May-June 1932

CBS’ television logo is an eye. But it was CBS-TV’s mouth that was closed in May 1932.

For a pile of reasons—most of them involving money—the company cut an hour off its three-hour TV programming block that month, and shut off the microphones, deciding to go with silent shows.

That meant boxing with no announcers and fashion parades with no commentators. At least the programming remained live.

W2XBS had been on the air from 7 to 10 p.m. That was chopped to 7 to 9, weeknights only. There was one exception. Bill Schudt's weekly radio show was simulcast, and the sound portion could be heard on WABC.

The policy would be changed as the year wore on.

NBC in New York was continuing its tests as it tried to perfect the cathode ray tube. There were still no live broadcasts. It continued to insist television wasn't ready for home viewing. Philo Farnsworth said the same thing. So did Harry Lubcke.

In Los Angeles, Lubcke's W6XAO aired something other than lines—it screened part of a movie, broadcasting to a Western Airlines plane 3,000 above the city.

Here are some of the TV highlights for the month, including the highlights for the first week of the month from W2XAB, which a paper in Tennessee decided to print. The Washington Evening Star published the programming for W3XK, with the sound airing on an a.m. station, for a period then stopped. Whether the station ceased programming then, I don't know. W9XAO in Chicago was airing a short musical programme once a week and word of such appeared in several newspapers.

Sunday, May 1, 1932
The advent of spring has brought to the Columbia experimental television station W2XAB new talent and program features which will be visualized for the first time during the week beginning Sunday, May 1.
The diminutive “Dancing Marionettes” will be seen performing on a miniature stage on Thursday, May 5, at 10:00 p. m., E.D.S.T. This feature will be conducted by Mrs. Floyd Ackley, who furnishes the dialogue necessary for the background.
John Henry Weaver, the founder of the Artists Cooperative, will present the first of a series of programs entitled “Art For Everybody.” The purpose of these broadcasts is to encourage the study of art, and they are for the benefit of those who, though artistically inclined, are unable to attend art schools and lectures. Illustrations of varied types of work such as drawing, painting, and modeling will be transmitted on Wednesday, May 4, at 9:15 p. m., E.D.S.T.
Donald Sawyer, an accomplished and graceful exponent of modern dancing, will be co-featured with Jane Case, supervising instructor of the Donald Sawyer Dance Studio, in presenting a program of “Ballroom Dancing.” in which they will explain and demonstrate the simplicity of the most intricate steps, on Saturday May 7 at 8:30 p. m., P.D.S.T.
Wynn Hammer, pianist, singer and composer will make his visual debut in a new series known as “The One Man Television Show” starting Monday, May 2, at 10:45 p. m., E.D.S.T.
Georgia Simmons, television’s Miss Gypsy, will be seen and heard in another program of palm readings, revealing the characteristics of television and radio performers on Wednesday, May 4, from 10 to 10:15 p. m., E.D.S.T.
Alfred Dinsdale, who’s a member of the council of the Television society of London, and author of several books on visual broadcasting, will be featured in a 15-minute program of lectures entitled “Television Facts,” in which he will explain fundamental principles of the new industry on Monday, Mary 2, at 10:16 p. m., E.D.S.T.
Vincent “Blue” Mondi, the one man novelty jazz band may be seen and heard with his odd arrangements of musical contraptions on Tuesday, May 3, at 10:15 p. m., E.D.S.T.
Carrie Lillie, versatile comedienne of song who is heard over several local stations, is also pioneering in television, and her visual charcteristizations [sic] will be seen on Tuesday, May 3, at 10:30 p. m., E.D.S.T. (Knoxville Sunday Journal)

