Evening star., 1940-03-24
FEC. Order Blocking
1e|evision Programs
''Amazes' Sarnoff
Action Laid to r. G. A.
PromotionoI Activities;
Hearings Open April 8 .
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By WILLIAM ]. WHEATLEY.

, David Sarnof1, president of the
Radio Corp. of America, said last
night he was amazed at the action
of the Federal Communications
Commission yesterday in suspend
ing its recent order giving a tenta-
tive go-ahead signal for television
broadcasting.
The F.. c. G. announced yesterday
1t had suspended ITS rule giving au-
thorization for a limited commercial
programming for public use begin
ming September l and had reopened
the whole question. It set April 8
as the date for beginning a new
series Of hearings.
In a formal announcement the
r. G. c. attributed its action directly
to what 1t called the television pro-
motional activities OF r. c. A., say
ing the current marketing campaign
of that corporation was held to be
at variance with the intent of the
commissions television report of
February 49,"
Authority Questioned.
There was opinion within the
commission that the majority OF
the body had overstepped its suthor-
ity in going into the merchandising
Of television sets, which was the
basis of the commission action, 1t
was said.
The new move found r. G. A. off,
cials here and in New York unpre-
pared to state what action they
would take. They hurried back from
week end holidays to study the for
NAL order Of the F. G. c. and it was
understood move was being started
to attempt to force the commission
to rescind it's reversal.
Mr.. Sarnoff, when informed over
the telephone of the commission's
action, made the following state
ment:
IT am amazed at the action of the
Federal Communications Commis-
sion. We have spent more than
s1o,00o,000 in the development of
television and in trying to create a
new art and new industry. We
thought that we were proceeding
exactly in accord with the order on
this subject recently adopted by the
commission"
Vote Is 4 to 1.
The commissions action came by
q 4-to-1 vote, with two commission
ers absent, after long. and what
was at times declared to have been
an acrimonious. discussion which
kept the commission in session late
Friday evening 1t was reliably re-
ported that Chairman James Law
renee Fly and Commissioners Paul
A. Walker, Frederick I. Thompson
and Thad H. Brown voted for the
decision while the dissenting vote
was cast by Commissioner T. A. M.
Craven.
The matter was brought up by
Commissioner Walker. who called
the commissioners attention to GER
tain promotional advertisements Of
the Radio Corp. Of America which
appeared in New York newspapers
and radio trade magazines last
week. These advertisements. it was
said, called attention to the fact
that tefevision was being provided
for the public, and announced pro-
grams available in New York. At
the same time appeared dealer ad-
vertisements offering television re-
ceiving sets.
Not Truthful. Group Contends.
It was the contention of the group
which supported the suspension OF
the rule that the corporation ad-
Vertisements were not truthful.
Others, however. said the advertise
ments merely did not tell the full
story. and contended that if they
were improper it was matter for
the consideration of the Federal
Trade Commission, and lay wholly
without the jurisdiction of the F.
c C. Even after the formal vote
was taken, the commission was urged
to give further consideration to
what was held to be a serious mat
ter.
The commission, in its February
% report, said it was not suggested
by it that television broadcasters
should be barred from going for
ward in program production and
sponsorship, and the present state
OF the act renders appropriate the
further steps permitted by the rules
being established" This report, it
was pointed out. came after the
commissions Television Committee
had held long hearings and filed
two reports, and even after the full
commission earlier in the year con-
Quoted hearings and made inspec-
tions of television.
Need of Research Stressed.
The commission said yesterday
that it stressed the need of con-
tinued research in significant phases
Of the field involving the number
Of lines and the number of frames
per second, the retentive quality of
screens, the mechanics of scanning,
the problem of screen sizes with par
ticular reference to larger screens,
the problem of polarization and the
related question of the type of an
tennas and various alternative meth
ods of synchronization. Inherently
the commission added. this research
has potentialities of great value to
the public
| Furthermore, the commission said
yesterday that its intent was TO give
the industry more opportunity to
move forward on sound scientific
basis without causing injury to the
public and to the new industry it.
SELF particularly to other manu-
facturers cooperating in seeking to
bring about video improvements
through experimentation rather than
crowding the market with receivers
which may soon become obsolete.
| Further Research Desired.
! The commission further announced
that the promotional activities di-
rected to the sale of receivers not
only intensifies the danger of these
instruments being left on the hands
of the public but may react In the
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