Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 7 TELEVISION DIGEST— 5 FCCs UHF MOBILE DATA: New 101-page study of mobile-unit measurements of FCC’s experimental uhf project in N.Y. has been released by Commission. Very little conclusionary material is offered by author Daniel B. Hutton. Report is comprised almost entirely of tables — and industry engineers hadn’t had time to study them. Hutton had only this to offer in evaluating results: “In general, it was found that TV signal strength drops faster with distance on uhf than it does on vhf, but where the signals are weak uhf is less subject to manmade noise than vhf. High vhf signal variations resemble uhf variations more than they do low vhf variations. Overall indications from the radial measurements are that the difference between winter & summer propagation of TV sigpials on either vhf or uhf on the average amounts to less than plus-or-minus one db.” Project director Arnold Skrivseth told us most results of measurements weren’t surprising. However, he said, he was interested to find that uhf variations between summer & winter -were no gpreater than vhf — that although leaves gives more trouble to uhf, “apparently there’s another factor which tends to compensate for leaves’ attenuation, on the average.’’ Skrivseth also pointed out that measurements show much greater variations in uhf signal sti’ength wdthin a small area — pointing up need for careful probing for “hot” spot when installing antenna in home. Copies of report are available from Office of Chief Engineer. Assn, on Broadcasting Standards is new organization of AM operators, mostly of regional stations, formed with Washington hq, to protect coverage of members. FCC presunrise and dear-channel proposals are among jjrincipal concerns. Co-founders are E. K. Hartenbower, KCMO Kansas City, and George Comte, WTMJ Milwaukee, elected pres. & vp, respectively. Treas. is Frederick Houwink, WMAL Washington; gen. counsel is Andrew Haley. A full-time paid secj'. will be hired; temporary offices are at 4461 Connecticut Ave. NW. Jay Wright, KGW Portland, is chmn. of engineering committee, and special consultant is ex-FCC Comr. John Cross. “Segregated” programming was attack leveled at new WOOK-TV (Ch. 14) Washington by group of prominent Negro leaders who objected to station’s plans to appeal to large Negro audience in area. They went to FCC, conferred with Chmn. Minow & Comr. Lee, said that all stations should give Negrroes employment & recognition in proportion to their segment of community. They were told they could file complaint, ask for rule-making, etc. WOOK-TV owner Richard Eaton asserted that staff is “integrated,” said that radio WOOK was first in U.S. to hire Negro dj. Far-reaching changes in Communications Act, recommended by members of an FCBA committee (Vol. 3:4 p7), will be published in FCBA’s Journal, discussed at meeting of members after they’ve digested proposals. .MST holds annual meeting at Conrad Hilton March 31, 9:30 a.m., during NAB convention in Chicago; board meets March 30. Russian expulsion of NBC from Moscow was termed obvious attempt at “indirect censorship” by U.S. State Dept. U.S.S.R. ordered network to close bureau in retaliation for recent programs, “The Death of Stalin” & “The Rise of Mr. Khrushchev,” which Soviet govt, called “malicious anti-Soviet broadcasts.” NBC Pres. Robert Kintner & CBS News Pres. Richard Salant protested move in wii’es to Moscow. Rep. Bob Wilson (R-Cal.) urged Pi-esident Kennedy to use his office “to combat this obvious attempt to ‘manage’ the news.” In similar incident in 1958, CBS was ordered out of country after televising play, “The Plot to Kill Stalin.” Network was allowed to return in Nov. 1959. An order for expulsion of NBC newsman Welles Hangen from Pakistan last week was rescinded after Hangen apologized to Pakistani External Affairs Minister Z. A. Bhutto. Hangen had complained to Bhutto publicly that an inteiwiew film had been deliberately ruined because it presented unfavorable views of Pakistani policy. TV-radio emergency alerting system will be studied by National Industry Advisory Committee at request of FCC & Defense Dept, emergency communications committee. Under proposed system, essential messages from North American Air Defense Command will be sent to stations via AP & UPI wires; stations then will send special signal which turns on individual TV & radio receivers. NIAC working group headed by NAB vp John F. Meagher will study development of a standard signal. Transmitter & receiver manufacturers interested in project should contact Meagher or John H. DeWitt, radio WSM Nashville. TV-radio are draining emotions of Americans, leaving them incapable of the “strong loves and hates” necessary to preserve country, according to Most Rev. Fulton J. Sheen. He told communion breakfast of the Catholic Apostolate of Mass Media in Washington that citizens are sinking into “social apathy,” are no longer moved by memories of nation’s past. He suggested “national program” to remind Americans of their history & heritage, called on TV & radio to take on responsibility of being “educator of the world.” NAB State Bcstrs.’ Assn. Presidents 8th annual conference Feb. 26-27 at Shoreham Hotel, Washington will hear opening day address by Senate Communications Subcommittee member Hartke (D-Ind.). American Society of .\ssn. Executives Exec, vp Glenn B. Sanberg & NAB Code Authority Radio Mgr. Charles M. Stone will speak at Feb. 27 session. Senate Commerce Committee will have 12 Democrats & 5 Republicans this session, compared with last Congress’s 11-6 ratio. New Democrats added last week were Cannon (Nev.) & Hart (Mich.); Smathers (D-Fla.) moved to Foreign Relations Committee. Republican assignments haven’t been completed. Radio WH.'VS Louisville, 50-kw outlet which was CBS affiliate for 28 years, independent recently, joins ABC. WHAS-TV remains with CBS-TV. Shift of Ch. 16 from Pittsburg, Cal. to ETV use in Cotati, Cal. was finalized by FCC at request of Sonoma State College Foundation, Cotati. CP for Ch. 3, Sterling, Colo, has been gi'anted to Frontier Bcstg. Grant is subject to final action on renewal of license for Frontier’s KFBC-TV Cheyenne. CP for new ETV on Ch. 12, to U. of Me. at Orono, was granted by FCC.