If you ever think that the radio downstairs is annoying you should get a job in Columbia’s master control room in New York and then you would have something to complain about.
Certainly the men who inhabit this mysterious room could have no use for radio, you will say, when I hasten to explain that these operators and engineers must spend hours on end listening to sometimes as many as five and six different programs blasting forth from powerful dynamic loud speakers.
For example, one loud speaker pours forth the program on WABC, another the broadcasts on the network, yet another the proceedings over the Dixie network, another the West Coast or Middle West special network features and one for the sound part of Columbia’s television station W2XAB.
Vincent Mullahy of the C. B. S. [page] corps watches over the eighteenth floor reception desk by day and studies music and voice by night.
The other afternoon Vincent managed to gather sufficient courage to approach the television studio and obtain an audition. His imitations were a sensation and he has already played two actual television dates. He quite ably imitates Tony Wons, Morton Downey, Will Osborn, Ted Husing, Norman Brokenshire, Bing Crosby, Rudy Vallee and others.
Alex Gray made his television debut last week in a special program with the Boswell Sisters and Norman Brokenshire. During all the time that they have appeared on C. B. S. as individual artists, it was the first occasion that the Boswells and Grey came together on the same program.
As part of his makeup for the visual program over W2XAB Gray covered his lips with black rouge. Although, as part of the gag on the air, Brokenshire cautioned him to be sure to remove the lipstick before he left the studio, Gray forgot all about it and casually strolled down Madison Ave. Take it from this writer, Gray attracted more attention than ever before.
“Gosh,” he thought to himself, “I must be becoming quite a star, yes, sir!” Then it occurred to him that the black rouge was still on his lips and did he run back to the studio? Well, it has happened to the best of them. (Bill Schudt column, Brooklyn Eagle, May 1)

Wednesday, May 4, 1932
John T. Tuthill Jr., publisher of the Patchogue, Long Island Advance, will appear on Bill Schudt’s “Going to Press” Hour at 5:15 p.m. over WABC and W2XAB, the television station. (Jo Ranson column, Brooklyn Eagle, May 4)

Friday, May 6, 1932
Effective Monday the time of W2XAB, CBS television station, to be reduced. Instead of afternoon and evening programs, the station will transmit only from 7 to 9 p. m. daily except Saturday and Sunday. Sound programs will be discontinued, with a concentration of sight alone. (C.E. Butterfield column)

Saturday, May 7, 1932
NEW YORK, May 7.—Due to economic pressure, a wave of letouts and cuts enveloped the Columbia Broadcasting System this week, and resulted in more than 100 people being discharged, while those remaining are to receive a 15 per cent reduction in salary. ...
Television department has been cut down to a staff of two, and in this connection the station will confine itself to sending out visual signals with no talk or music. During this time experiments will be made in order to perfect this improvement.
Reasons for the wholesale slashes are several, and include the fact that this summer’s seasonal drop in commercial sales is said to be 40 per cent above that of last year at this time...Wall street pressure bearing down on the CBS execs to make sure there is a good return on the $5,00,000 that was spent to buy back the 30 per cent of CBS from Paramount-Publix, is also set down as a contributing factor.
Taxation bills now being passed and already in the bag in Washington is expected to result in higher wire charges thru increased telephone rates on remote control and other cross-country connections. Still another factor is the coming increased license fee for the use of music which may stand the CBS outfit an extra million dollars annually. (Billboard, May 14)

Tuesday, May 10, 1932
CBS starting this week will limit its television broadcasts to pantomine acts and cut the broadcasting time from three hours nightly to two. The daytime sight and sound broadcasts, running to four hours, have been eliminated entirely over the summer.
WZXE, CBS 100 watt sound transmitter, which has been synchronized with W2XAB, television station, will be dropped. W2NAB, 500 watt sound transmitter, will be used hereafter for the television broadcasts.
Reason for the time cut is that CBS believes it has reached a satisfactory degree of success in synchronizing sound and sight and now desires to concentrate on sight transmission only. It will hereafter embark on an extensive program of experimentation with sight transmission and will move the figures at various distances from the scanning disc to discover the best effects. Heretofore it was unable to do this because the sound would be distorted if the acts were moved about. (Variety, May 10)

Inventions large and small, serious and frivolous, workable and non-workable, 5,000 in all, will be on public display from 10 o’clock this morning until 10 P. M. of May 28 at the Fourth International Patent Exposition, held for the first time in this city, at Grand Central Palace...
One of the features of the exhibit will be a television demonstration, with a continuous program, combining vision and sound, to be broadcast by station W2XAB and received by the latest type equipment, providing pictures visible to members of a large audience. (New York Times, May 10)

