Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

2-TELEVISION DIGEST OCTOBER 14, 1963 but I understand it came up and passed the 2nd time. We’re working right now to stop it in Amsterdam, Gloversville & Johnstown, N. Y. We have a job to do in Illinois, Mississippi & Georgia. There are some 12-15 systems proposed in Georgia by the "Atlanta Constitution" [Cox Stations]— and we plan a tremendous campaign there." NCTA Pres. Fred J. Stevenson offered this reaction: "The antenna manufacturers should turn the clock back a half century and read about the money wasted by buggy-whip manufacturers in trying to prevent the advent of the automobile. In thousands of communities throughout the U. S. , the pxiblic demands CATV service because it wants clear TV reception and a wide choice of TV signals. This it ge^ from CATV systems. Evidently this is something the public has not been able to get from homeantenn "No amount of money spent in a public relations program will obscure those facts. It would seem to me that antenna manufacturers could make a better use of their funds in trying to develop, if this is feasible, a rooftop antenna which does not begin to deteriorate perceptibly in performance within a few months from the erosion of the elements. . . " Lee Zemnick, mgr, of Jerrold Community Systems Div. , said: "The public has a free choice. It can take CATV service or put up its own antennas. Proof of that is that we don't have 100% saturation. I think they should fight by improving their product. If they're going to oppose us aroimd the country, they're going to be pretty busy." Another ground for fighting CATV, according to Leslie: "We see a marriage of CATV & subscription TV within 5 years. There's talk of tieing the systems together nationally." TAME plans to incorporate soon, probably will have next meeting in Chicago Oct. 25. A PR firm will be hired. Leslie says he's never seen the industry so united on any other issue. Group is no small potatoes. Combined gross is scores of million annually. If they choose to throw heavy resources into fight, which they can, they'll put up quite a battle. They may have trouble, however, recruiting solid support from such groups as NAB & TOA. Big-gun telecasters are rapidly joining CATV fold, and theater owners— somewhat more slowly— are deciding to join 'em in the CATV ^ gold rush. Herewith are members to date, with representative of each, in addition to JFD & Finney: AUiance Corp. (rotors), George Gemberling, s^es mgr.; Antennacraft Co., Lynn Lockwood, vp; Antenna Designs Inc., Robert Weiss, pres.; Channel Master Corp., Sam Schlussel, sales mgr.; Clear Beam Antenna Corp., Robert I^ynor, pres.; Cornell Dubilier, Anthony DeLisse, exec, vp; KayTownes Antenna Co., J. C. Kay, pres.; S & A Electronics Inc., George Saffran, vp; Spaulding Products Co., Boyd Lambert, sales mgr.; Winegard Corp., Robert Fleming, sales mgr. Hq at the moment is JFD, 1462 62nd St. , Brooklyn, N. Y. (phone: DE 1-1000). NAB group, "Future of TV in America Committee," headed by Dwight Martin, met in Washington last week, talked about CATV, pay TV, etc. Plan is to recommend to spring board meeting the position NAB should take. Member of Future of TV in America Committee said there's considerably less friction between telecasters & CATV operators because of former's accelerating entry into cable field. He also said that the hiring of Pat Weaver as president of Subscription TV Inc. was considerable help to latter because of Weaver's reputation. NCTA continues to work with FCC toward compromise regulatory legislation, hoping to come up with decision before Jan. so that agreement may be presented jointly to Congress. SHAPE OF REVISED UHF ALLOCATIONS: Long-awaited revision of uhf allocation plan is now before FCC, due for discussion this week. Same for airborne ETV uhf allocation. Herewith are key element of uhf plan recommended by staff: (1) New table will have about 1,975 assignments, an increase of about 400, most of them ETV. This would make total of 800 ETV assignments (100 vhf, 700 xihf). (2) Forty communities would have 2 ETV assignments. (3) Since Ch. 37 is being reserved for 10 years for radio astronomy, substitute channels will be