Radio & TV: Rest Cure

Television’s growing pains have been showing up on receiving screens as wobbly pictures and queer noises. Last week FCC Chairman Wayne Coy ordered a halt of from “three to nine months” on approvals of new TV station applications.

During the rest period, engineers will confer with FCC on some sort of new formula for giving the public better TV service. An example of the kind of subject to be discussed: the spacing of TV stations, which engineers are not yet agreed on. Some think that stations should be widely separated, others that they can be packed together like sardines without interfering with one another.

While this and similar problems (such as the proposed movement to ultra high frequencies) are threshed out, TV will mark time. The 37 existing stations will continue telecasting; 87 others, with construction permits, may build if they choose; 303 applications for stations are to be frozen for the time being. This means that many a U.S. city which had looked forward to TV within the year will have to wait another year—or longer.

Chairman Coy had some soothing words for set owners. Whatever comes out of the conferences “will not affect present receivers at all.” As for new buyers, if the prospective customer “is a fellow who always thinks there’ll be a new model automobile coming up, I’d advise him not to buy. If he just wants to enjoy television, I’d say to go ahead.”