Thursday, May 12, 1932
The Kansas State college television broadcasting station will go on the air about July 1, and a regular schedule of television broadcasts will be carried on alter September 1, Dean R. A. Seaton of the engineering division at the college believes.
The call letters of the station will be W9XAK. The station will broadcast for experimental purposes, but a schedule will be compiled for amateurs in Kansas and nearby states. Radio station KSAC may be used for sound broadcasts in connection with some of the television broadcasts.
In connection with the new station, studies will be undertaken with the object of improving and simplifying television broadcasting and receiving equipment. The program will include experimentation with series modulation and other types of modulation, radio-frequency amplifiers with special emphasis on picture amplifiers and field strengths for different types of antennae.
The station will be operated by the electrical engineering department of the engineering experiment station. Pictures will be transmitted at the rate of 20 pictures per second, and it is expected that direct pick—up equipment will be built later for use with living subjects. The transmitter formerly used in radio station KSAC but displaced about it year ago when the power of the station was increased will be utilized in television broadcasting.
H. H. Higginbottom, graduate student, has been carrying on the television experiments at the college. He has been assisted by Eugene F. Peterson, W. R. Mitchell, M. L. Burgin, and A. W. Rucker, students in the electrical engineering department. (Manhattan Mercury, May 12)

Friday, May 13, 1932
FRC decisions:
W9XAO, Western Television Corp., Chicago, Ill.—Granted renewal of experimental visual broadcasting license, 2000-2100 kc., 500 w., and granted consent to voluntary assignment of license to Western Television research Co. (Broadcasting, May 15)

Sunday, May 15, 1932
WMAQ, Chicago, recently linked to NBC, moved May 7 into the Merchandise Mart quarters of NBC. The station, still half owned by the Daily News, will keep the same identity as in the past. The Daily News’ television station will remain on the 26th floor of the newspaper building. (Broadcasting, May 15)

Television experiments are to be inaugurated between the National Broadcasting Company’s image transmitter atop the Empire State Building and the R. C. A.-Victor laboratories at Camden, N. J., where Vladimir Zworykin and his staff are developing a cathode-ray tube receiver.
Five miles from Mount Holly, N. J., on Arney’s Mount, a 200-foot elevation, a steel mast, 165 feet high, and station are now being built to serve as a relay between the Camden “House of Magic” and the New York pinnacle. Mobile receivers in an automobile have toured the section and preliminary tests are said to indicate Arney’s Mount is an ideal site for the relay centre. It is planned to flash the images on ultra-short waves.
An engineer connected with the development work reports that the Zworykin receiving set is not ready for the home. There are a number of obstacles to be overcome. The picture of 120-line structure is said to be clear, but the merchandisers want a picture larger than four by six inches before they attempt to offer television entertainment to the public. (Orrin E. Dunlop, NY Times, May 15)

Monday, May 16, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—"Stump" Miller.
8:15—Miller Matter Trio.
8:30—Grace Jones, pianist.
8:45—Dorothy Skinner.
9:00—Unidentified singer.
9:15—Hazel Belote, pianist.
9:30—Check and Lee Wilkins.

NEW YORK, May 16 (A. P.)—Television, thought to be the basis from which will evolve radio pictures of the future, was shown to the country’s leading radio manufacturers here late today.
The private demonstration, conducted by the Radio Corporation of America, was attended by all of the company’s licensees, both receiving set and tube makers who hold licenses to manufacture under RCA patents.
They saw signals which came from the tower of the Empire State Building, a mile away, and which were re-produced by the latest device of the television laboratory, the cathode ray receiver as developed largely by Dr. Vladimar Zworykin [sic] at Camden, N. J.
This apparatus functions electronically and does not depend upon the scanning disk and motor to form a picture from a high-speed stream of radio imposes.
The demonstration was designed to show manufacturers just how far engineers have progressed in television development. It was emphasized that the sample receivers used did not represent a device yet considered commercially practical from the standpoint of the home user. That stage will not be reached for a year or more, the engineers said, since numerous receiver and transmitter problems remain unsolved.
The demonstration consisted of the sound and sight reception of both talking movies and living subjects. Transmission was on the short waves, five meters for sound and 6.9 meters for television. Some of the viewers described the pictures as “excellent,” the detail being on the order of 120 lines compared with 60 lines in other systems.

