Aug/Sep 1941 National Radio News
[Table
of Contents] These articles are scanned and OCRed from old editions of the
National Radio News magazine. Here is a list of the
National Radio News articles I have already posted. All copyrights are hereby acknowledged. |
This
story from a 1941 edition of National Radio News reports on
the FCC's having passed regulations to allow the rollout of commercial
television service as of July 1, 1941. These standards, observes the
Commission, "represent, with but few exceptions, the undivided engineering
opinion of the industry." They "satisfy the requirement for advancing
television to a high level of efficiency within presently known developments."
Furthermore, "Frequency modulation is required for the sound accompanying
the pictures. Thus, television is now benefited by the recent developments
of frequency modulation." It was an era of wonder and excitement in
the world of wireless communications.Adoption of Television Standards
Paves Way for Commercial Service
Television can now make its nationwide commercial debut under the auspices
of regulations adopted by the Federal Communications Commission, effective
July 1, 1941. Whereas a year ago the Commission found the television
industry divided, recent developments demonstrate the industry is "entirely
in agreement that television broadcasting is ready for standardization."
Accordingly, the Commission had adopted, in substance, the standards
as proposed by the National Television System Committee at the March
20 hearing, as well as the rules and regulations submitted at that time.
These standards, observes the Commission, "represent, with but
few exceptions, the undivided engineering opinion of the industry."
They "satisfy the requirement for advancing television to a high level
of efficiency within presently known developments."
This
"go-ahead" signal fulfills the Commission's promise of last year that
as soon as the industry's engineers were prepared to approve any single
system the Commission would consider full commercialization. The showing
made at the March hearing supported the Commission's previous action
in declining to set standards when the industry was sharply divided
and any attempt to have done so would have frozen the state of the art
to the then unsatisfactory level of performance. The approved standards
alleviate the problem of different receivers being required to "key"
into varying competing transmission systems. The standards take cognizance
of recent outstanding improvements in synchronizing signals which contribute
materially to a more reliable operation. Frequency modulation
is required for the sound accompanying the pictures. Thus, television
is now benefited by the recent developments of frequency modulation.
Other developments are provided for in the requirement that
the standards be accorded six months of practical tests, at the conclusion
of which further changes may be considered, with particular reference
to color television. Program stations are encouraged to engage in experimental
color work. On the record made at the March hearing, the Commission
fixes 15 hours a week as a reasonable minimum for program service.
The Commission adheres to the policy set forth in its report
on the April, 1940, television hearing, which precludes more than three
television stations being under the same control. This is to preserve
the public benefits of competition in the use of the limited number
of channels. Posted
March 14, 2014 |