Variety (Dec 1939)

^^edncflflay, December 27, 1939 RADIO ARMSTRONG COMMISH MULLS VARIETY 29 TELL FCC fievf Modulation Methods Up -'fo/' Hearing* Feb. 28 in FCC Reply to Charge It Is Too Cautious Toward Radio Engineering Changes A Meanie Bob Hawk, qulzzer on tha 'Name Three' show (Revelation) over Mutual asked a contestant for three ways to keep water In a sieve. The contestant wise" cracked: 'The woman who gent that question In must be In an awful mess.' MORE STATIONS? two years on an experimental basis. Sponsors insist that it will open the door to a host of new stations, pro- viding badly needed service in numerous areas now dependent on only one station or for secondary signals from remote clear-channel plants. Technical arguments arc that the system provides greater services with low power than the amplitude Washington, Dec. 26. Eventual desertion of the standard broadcast band, with commercial sta- tions moving upstairs to the ultra- high, frequencies for which unusual characteristics are claimed, appeared possibly nearer last week when- the FCC called a hearing on the rela- tive advantages of frequency and amplitude modulation. Testimony also will be taken on a score of ap- plications now pending for permits to use the channels above 2S,000 on a regular, as distinguished from ex- perimental, basis. The inquiry will be directed at the Armstrong system, which some ex- perts contend will outmode every ex- isting transmitter and receiver, pav- ing the way for unprecedented ex- pansion In the business. While regu- lar reports have been received con- cerning experimental operations by 20 stations using frequency modula- tion, nothing resembling a real weighing of conflicting opinions has been attempted. -Recently, with Fortune magazine, among' others, focusing attention on the subject, charges have been made that the Commish, with undue conservatism and fearing to injure present li- censees, has been regarding the Armstrong theory from an old fogey view-point. The informal hearing, scheduled to be conducted before the full Com- mission and to open Feb. 26, is the first direct step toward establishing • permanent policy toward both fre- quency and amplitude modulation. Until a course has been fixed, the Commish will loosen up with special authorizations. Pending the outcome of the hearing, the regulators will grant permission to carry out pro- grams of fundamental research not authorized in the past, providing there is reason for expecting sub- itantial contributions toward the art, and permits to existing licensees to broaden their experiments with ad- ditional stations on frequencies above 25,000 kc. Proceeding Carefully The Commish made it clear that a permanent policy will be- laid down only after careful thought and thorough dUcussion. Among the matters to be considered are the patent situation (to avoid any pos- •Ible monopoly), the frequency needs of all radio services, whether am- plitude or frequency modulation or both should be used for other ser- vices than broadcasting, and the rel- ative 'value of the two systemis. Great claims have been made for the Armstrong system, which has been allowed ether space for the past modulation method now In use by standard broadcast plants, together with less interference and distortion due to electrical noise and static. The technique Is said to be particu- larly adaptable to various types of radio service clamoring for berths, such as police end aircraft stations. ZTDl AT '66' MAN'S PAETY Tulsa, Okla., Dec. 26. KTUL ran lines to BartlesviUe and picked up the '6C' birthday party which was tossed for Frank Phillips, head of the Phillips Petroleum Co. By attaching a large Insignia banner to Its mike KTUL. got much camera attention In the newspaper pictures of the event that appeared the fol- lowing day. News reels and Life mag also had men on the job. Broadcast lasted 66 minutes and was fed to other stations. Benny's Title Gift Hollywood, Dec. 26. Jack Benny Xmas-gilted his writers, Bill Morrow and Ed Beloin, with all rights to the title, 'Buck Benny Rides Again.' Understood Paramount will have. to make a deal with the scribes for use of the handle in the picture starring Benny. WRR's Profit Pace Dallas, Dec. 26. WRR, municipally owned, scored a net profit of $9,460 for the first two months of the fiscal year. This cheered the city fathers no end. In- cluded was net of $4,890 for Novem- ber. ' Charles Jordan now managing. WSB INSPIRES SPECUUTION Atlanta, Dec. 26. Denials have failed to stop talk In Atlanta that WSB will at some vague future date go to Columbia Broadcasting System as an affiliate. Transfer of ownership to interests dominated by one-time Democratic presidential nominee, James M. Cox will be consummated with the okay of the Federal Communications Commission, the okay being taken lor granted. Much conversation persists, too, as to prospective (Continued on page 30) MAKEANOTE TO USE DUIRtCO.RipmsHHiivt r 74 years musical cxpeHcnc« ia rcprcMiited by Director Cherniavsky, Co-Ordina- tor RogerB and PcrtMsnnd Director Weiner —here ■canning one of the 2827 •pecial orcheatrations in the WLW Music Library. WLW - Music Library Facts Over 100,000 pieces of music. 2,827 special orchestra' tions by WLW arrangers. 16,252 stock orchestra' tiona. 4,960 vocal arrangements. Popular tunes filed chron' ologically from the year 18S4 on. Show tunes filed chron' ologicaUy from the year 1884 on. One of the oldest libraries in Radio, valued at well over $250,000« Like a lode star, the high quality of WLW music draws the appreciative ears of millions. Maintaining this high standard re- quires more than brilh'ant presentation before the microphone. Back of it is a vast fund of musical literature—the WLW Music Library. So carefully is it systematized and cross indexed, each of the 100,000 pieces is instantly available. Pride of the Station, this WLW Library of Music is surpassed by no other independent radio station. Another "behind the scenes'* reason why they listen to— THE NATION'S most ''Merchandise-Able'* STATION