Tuesday, May 17, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Gertrude Lyon Program.
8:30—Winnie Kinnebrew, blues singer.
8:45—Janet Coon.
9:00—Bonanno String Quartet.
9:30—Neapolitan Serenaders.
9:45 to 10:00—Melody Four.

Wednesday, May 18, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Norman Slant, tenor.
8:15—Effie Collamore, pianist.
8:30—Wilford Hickerson.
8:45—to be announced.
9:00—Milton Jones, baritone.
9:30 to 10:00—Blue Jay Orchestra.

New York, May 18—(A.P.)—Another change radically affecting combined sound and sight experimental broadcasts has come in New York’s television activities.
Following not long after the announcement by W2XCR that it had closed down pending drastic changes in transmitter equipment, comes word that the CBS television station W2XAB would carry on its radio picture experiments with sight alone, at least for the summer months.
This move leaves Washington, Chicago and Boston as the only cities in the country which still have combined sound and sight broadcasts, with the sight on the waves between 100 and 200 meters.
Center On Ultra Waves
Apparently forecasting what could be considered as an ultimate abandonment of the channels above 100 meters for television, these changes also indicate that the centering of picture activity in the ultra short waves, around 7 meters, is going forward.
In connection with its change in plans, W2XAB and its staff plan to study reception conditions on its channel of 2,750 kilocycles to learn more definitely what happens to the emitted signals, particularly as respects the metropolitan area.
Most of the reports from unofficial listeners have been to the effect that outside of a small radius close to the station, reception is not so good until another zone, 100 or more miles away, is reached.
Concentrate On Pictures
The change in W2XAB’s policy also is to include a greater concentration on sight program possibilities, with pantomime to the fore. The new program setup will continue the weekly boxing bouts, and add several new features. Transmission time has been reduced to two hours a night, five nights a week.
In addition to the plan for concentration on sight alone, the CBS change in television policy is coupled, with the recent announcements of that chain looking toward a reduction in operating expenses.
It was felt, too, that in view of the fact that the formal introduction of television still is some time away, it was unnecessary to devote too much effort toward its studio development until there was a wider public interest. (C.E. Butterfield column)

Edection [sic] of radio television station and laboratories has begun at College Point Causeway and 28th Ave., College Point. The station is being built by the Knickerbocker Broadcasting Company which operates WMCA and WPCH.
A pile driver, necessary for borings for the aerial towers, is already at work on the station which will be the first of its kind in the country. It is designed for use in the development and perfection of commercial television. Three one-story brick buildings and two 300-foot steel towers are to be erected according to the plans filed with the Queens Building Bureau.
The radio station will be on a plot 70x26 feet with a garage building of the same size and a coupling house, adjoining the radio building will be 9x9 feet.
When completed, the new transmitting station will be used as all auxiliary broadcasting station for regular radio programs. The main radio transmitting station of the company will remain at. Hoboken, N. J. (Brooklyn Eagle, May 18)

Thursday, May 19, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—News Flashes.
8:15—Lawrence Thompson, readings.
8:30—Clinton Gill and his uke.
8:45—Mary Lehman, crooner.
9:00—Charles and Helen Scott.
9:30—Randall and Dorothy Loftis.
9:45 to 10:00—Jack and Jill.

Friday, May 20, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Joe Koenig and May Carhart.
8:15—Mrs. Dayton, pianist.
8:30—Jessie Fanning, pianist.
8:45—Mrs. Maude C. Tate.
9:00—To be announced.
9:15—Sacred Hour.
9:45 to 10:00—John R. Clarke, "Singing Virginian."

Town costumes of cotton appeared in the Television Fashion Flashes of Virginia Chandler Hall given as a feature of National Cotton Week last evening [19] at the Columbia Television Station W[2]XAB. One of navy Swiss dotted in white was worn with a white braided organdie hat with jaunty navy blue felt trim. The shoes were also of white cotton with navy kid, the gloves of white cotton mesh and the bag of navy rib-cord. Dark brown eyelet embroidered cotton fashioned another street costume accompanied by a white waffle pique hat with brown mesh gloves. Printed dimity fashioned an original Chanel evening model. (Women’s Wear Daily, May 21)

Saturday, May 21, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Studio Feature.
8:15—News Flashes.
8:30—Silver String Melody Boys.
9:00—Helen Evans O'Neill, dramatic readings.
9:30—Television Specialities.
9:45 to 10:00—Ronnie Ray.

