Irit and FM Reports
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MARTIN CODEL's AUTHORITATIVE NEWS SERVICE OF THE VISUAL BROADCASTING AND FREQUENCY MODULATION ARTS AND INDUSTRY irit and FM Reports PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY RADIO NEWS BUREAU, 1519 CONNECTICUT AVE. N.W., WASHINGTON 6, D.C. TELEPHONE MICHIGAN 2020 VOL. 3, NO. 1 January 4, 1947 YOUR NEW DIRECTORIES: New 1947 FCC Personnel Directory which we have compiled, most complete and authentic extant, is sent you herewith as Supplement No 46. File it in your binder for handy reference, for it contains not only roster of FCC's Wash- ington personnel but data on regional offices (addresses, phone numbers, executives) with whom you may have to do business. In preparation, also, is a completely revised TV Directory. And next week, we will send you an entirely new FM Directory in 6 parts, containing under one cover complete logs of FM licensees, CP holders, conditionals, pending applications, educational grantees and applicants, develop- mental stations. It is our plan to issue addenda to this Directory each week (on pink sheets), then recapitulate and republish up -to -date directories quarterly. WILL PETRILLO LIFT BAN? There's a chance the unpredictable Mr. Petrillo will lift ban against AM -FM music duplication in new contracts with networks, about to be negotiated. Old ones with New York, Chicago, Los Angeles locals expire this Jan. 31. Inquiry on FM situation evoked only usual silence from Petrillo. From New York Local 806, it brought word there is no foundation to "rumor." And network sources indicated there was "reason to hope" story was true, but they knew nothing definite since negotiations have not yet begun. AM -FM problem ties into NAB -AFM negotiations, abruptly ended after 3 meet- ings earlier last year, unresumed when Petrillo failed to reply to NAB President Miller's letters requesting further parleys -- presumably because music czar was so sore at NAB for its alleged part in passage of Lea Bill. It's known Petrillo has lifted ban in at least one instance, allowing an independent FM to carry network music. It also is common knowledge other union leaders, sensing popular reaction against labor, are counseling expediency if not caution -- fearful Lea Bill may be extended to cover all labor, especially if Supreme Court upholds Chicago court's decision (Vol. 2, No. 49). Moreover, common sense, even from Petrillo's myopic viewpoint, would dictate encouraging FM to get going, then getting "pound of flesh" when it's mature enough for the slaughter. MORE MAKERS OF TV SETS: Add Crosley, Admiral, Stewart -Warner to the handful of brand -name radio manufacturers producing TV sets now, or planning to produce them soon. These, in addition to the several previously reporting 1947 plans (Vol. 2, No. 49, 50). Crosley sends word it will be in production of TV sets after July 1, pos- sibly timing markets for start of 2 Crosley video outlets, in Cincinnati and Ohio, recently authorized by FCC (Vol. 2, No. 47). Its first set will be a TV- FM -AM- phonograph console with 10 -in. tube, selling for around $750. Plans call for 10,000 -15,000 units in 1947. Admiral has 2 TV models on display at this month's American Furniture Mart in Chicago, and Stewart- Warner's trade ads this week announced new TV console with AM; we will report further on these later. U.S. Television Corp., now producing Copyright 1947 by Radio News Bureau www.americanradiohistory.com about 150 "Tele- Symphonic" large- screen models per month (at $2,400), reports it will double this production shortly, but is concentrating distribution among tav- erns and other gathering places, expects to sell about 5,000 during 1947. In Washington's Statler Friday, an RCA crew en route to Detroit and then Chicago's Furniture Mart unveiled 2 new console models -- the 641 -TV, 10 -in. tube with AM- FM- phonograph, to sell around $800; the 648 -PTK, large -screen projection model with AM -FM, to sell around $1,200. "T -Day" for their release is tentatively set for sometime in March. Also announced was $25 increase in 630 -TS table model with 10 -in. tube already released, making its cost $375. The 621 -TS table model with 7 -in. tube, in production but not very widely distributed yet, will be offered in choice of walnut or maple at $250. HOW MANY FM SETS? Question we're most often asked about FM: How many FM sets are now in use? Best answer we can give: (1) Old FMBI pre -war figures, only ones extant. It calculated 395,000 FM receivers (all low -band) sold before wartime freeze stopped all civilian produc- tion. Of these, some 75,000 were non -AM combinations. Only distribution estimates available show sets mostly in areas having pre -war FM service: New York, 120,000; Chicago, 80,000; Boston, 35,000; Detroit, 25,000; Milwaukee, 21,000; Philadelphia, 20,000; remainder scattered. (2) RMA production figures to date