Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 43 TELEVISION DIGEST-3 First experiment with theater TV may come Dec. 29. NFL championship game, under separate contract to NBC for $926, 000, contains permissive clause. It was added this year after NFL tried last year to set up large-screen TV at N, Y.*s Madison Sq. Garden when it was obvious Green Bay Packers-New York Giants were to play to overflow crowd at Yankee Stadium. But contract didn't permit it. Unrequited appetites of football fans— no ticket, no home TV— have driven many to distant motels that can receive game from another city. This also has led to "bootleg TV" where motels in not-sodistant cities have erected large antennas to pick up games. Under swelling popularity of sport, theater TV could give NFL income lost to "motel TV" without detracting from present turn-away crowds, NFL reasons. In another football development, broadcaster George B. Storer is negotiating to buy Philadelphia Eagles for $4, 550, 000. Team spokesman said "he's one of the interested parties." Frank McNamee, Eagles pres., & Mike O'Neill, treas., have been empowered to negotiate sale. But spokesman said meeting has yet to be called to review developments. Among Storer properties is radio WEBG there. THE UHF ETV EXPANSION PROGRAM: New commercial uhf & airborne ETV uhf allocation proposals were issued by FCC last week, almost precisely as recommended by staff and reported exclusively in these pages (Vol. 3:41 p2). Proposal adds 411 uhf assignments, mostly ETV, to bring total uhf assignments from 1, 568 to 1,979; 604 are reserved for ETV (in addition to existing 99 vhf). Commission added one procedural provision to those we reported earlier: If no opposition to an assignment is filed, and there's demand for it, it may be finalized before over-all proceeding is concluded. Comments are due Jan. 3. Airborne uhf ETV proposal followed staff recommendations. Midwest group had sought regular operation on Ch. 72, 74, 76, 78, 80 & 82. Commission started rule-making, asked 14 broad-scale questions, including feasibility of 2500 -me band, with comments due Jan. 3. (Full texts of both proposals are expected to be released this week; we'll be pleased to send you copies. ) NO CATV COMPROMISE, FCC STAFF URGES: Subject of CATV regulation is due for FCC discussion this week— and top Commission staff members recommend that CATV industry's proposed legislation be rejected, that FCC start rule-making proceedings to assume regulation over industry— without further ado. (For story on "TAME", see p. 4.) We've learned that Commission's top staff members have agreed on approach: General Counsel Max Paglin, Broadcast Bureau Chief James Sheridan, Common Carrier Bureau Chief John Nordberg, Safety & Special Bureau Chief James Barr. With that kind of lineup, odds are Commission will be persuaded. We're informed that staff urges: (1) Reject industry proposals. (2) Take further regulatory ac1 tion under FCC microwave -licensing powers. (3) Start rule-making action to assert regulatory jurisI, diction over all CATV, regardless of whether they're served by microwave. ' We imderstand staff proposes that CATV's be required to carry local stations on their systems li and give "reasonable protection" against duplicationof local stations' signals. It's proposed that stations 1 be protected within their Grade A contours, as a general rule— with more protection, if needed, to be i provided on a case-to-case basis. For CATV's using microwave, it's suggested that duplication be prohibited 12 days before & , after programs are carried by local station. For CATV's not using microwave, only simultaneous duplication would be verboten. But these provisions could be varied on case-to-case basis, too. However, no CATV would be required to delete a program if it leaves its subscribers with only one network program. Furthermore, FCC won't step into picture if CATVs & local stations work out ' amicable agreements. In addition, rules would provide that CATVs carry out political broadcasting , equal -time laws. Staff concludes that foregoing route should be taken because: (1) FCC can't get legislation over ; CATV opposition. (2) Commission won Carter Mountain microwave victory in courts. (3) Industry ' proposal is reasonable for short term— but FCC would be tieing its hands for long pull, because it il believes industry has gone about as far as it can without more microwave facilities.