For the first time in history a moving image was flashed by television on a screen in an airplane in flight yesterday [21], when a Western Air Express ship 3000 feet above United Airport, Burbank, received a motion picture transmitted by television from station W6XAO, operated by the Don Lee broadcasting system, which conducts radio station KHJ in Los Angeles. The image was reproduced on a screen eight inches in diameter in the plane for the experimenting engineers and others as observers.
The process by which the feat was made possible is called by television engineers the cathode-ray vacuum tube. It was developed by Harry R. Lubcke, director of television for the Don Lee broadcasting system.
Heretofore only telephoto pictures had been transmitted to planes, television requiring wires to be attached from transmitting to receiving sets, a power line supplying transmitter and receiver.
NO SCANNING DISK
The cathode ray tube, which requires no scanning disk on the receiver, automatically forms the broadcast image in the tube and automatically synchronizes it. It needs only to receive the broadcast impulses on ether waves of six and three-fourths meters or 44,500 kilocycles, engineers explained during the test.
A tri-motored ten-passenger plane of Western Air Express, which has for six months been developing the ray with KHJ and W6XAO’s engineers, took off from United Airport bearing, besides the receiving set, Lubcke, Dr. Gerhard Fisher, research engineer of Western Air Express, who with Herbert Hoover, Jr., invented the direction finder for airplanes, and a group of newspaper men. The ship was piloted by Allan Barrie.
Reaching a height of 3000 feet the engineers tuned in to station W6XAO and on a screen in the plane’s receiving set there appeared the image of Loretta Young in a recent film in which she had appeared. The film was shown approximately five minutes, which Lubcke and Fisher decided was test enough.
TEN MILES AWAY
The station where a staff of workers under Theodore Denton, transmitting engineer, had transmitted the film to the speeding plane, is situated at Seventh and Bixel streets, estimated by the engineers to be ten miles from the receiving set. A second flight was made by the plane, during which the experiment also was successful.
While no voice was broadcast with the images in the film, it would have required only a sound transmitter to have carried the voice of the actress to the ship.
The chief use for television of this type to airplanes, it was explained by Western Air Express officials, will be to enable the transmission of weather maps to planes in flight and the sending of pictures of airports being approached by pilots in fog.
A picture or the airport over which a pilot flies in fog, hesitating to land, can be transmitted to his plane above the fog, through the fog layer, enabling the pilot to orient himself and land without danger.
STILL TOO WEIGHTY
Necessity to cutting down the weight of the receiving apparatus will result in almost five years of further development before the invention is entirely practicable for every-day use it was stated by the engineers.
While the image of the actress was etched against the plane’s screen sufficiently clear for observers to distinguish the features and improvements of the subject, the speed of the ship. 120 miles per hour prevented an altogether clear delineation. The fact that the plan traveled so rapidly through the television signals prevented the lines composing the image from being held stationary by the receiver, Lubcke explained. (Los Angeles Times, May 22)

Monday, May 23, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—"Stump" Miller.
8:15—Miller Matter, trio.
8:30—Grace Jones, pianist.
8:45—Dorothy Skinner.
9:00—Unidentified singer.
9:15—Hazel Belote, pianist.
9:30—Lee Wilkins.
9:45 to 10:00—Check and Lee Wilkins.

Tuesday, May 24, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Gertrude Lyons program.
8:30—Gertrude Dyer and her Kiddies.
8:45—Janet Coon.
9:00—Doug Porter's Orchestra.
9:45 to 10:00—Melody Four.

Wednesday, May 25, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Songs by Jean Woodson.
8:30—Wilford Hickerson.
8:45—The Hearth Program.
9:00—Milton Jones, baritone.
9:30 to 10:00—Maryland Ramblers.

