Evening star., 1949-09-25
Fec TO Open Hearings
On Color TeIevision
And New Channels

The Federal Communications
Commission will open hearings
tomorrow on proposals to add a.
new channels for television broad
casting and determine whether
color television should be author
lied at this time for regular COM
mercial operations.
Hearings are expected to con-
tinue for several weeks and even
tually may result in major
changes in the Nations television
system. Government and indus
try spokesmen yesterday eau
toned the public. however, not to
expect sudden revisions or quick
solution of the many complex
problems.
The commission will devote the
first three weeks of hearings to
the color television question. It
will study specific plans for oper-
ating color broadcasting. These
have been submitted by the Co.
lumbia Broadcasting System,
Radio Corp. of America, Color
Television. Inc, of San Francisco.
DR.. Leon Rubenstein, New York
inventor; DR.. Charles Willard
Geer, University of Southern
California expert, who will demon
strate a special color receiving
tube, and the Webster Chicago
Corp. which will show an adapt
ing device for tuning in color
broadcasts on black-and-white
sets.
Rejected in 1947.
The FEC in 1947 rejected color
video as insufficiently developed.
Last May it indicated it would be
favorable to color television broad
casting systems now if they could
be fitted into the present system
"in such a way as to permit re-
ception on the ordinary television
receiver with relatively minor
notifications" The hearings be-
ginning tomorrow are to deter.
mine whether anything so far de-
veloped meets those requirements.
Another main purpose of the
hearings is discussion of the FFC
proposal to add AZ new channels
in the ultra high frequencies" to
the present II channels in the
very high frequencies.
Most nvicfion fo11v,;e;@xa ,.oo1,,,or
sets can tune in only in the pres
ent II channels. If the UHF fire.
quency channels are established,
adjusting devices or converters
costing between SIS and $18 prob
ably would be available to enable
VHF sets to receive in UHF chan
nels. technicians explained.
400 Television Stations.
The existing II VHF channels
accommodate about 400 television
stations in 140 population centers.
The proposed AZ additional UHF
channels could be expected to ex-
pand the operating potential to
1000 stations in 1,400 communi-
ties throughout the Nation, FEC
spokesman explained.
A third television problem to be
considered at the FEC hearings
deals with the technical question
of how far apart video broadcast
ing towers should be located for
improved reception. gsse ...s..,es ss1
So far as the color teievision
prospect is concerned, principal
question likely to be raised is
whether owners of present tele-
vision sets could get color pro-
grams without undue expense and
inconvenience. Radio industry
spokesmen said development of
"adapters" has reached a stage
where such devices costing about
$75 could be installed so that black
and white sets could get color.
In any event, FEC and industry
representatives say that even if
the commission hands down
comparatively early decision In
favor of color television licensing,
the general public may not get it
for several years." 1t is reported
also that UHF stations, if author
ized, probably would not be on
the air until 1851.