Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

VOL. 16; No. 20 The FCC FCC’s proposed allocations policy — cutting spacings to add a 2nd or 3rd station to major markets (Vol. 16:2 pi) — doesn’t go far enough, according to National Telefilm Associates. In comments filed with FCC last week, it urged that the Commission shoot for 4 stations. “The principal need,” said NTA, “is to develop competitive facilities & services outside of the existing networks. The policy of liberalization of rules to increase competition would be thwarted by a limitation which would confine competition to the established networks . . . Until more 4-station markets are created and an opportunity is afforded for increased competition, TV will remain under stifling control of the 3 networks . . . The modification which NTA requests in the Commission’s proposal is elimination of the condition which would bar a meritorious application for a waiver of the minimum co-channel station separations in any market which happens to have as many as 3 stations.” Vhf booster decision still hangs fire at FCC, despite Comr. Lee’s trip last week to Butte & environs to inspect boosters. Lee is convinced that existing boosters should be left undisturbed unless they cause interference. But he still insists that uhf translators are the answer for new service and he believes that uhf needn’t cost much more than vhf. He said he inspected about 35 boosters. “You can’t take service away from these people,” he commented, adding with a laugh: “They’d shoot you. But this thing must be contained.” He said he’s impressed with the need for service in booster areas, noting that poor people living in flimsy homes & trailers have invested as much as $400 in receiving equipment. FCC has been deadlocked 3-3 on legalizing vhf boosters, but with Comr. Bartley in Europe at an international conference (Vol. 16:19 p5), there’s possibility now of a 3-2 vote giving boosters a green light. Yakima translator operator Allied Electronics (Ch. 76) is being called on the carpet by FCC for operating without proper authority & without rebroadcast permission from KGW-TV Portland. When KGW-TV was affiliated with ABC-TV, it had given its permission. After switching to NBC-TV, KGW-TV withdrew the permission at the request of NBC, which has KIMA-TV as an affiliate in Yakima. Allied also changed equipment without FCC authorization. The Commission has informed Allied that a hearing is indicated — and is wondering whether Allied will simply switch to an unauthorized vhf operation of the type shielded from FCC wrath by Western Senators. Division to handle complaints from the public, et al., is planned for FCC’s Broadcast Bureau. The Commission now handles complaints in sketchy fashion, getting quarterly reports from its Renewal & Transfer Div. and taking whatever action it considers justified. The new division would step up the tempo considerably, putting complaints on the Commission’s weekly agenda for quick action. All complaints are kept confidential by the Commission unless action against licensees is taken. Telecast of a still picture accompanied by music by educational KQED San Francisco was again approved by FCC in a waiver of the rules. 'The station has a program. Portrait in Music, featuring only the picture of a record album on video. Comrs. Ford & Craven dissented on the grounds that such use is a waste of spectrum. If Comr. Bartley had been on hand, the vote would have been tied 3-3, because he has consistently disapproved such waivers. 15 Latest FCC anti-plugola move is to warn stations they should be careful in handling free celebrity-interview records containing plugs for unidentified sponsors. Said the Commission: “The programs usually consist of a recorded conversation between an interviewer & a celebrity in which the interviewer or the celebrity may casually mention one or more commercial products. These records are normally furnished to stations free of charge by producers in consideration of a fee paid to the producers by public relations interests on the basis of the broadcast coverage. Generally, neither the producer’s nor the supplier’s names are mentioned, nor is a sponsorship identification made.” Even if the records contain no plugs, FCC said, broadcasters have to identify the record donor. “If the recording does contain such ‘plugs,’ ” the FCC said, “the announcement should indicate that the program was sponsored or the material was furnished by the party who ultimately pays the producer’s fee. In both instances, the Commission’s rules require that such announcements be properly logged.” The Commission added that it expects broadcasters “to use more than ordinary diligence” in detecting hidden commercials & complying with the law. FCC is cracking down on a uhf grantee on its first request for more time to build, telling KFBL (Ch. 39) Bakersfield to ask for a hearing within 30 days or suffer cancellation. After FCC had assigned Ch. 39 & Ch. 17 to the city about 1% years ago, KFBL & KLYD-TV were granted. Each protested the other. FCC cleared up the protests as fast as it could, aiming to speed service to Bakersfield. KLYD-TV then built, but KFBL asked for more time, citing the uncertainties of the allocation situation caused by FCC’s proposal to make the area all-vhf. Now FCC has declined to accept the explanation, particularly since KLYD-TV is now operating. This is the first time the Commission has become tough with a uhf CPholder on its first request for an extension. Reallocation of uhf Ch. 37 (608-614 me) to the exclusive use of radio astronomy on a nationwide basis was urged last week by the U. of 111. in a petition for rule-making filed with the FCC. The University reported that it is building a radio astronomy telescope near Danville, 111., scooping a 600-by-400-ft. parabolic cylinder out of the earth, and that the instrument will have center frequency of 611 me. Special rule-making, separate from FCC’s over-all vhf-uhf TV allocations examination, is sought — to avoid “unusual delay.” The petition notes that the only use of Ch. 37 is RCA’s experimental station in Camden, to which it doesn’t object. However, it also points out that there is a petition pending to move Ch. 37 from Clymer to Syracuse and that it plans to file comments in that proceeding. First microwave link in Western Union’s proposed transcontinental radio relay system, operating between Vandenberg & Sunn3rvale, Cal. and scheduled for completion by Oct. 1, has been approved by FCC. Phase 1 of the $41-million 170-site system, stretching from the West Coast to Boston, involves construction of 9 Cal. sites and operation by Oct. 8 to meet Air Force requirements. CP for Ch. 10, Pocatello, Ida. to Sam H. Bennion is proposed in an initial decision issued by FCC examiner H. Gifford Irion. The application has been uncontested, following the dismissal by James C. Wallentine. Bennion’s application originally was in competition with that of James C. Wallentine, who dropped out, dismissing his application, and leaving Bennion’s application uncontested & free to be granted.