NEW YORK, May 25 (AP)—Progress, described as “good,” is the word that comes from Philadelphia Laboratories where Philo T. Farnsworth, young San Francisco engineer, is working on cathode ray television.
His device, similar to that of Dr. Vladimir Zworkin of Camden, N. J., demonstrated recently to radio manufacturers in New York, has as its basis an electrical mean of scanning, both in the transmitter and the receiver, rather than the mechanical disk.
Works With Cathode Ray
Farnsworth, who is working in factory laboratories, “has made further good progress in the development of cathode ray receivers and tubes,” a statement said.
“However, we do not consider that the results are good enough as yet to warrant the introduction of commercial television receivers. Furthermore, the television broadcasting which must necessarily precede the introduction of commercial television receivers has not yet arrived and apparently is a big way in point of time from being ready.
“We do not believe that either good television broadcasting programs or satisfactory television receivers will be ready for the public before the summer of 1933.”
This statement, coupled with that issued after the private demonstration to radio manufacturers conducted in New York buy RCA indicates clearly that no effort will be made this year to consider television from a manufacturing standpoint, giving the laboratory another year in which to pursue research.
Still In Laboratory
“Although continued progress has been made with television, this development still is in the laboratory stage,” the RCA statement said.
“Much work remains to be done toward the improvement of receiving equipment and the creation of transmission facilities for practical television broadcasting.”
However, numerous favorable comments as to the quality of the pictures reproduced were heard after the New York test, lookers being particularly pleased with the transmission of sound movies direct from a film. (C.E. Butterfield column)

Thursday, May 26, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Lawrence Thompson.
8:15—Readings.
8:30—Clinton Gill and his uke.
8:45—Mary Lehman, crooner.
9:00—The Rio Orchestra.
9:30—Studio feature.
9:45 to 10:00—Jack and Jill.

Friday, May 27, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Joe Koenig and May Carhart.
8:15—Indian program.
8:30—Jessie Fanning, pianist.
8:45—Mrs. Maude C. Tate.
9:00—Rev. H.H. Brenner.
9:15—Sacred Hour.
9:45 to 10:00—John R. Clarke, "Singing Virginian."

Saturday, May 28, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Contract Bridge.
8:15—News Flashes.
8:30—Silver String Melody Boys.
9:00—Helen Evans O'Neill, dramatic readings.
9:30—Mr. and Mrs. Royal A. Rice.
9:45 to 10:00—Ronnie Ray.

BAKERSFIELD, May 28. (Exclusive)—Establishing Bakersfield as a national center of pioneering in the television broadcasting field, permanent license and one or the choicest wave length channels available have been granted the Bakersfield television station of the Pioneer Mercantile Company, according to a special dispatch from the Federal Radio Commission in Washington, D. C.
Heretofore the station has held only a construction permit and experimental permit.
“License granted for 2000-2100 kilocycles, 1000-watt power. A-E and special television.” said the commission’s message to Frank Schamblin, head of the station, and R. D. Lemert, technician and radio engineer who installed the station.
It is the first license granted in the United States to use the type or transmission employed by the station and will result in coverage of the entire Pacific Coast with voice, sound and visual transmission in the immediate future, officials said. (Los Angeles Times, May 29)

Monday, May 30, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
Silent on holidays.

Tuesday, May 31, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Gertrude Lyons program.
8:30—Gertrude Dyer and her Kiddies.
8:45—Janet Coon.
9:00—Neapolitan Serenader.
9:15—Effie A. Collamore, pianist.
9:45 to 10:00—Melody Four.

The Jenkins Television Corporation has leased through Brown, Wheelock, Harris & Co., Inc., agents, space at 655 Avenue for its broadcasting studio, and other space in the same building for its receiving and transmitting apparatus. (Herald Tribune)

Wednesday, June 1, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Norman Slant, tenor.
8:30—Wilford Hickerson.
8:45—The Hearth Program.
9:00—Milton Jones, baritone.
9:30 to 10:00—Blue Jay Orchestra.

Thursday, June 2, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Lawrence Thompson.
8:30—Clinton Gill and his uke.
8:45—Mary Lehman, contralto.
9:00—Shirley Ernst.
9:30—Claire Shea, whistler.
9:45 to 10:00—Jack and Jill.

