Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 4 TELEVISION DIGEST— 7 MEDICAL TV GROWTH: Steady, solid development characterizes use of TV in medical & dental j schools, hospitals, other health facilities, i Council on Medical TV, which coordinates & pi’omotes use of TV, reports 40 of nation’s 87 medical schools now employ TV, compared with 26 two years ago; dental schools with installations have risen from 18 to 27 in same period. No figures are available on number of hospitals I using TV, but Council officials tell us there are many, some with more than 20 cameras. Membership of 4-year-old Council has about doubled in past 2 years to 179, plus 18 sustaining contributors. Membership categories include medical & dental schools and professional organizations, broadcasting & electronics ‘ firms, advertising & pharmaceutical companies, govt., military, educational, philanthropic & research groups. Its annual budget of about $20,000 comes mostly from con' tributions. Council’s biggest project to date is comprehensive study of effectiveness of TV in medical & dental schools. Project , was financed by grant under Title 7 of National Defense I Education Act, with findings to be issued at annual meeting ' & workshop May 6-7 at National Institutes of Health, i Bethesda, Md. I ! ■ , Tele-Beam TV projector, low-cost & portable, made J its N.Y. debut at special showing at Summit Hotel by distributor Tele-Measurements Inc. (72 N. Mitchell Ave., Livingston, N.J.) Manufactured by Waltham Precision I Instruments, successor to Waltham Watch Co., Tele-Beam ' models are priced at $2,630-$2,880. Uniquely designed projector consists of 2 units, projector head weighing 42 lb., r and control unit at 68 lb. including tuner. Measured bright; ness using 9xl2-ft. screen is 5 foot-lamberts. Tele-Measure; ments, headed by J. R. (Jack) Poppele, also demonstrated ' GE closed-circuit TV system, Du Mont electronic micro : scope, new Bogner “End Fire” uhf receiving antenna, • ' Century Lighting equipment and Tele-Pat measurement > & calibration device for TV stations. Interesting sidelight > of show was 1926 “Jenkins Radiovisor” TV set, which 1' provided 2-sq. in. picture using revolving drum, from I' Poppele’s personal collection. TV for Greece & Uganda is being planned by govts. J of both countries. Uganda has invited U.S. & foreign firms to submit proposals to construct 9 stations, including financing, staffing & training of Ugandan personnel. Sys^ tem would be govt.-controlled, carry advertising. Proposals are being accepted by A. A. Nekyon, Information Minister, ■ Broadcasting & Tourism, Kampala, Uganda. U.S. Embassy i in Geneva reports Greek govt, again is actively considering establishment of TV system, may call for bids this year. Expanded Cyprus 'TV operation is due by late 1963, International Commerce reports. Govt.-owned Cyprus Bcstg. Corp. reportedly has signed $400,000 contract with Pye Electric of England to install two 40-kw transmitters to cover entire Levant. I NBC International had record overseas sales in 1962, I up 61% over 1961. Sales of news & public affairs programs to foreign stations rose 52%. NBCI distributes programs I to more than 100 stations in 60 countries, serving estimated j 300 million viewers. Gsorgia Potpourri: FM allocations table, similar to TV, was urged by FCC Comr. Henry in address to Ga. Radio & TV Institute last week. He contended this could help remedy some of problems FCC is encountering in development of FM, such as concentration in large communities & rapid growth of time-consuming hearings. Although complete substitution of FM for AM may come about in distant future, he said, larger communities probably will continue to have both, providing wider range of programming. Stephen Labunski, radio WMCA, N.Y., added voice to criticisms of FCC’s Omaha-type hearings, stating that Commission is relying on “vigilante committee of unrepresentative witnesses.” RAB Pres. Edmund Bunker came up with well-received proposal that his organization act as employment bureau for journalism students seeking to break into radio. Washington TV-radio attorney Leonard Marks spoke on “responsibility” of industry and FCC. He said that stations should present community issues, offer forum for controversies, live up to program promises, etc. But FCC, he said, isn’t carrying out its responsibilities, is making “keeping of records the principal effort of stations — making a nation of bookkeepers.” He believes that Communications Act should be amended to: (1) Provide an “Administrator” to process FCC applications. (2) Put all hearing cases into an “Administrative Court.” (3) Leave an FCC (reduced from 7 to 5 members) free to concentrate on policy planning — uhf, space, stereo, CATV, etc. On Jan. 25, in Washington, he reported details of recommendations to meeting of FCBA; he’s chmn. of committee examining Communications Act. He suggest FCBA meet within 60 days to discuss proposals. Denver pay-TV tests “definitely” will be in operation next May, Pres. Gerald A. Bartell of Macfadden-Bartell Corp. and Macfadden Teleglobe Denver Corp. announced last week at technical symposium on pay TV in Denver. Denver’s KTVR (Ch. 2) will use Teleglobe system. “Loud commercials” are being studied by FCC engineers using VU meter, modulation monitor, and instrument used by audio engineers to measure sound levels in factories, streets, etc. FCC reports no conclusions so far. New West German TV network, due to start April 1, has bought first U.S. series from NBC International. Dr. Kildare will start about end of April, Dick Powell Show sometime before summer. N.J. ETV legislation was signed into law Jan. 17, by Gov. Hughes, permitting local boards of education to contribute up to $2 per pupil yearly for construction, operation & maintenance of ETV facilities. Confirmation hearing on appointment of Kenneth Cox to FCC is set by Senate Commerce Committee for Jan. 31, 10 a.m., Room 5110, New Senate Office Bldg. Full 1,304-ft. height has been reached by new tower of KTVH Wichita, which aims to start using new structure by Feb. 15. Washington report by WTIC-TV & WTIC Hartford will begin Feb. 2, with 5-min. reports on Congressional activities by Conn.’s 2 Senators & 6 Representatives. WFTV is new call of WLOF-TV Orlando, effective Feb. 3.