Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

8 JUNE 27, 1960 The FCC Miami-Ch. 7 Finale: The rerun of the Miami Ch. 7 “im proper influence” case closed a 6-day stand (Vol. 16:25 pll) in Philadelphia Friday. Special FCC examiner Judge Horace Stern ordered both sides to file briefs, said he’d file his decision in Washington no later than Sept. 15. The finale was spiced by the testimony of former Miami mayor Perrine Palmer, who said he had received $1,250 for getting into the Ch. 7 scramble on an off-the-record basis on behalf of unsuccessful contender South Florida Television Corp. Boyhood friend of ex-FCC Comr. Richard A. Mack, Palmer said that when he was unable to get a commitment from Mack, he introduced Thurman A. Whiteside, another Mack friend, to South Fla. Pres. Jack Stein. Palmer testified that the $1,250 came from Whiteside for the favor. Palmer explained that his interest in the case stemmed from promises by Stein to throw business to Palmer’s construction company. Palmer also said he believed that awarding Ch. 7 to eventual winner Biscayne Television Corp. would mean “too much power over public opinion in the hands of too few people.” He added: “As I look back now, possibly what I did should be considered improper. At the time, I did not think so. I thought every applicant for radio or for TV attempted to get all the help he could.” Other testimony at Friday’s session came from Miami News publisher James M. Cox (25.5% owner of WCKT Miami) who said he had talked to Mack a month before the award to Biscayne, but insisted his company’s pending application was never mentioned in the contact. Cox explained that he called on Mack to “disabuse” him of a false rumor about a sub rosa agreement between the Cox and Knight newspapers. Meanwhile, the Ch. 7 controversy spilled over in Washington, where Rep. Oren Harris (D-Ark.) rapped the Knight papers for stories about him, noted that FCC is now investigating to see whether it should reverse its 1956 decision in favor of partly-Knight-owned Biscayne (p. 12). OCDM needs more time to study FCC’s alternative vhf spectrum proposals. Commission Chmn. Ford wrote Senate Commerce Communications Subcommittee Chmn. Pastore (D-R.I.) June 21. Ford, relaying an interim report from OCDM — ^which had first tried to make up its mind by May 15 (Vol. 16:25 pl2) — told Pastore that “answers to our proposals [for obtaining more spectrum from the military for TV] may be completed” in late July or early Aug. Lower uhf channels for Harrisburg station WHP-TV (Ch. 55) and CP-holder WDTV (Ch. 71) are proposed by FCC in rule-making initiated last week, with comments due July 22. WHP-TV seeks Ch. 21, WDTV Ch. 33. The complicated shifts involve channels in Lancaster, Reading, State College, Williamsport, & Shinglehouse, Pa.; Dover, Del.; Wildwood, N.J.; Baltimore. (For details, see TV Addenda 30-M herewith) . Opposition to FCC’s proposed interim policy on shortspaced vhf drop-ins (Vol. 16:24 p 9 & 16:25 p 12) was filed by WWLP (Ch. 22) Springfield, Mass. Filing before the new deadline of Sept. 1, the group stated that it is “unable to discern from the evidence available . . . why the ‘ultimate’ action should not now be proposed.” WWLP also says it can’t understand how FCC can propose additional vhf drop-ins without injuring the competitive position of some uhf stations directly and all uhf indirectly. FCC Studies New Uhf Antenna: A broad-band end-fire uhf antenna, good for both transmission & reception, was described to FCC engineers last week — and the audience seemed impressed. In a closed session, a representative of an organization identified only as a supplier of antennas used by RCA, GE & others, said the antenna has high gain and is particularly applicable for installation on the Empire State Bldg, to be used in FCC’s projected $2-million uhf project. The antenna was reported to have a gain of 14-17 db for 15-ft. units, 9-12 db for 5-ft., 7-10 db for 18-in. FCC was told it could be mounted relatively easily around Empire State, using 6-8 elements. Its polarization can be varied electrically. The antenna is claimed 'to be inexpensive, featuring discs on a rod. At 650 me, it has 15 sq. ft. of capture area with 17-db gain, compared with about 3 sq. ft. and 10 db for the average uhf antenna, according to engineers. The antenna has been used in radar by major manufacturers, and it was reported in use receiving the new Transit II-A satellite signals. TV & radio tower regulations to prevent air navigation hazards need a general overhaul, not just FCC rule-making revision, according to the Washington communications law firm of Scharfeld & Baron. The firm, joining other critics of FCC’s proposals to give the Federal Aviation Agency initial responsibility for evaluating tail-tower dangers (Vol. 16:24 p8), said: “Nothing less than complete substantive & procedural reform of the present system for initial aeronautic review of tower proposals would resolve current difficulties & serve the public interest.” In its comments, Scharfeld & Baron argued that broadcasters don’t get fair deals now at the hands of “objecting aeronautic interests” which oppose all tall towers “as a matter of principle.” Similar objections were filed by the Assn, of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers. It said FCC’s proposed rule would reverse “cooperative policy which has been developed over approximately 14 years,” that an agency such as FAA “cannot be expected to weigh all of the publicinterest factors.” Deintermixture of Bakersfield to all-uhf was proposed by FCC last week, as expected. Comments are due July 27. Three alternate methods are proposed: (1) Simple deletion of Ch. 10. (2) Make Ch. 10 educational. (3) Shift Ch. 10 to Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc-Santa Maria or San Luis Obispo. Two uhf channels would be added to Bakersfield by one of 2 methods: (1) Add Ch. 23 plus Ch. 50 or 51, substituting Ch. 45 for Ch. 37 in Delano. (2) Add Ch. 45 and 51. KERO-TV is ordered to show cause why it shouldn’t move from Ch. 10 to Ch. 23 or Ch. 45. The station has indicated that it will continue to oppose the move, will insist on a hearing. Staff of FCC’s N.Y. uhf project is due to be proposed to FCC Commissioners this week, recommended by chief engineer Edward Allen and exec, officer Robert Cox. It’s understood that they are these Commission engineers: Arnold Skrivseth, chief of project; George V. Waldo, project analyst; Sidney Lines, transmission facilities; Jules Deitz, receiver development & procurement; Daniel Hutton, measurements & observation. TASO Report occupies 121 pages of June Proceedings of the IRE. Special papers on the study group’s findings are authored by TASO members.