New York, June 2 — (AP) — In his spare time Bill Schudt Jr. runs the television programs of W2XAB-CBS. He not only produces them but steps in as announcer.
He also conducts the chain’s “Going to Press” once a week and in addition has a number of other duties.
Now the word comes that Bill is to act as vacation relief announcer for a number of the network’s late night dance periods. (C.E. Butterfield column)

Friday, June 3, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Joe Koenig and May Carhart.
8:15—Mrs. Dayton, pianist.
8:30—Jessie Fanning, pianist.
8:45—Mrs. Maude C. Tate.
9:00—Rev. H. B. Brenner.
9:15—Sacred Hour.
9:45 to 10:00—John R. Clarke, "Singing Virginian."

Saturday, June 4, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Dramatic Readings by Helen Evans O'Neill.
8:30—The Melody Boys.
9:00—The Rustics.
9:30—"Contract Bridge," by Harry Clendening.
9:45 to 10:00—Ronnie Rae.

Monday, June 6, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—"Stump" Miller.
8:15—Miller Matter, trio.
8:30—Joe Holmead, tenor.
8:45—Studio feature.
9:00—Unidentified singer.
9:15—Caroline Miller, pianist.
9:30 to 10:00—Check Wilkins.

Tuesday, June 7, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Gertrude Lyons program.
8:30—Gertrude Dyer and her Musical Marionettes.
8:45—Janet Coon.
9:00—Doug Porter’s Orchestra.
9:45 to 10:00—Melody Four.

NEW YORK, June 7. (AP)—Makeup needed by television artists still furnishes a problem.
Already much has been done toward its solution, but not enough to warrant laying down definite rules for performers before the eye of radio.
Aided by three attractive girls, one engineer conversant with requirements of photo-electrical cells is carrying on a two months’ series of tests.
Fans Cooperate
At the same time he is getting owners of television receivers to help him out with reports of reception with various styles of make up.
The engineer is Harry Spears, who runs the gadgets of W2XAB, New York. Each Friday night he conducts his tests in the studio as the “program” goes out on the air lanes for visual broadcasting.
The girls are of three types. Constance O’Neill is a light blond, Etheline Holt a darker blond and Toni Costello a burnet [sic].
As they face the radio camera, he applies various shades and types of makeup ranging through all the colors of the rainbow.
A record of the effects is being kept so that Spears will have enough data to formulate what he considers accurate conclusions as to the proper greasepaint to apply.
For The Titles
As an aid in making visual announcements, W2XAB has added a moving sign to its equipment. The apparatus used consists of a wide tape which can be wound or unwound on spools automatically.
White letters on a black background are used, this method giving the best reproduction. When in operation, several letters pass the screen at a time slowly enough to be read easily at the receiving end. (C.E. Butterfield column)

Wednesday, June 8, 1932
W3XK, Jenkins Laboratories, Washington
(Sound on W3XJ, 1,550 Kilocycles)
8:00—Hearth Hour.
8:30—Wilford Hickerson.
8:45—Grace Jones, pianist.
9:00—Milton Jones, baritone.
9:30 to 10:00—Maryland Ramblers.

Rian James, The Eagle's columnist, is on the air today.
To be exact, he'll be heard at 5:15 p.m. over WABC and the rest of the Columbia network speaking on matters journalistic and possibly discussing his latest contribution to the book world, "Crooner," a novel about a blond lad who sings through a megaphone into a microphone.
James will also face the photo-electric cells of Columbia's television facilities at the same time.
If your television set is working tune to W2XAB and catch him in person. (Jo Ranson column, Brooklyn Eagle)

NEW YORK, June 8. (AP)—The longer it takes to develop practical television, the less chance there will be for the development laboratories whose resources are at a low ebb.
This situation has been brought to fore in the current season with the lessening of activities from which the home experimenter derived considerable benefit through his ability to tune in pictures practically all afternoon and evening.
However, from the standpoint of the laboratory, there does not seem to be much of a letdown, particularly in the ultra short wave experiments. It is largely in the field of 60-line experimental broadcasts where there has been a lagging of concentrated interest.
One Station Closes
A year ago New York was looking in and hearing a combined sound-sight broadcast on at least one station, with another having just about made ready for an opening date. Since then the first station has closed down its television activities, at least for the summer, while the other has reduced its time considerably, confining programs to sight alone.
Two other New York stations have continued their 60-line transmission station without interruption, apparently on the premise that much remains to be done in this field before moving on to further experiments with the objective of providing greater picture detail and more reliable reception.
Cost Heavy Part of the decreased activity in television is attributable to the great cost involved. With little or no market for television receivers it has been largely all outgo. With this sort, of situation prevailing, only the strongest of the research organizations have been in a position to continue their work unhampered by outside considerations.
Large sums and much time already have been spent in bringing television to its present stage, with more money and long hours of tireless labor still to be disbursed before the half-finished dream can be. (C.E. Butterfield column)

