kw RCA transmitter, first outlet in western Wisconsin, about 75 mi. from Twin Cities. It's owned by Morgan Murphy-Waiter Bridges group, who recently started KGTV, Des Moines (Ch. 17). Harry S. Hyett is gen. mgr. ; Dick Kepler, program mgr. ; Mervin Greeley, chief engineer. Base rate is $150. Rep is Hollingbery.
KID-TV, Idaho Falls, Ida. (Ch. 3), in southeastern corner of state, several hundred miles from Boise and about 150 mi. north of Salt Lake City, started testing Dec. 17, goes commercial Dec. 20 with kine service from all networks. Its ownership interlocks with KSL-TV, Salt Lake, whose old 5-kw transmitter it's using along with 25-kw RCA amplifier. C.N. Layne is gen. mgr. ; Claude Cain, commercial mgr. ; Carroll Secrist, chief engineer. Base rate is $150. Rep is Gill-Perna.
WJHP-TV, Jacksonville, Fla. (Ch. 36), which was one of the 3 local radio stations which held pre-freeze vhf CPs but turned them in, began operating Dec. 13 with 12-kw GE transmitter, 5-bay antenna. It gets service from ABC, DuMont, NBC, since pre-freeze WMBR-TV (Ch. 4) is basic CBS. Owned by Perry newspaper interests (Jacksonville Journal), its gen. mgr. is T.S. Gilchrist Jr., sales mgr. Bill Fraker. Base rate is $200. Rep is John H. Perry Associates (newspaper rep).
“Aware Inc.,” taking up where Red Channels left off, is new group formed to “combat the Communist conspiracy in the entertainment world.” Its president, attorney Godfrey P. Schmidt, says organization’s functions will include dissemination of “facts on the organizations and individuals [in TV-radio, films, stage, etc.] employing Communists and fellow travelers and denying employment to non-Communists.” Group, which has not yet set up permanent offices, will be financed by contributions and $10 annual membership dues. Other officers: Ned Weaver, actor, 1st v.p.; Paul R. Milton, writer, 2nd v.p.; Richard Keith, actor, secy.; Jeanne Somerville, trcas. Member of board is Vincent W. Hartnett, who assisted in preparation of Red Channels.
Use of “passive antenna systems” to deflect TV signals into valleys and behind obstructions is permissible without FCC licensing, provided they don’t cause “harmful interference” to TV-radio stations, according to FCC Public Notice 53-1591 issued recently. FCC said it had received inquiries about use of such devices, apparently was referring to antenna arrays such as the rhombic developed by Dr. Richard C. Webb of Denver U to pick up signals on mountaintop, re-radiate them into valley without any amplification (Vol. 9:35). Commission emphasized that its ruling was tentative, that it was “not in any way passing judgment on the effectiveness of the systems,” and it cautioned against use of any apparatus which would amplify signal.