for FM sets of all kinds and makes. Wartime controls were lifted in latter 1945, during whole of which only 300,000 radio sets were made, practically none with FM. For first 11 months of 1946, RMA shows 138,055 FM sets. To this may be added at least 25,000 more for December, as yet unreported. RMA does not attempt to show where sets went, though it can be assumed they naturally went to cities with FM stations. (For breakdown of RMA figure by months, See Vol. 2, No. 47, 51.) SMOKING OUT 'RADIO REDS': Where there's so much talk, you may be sure something's in the wind -- and talk about a Red -hunt in radio (Vol. 2, No. 52) won't down. It all adds up to hopes and efforts in some quarters to get Congress to embark on an investigative spree covering FCC, FM, Blue Book, etc., which may or may not eventu- ate. It has some officials on uneasy seat, to say the least. In his Thursday broadcast, Red -hating, pink- baiting, crusading MBS Commen- tator Fulton Lewis Jr. made bold (for a broadcaster!) to point out that House Cam- paign Investigating Committee report showed Mrs. Clifford Durr, wife of the oft - dissenting FCC commissioner and sister of Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black's wife, was contributor to N.Y. Congressional campaign of Communist- tinged Rep. Marcantonio. On inquiry, she said she contributed $25 "out of my household funds, which means Mr. Durr had to go without steaks for awhile." Earlier, in "leaked" report to House Committee on Un- American Activities, Counsel Ernie Adamson devoted 22 out of 72 pages to Metropolitan Broadcasting Co., which holds CP for new WQQW, Washington (also CP holder for FM), which goes. on air Sunday, Jan. 5. Adamson charged Communists and fellow travelers among stockholders, named some names, alleged station's purpose was "to issue communistic propaganda over the American airwaves." He also had unkind words for Blue Book, Author Siep- mann, National Maritime Union (FM applicant for New York), Hollywood Community Radio Group (FM -AM applicant for Los Angeles). But Adamson almost immediately got sacked for letting report out before committee members had chance to see it. When it was officially printed (as House Report No. 2742), it was devoid of these radio mentions entirely. Meanwhile, WQQW's manager, Edward M. Brecher, one of drafters of Blue Book and an ex -aide to ex -FCC Chairman Fly, gets chance to prove his quite positive theories about broadcasting. He promises no more than 4 commercials per hour, each no longer than one minute, with stress on "good music, unbiased news, free speech," etc. Station lists 125 stockholders, none with over 4%. www.americanradiohistory.com Swpgleinen! No. 46 and FM Reports al:ivary 4, 1947 1. TV-FM BUILDING o 1519 CONNECTICUT AVE. NM. ® lVASHINGTON 6, D. C. O TELEPHONE MICHIGAN 2020 1947 Personnel Directory The ederal Communicalions Commission Major Department Heads and Staff New Post Office Building, Washington 25, D. C. Telephone: Executive 3620. Commissioners Engineering Department CHARLES R. DENNY JR., Chairman (Dem., 1944-1951) GEORGE P. ADAIR, Chief Engineer. Assistant to the Chairman: Earl Minderman; Confidential Assist- Secretary: Olive R. Henderson. ant: Thais G. O'Brien; Secretary: Farrell McGonigal; Clerk: JOHN A. WILLOUGHBY, Asst. Chief Engineer (Broadcast Branch). Grace Miner. Secretary: Helen R. Wilson. *PAUL A. WALKER, (Dem., 1934-1953) WILLIAM N. KREBS, Asst. Chief Engineer (Safety & Special Serv- Confidential Assistant: Phyllis Hancock; Secretary: Josephine ices Branch). L. Curren. Secretary: Willie C. Herbert. RAY C. WAKEFIELD, (Rep., 1940-1947) GEORGE E. STERLING, Asst. Chief Engineer (Field & Research Special Assistant: Sylvia D. Kessler; Secretary: Mary L. Reger. Branch). CLIFFORD J. DURR, (Dem., 1941 -1948) Secretary: Neva Bell Perry. Confidential Assistant: Charles E. Clift; Secretary: Ethel Cox MARION H. WOODWARD, Asst. Chief Engineer (Common Carrier Marden, Branch). EWELL K. JETT, (Ind., 1943-1950) Secretary: Annie Stearns Bischoff. Confidential Assistant: Irene M. Durgin; Secretary: Viola Slat- VIRGIL R. SIMPSON, Asst. to Chief Engineer. tery. Secretary: Mary A. Ellis. tROSEL H. HYDE, (Rep.. 1946 -1952) RALPH J. RENTON, U. S. Member, North American Regional Broad- Confidential Assistant: Minnie Sparks; Secretary: Vera F. Nord - casting Engineering Committee. ness. Secretary: Lulu E. Sabin. One Vacancy. BROADCAST BRANCH ENGINEERS Law Department Standard Broadcast Div. -James E. Barr, Chief of Division. Secretary: Thelma P. Lewis: Engineers: Robert E. Baluta. George BENEDICT P. COTTONE, General Counsel. B. Bairey. Herbert L. Eaker, Virginia R. Erwin, Wallace E. Johnson, Secretary: Fausta M. Puffenberger. Richard C. Jones, Jr.. Harold L. Kassens, Albert L. Kreis, Leslie E. VERNON L. WILKINSON, Asst. General Counsel (Broadcast Div.) . Kuiberg. Robert D. Linx, K. Neal McNaughton, Robert W. Moss, G. Hupp. Horace E. Slone, Ernest C.