Thursday, June 9, 1932
Lafayette, Ind., June 9 — The world’s news in pictures, as broadcast by Purdue University’s experimental television station, W9XG, have been successfully received at poínts as far north as Montreal, Canada, as far east as Long Island, as far west as Billings, Mont., and as far south as Georgia, according to reports which have been received on the first two months of a regular bi-weekly broadcast of pictorial programs.
The regular bi-weekly broadcasts were launched on Tuesday, March 29, and will be continued until further notice on Tuesday and Thursday of each week. The programs will be broadcast three times each day the station is on the air, from 2:00 to 2:45, from 7:00 to 7:45 and from 9:00 to 9:45. Each program will consist of standard motion picture film, including the regular news releases of Universal Films, with vocal announcements of the by subjects covered interspersed during the program over the same channel.
The station broadcasts on a frequency of 2800 kilocycles, with a maximum of 1500 watts, power, and is adjusted to send 60 lines per picture at the rate of 20 pictures per second.
Extensive experiments in determining the practical usage of television are being conducted by W9XG in cooperation with the Grigsby-Grunow Co., of Chicago. Under the direction of R. H. George, Rushville, chief engineer, a cathode ray vacuum tube type of receiver that will make it possible to automatically synchronize sending and receiving equipment is being developed.
W9XG is emphasizing the experimental side of the program, and all television set owners who tune in on the program are requested to send reports to the station on the quality of reception, including fading, ghosting and volume. (Rushville Republican)



Sunday, June 12, 1932
Television skeptics . . . there are hundreds of them . . . don’t believe that there is such a thing as television . . . scoff at it and all that . . . Roger White, Columbia conductor, believed that there was television but firmly believed no one ever bothered to look in on any broadcast . . . It was about a week ago that Roger entered the studio of W2XAB during an ev:ning experimental broadcast.
Looking around the studio he finally asked if he might stand before the flying spot so that a few friends might see him on the set three floors below . . . adjusting his collar and tie with great care he bravely stepped into the focus of the flying spot . . . minutes pass and he steps out laughing .. . I’ll buy your dinner, Bill, if any one outside of this building sees this old face of mine” . . . Nobody saw it because nobody called in or wrote . . . not until a week later . . . about the same time of night Roger White rushed up the stairs that lead [sic] from the main Columbia studios to the television rooms . . . “Look quick, Bill,” he yelled before he got to the top . . . ‘Look” . . . a letter . . . It was from a society woman in the South . . . Nashville, Tenn., it was . . . Roger White had played for her two years ago at a Newport party . . . She had remember his face . . . her son had built a television receiver and strangely W2XAB came in down there best . . . she happened to be looking that night ... thought the face was familiar . . . wondered 1f she could be correct . . . “Was it Roger White?” she mused . . . So she wrote . . . So television has added another who no longer scoffs!
. . .
Another instance . . . This was about three months ago and concerned a singer whose name I must withhold . . . he was down and out . . . had a fair voice . . . wanted a chance to sing on television because he thought it might put him in right with the Columbia network . . . sang over W2XE which then carried the sound part of Columbia’s television . . . sang for several weeks . . . every effort he put forth by not for the television audience . . . but for the people who might be in the corridors at Columbia . . . actually he was a disbeliever in television . . . imagined that no one either heard or saw beyond those flickering lights in that dark studio 23 floors above noisy Madison Ave. . . . Then one night a television looker-in in Long Island City wanted talent for a big party he was giving . . . one of the people he wanted was this singer . . . he not only came after him but paid him in the grand manner . . . later this same singer won a place with a big Broadway band through his work on television and is heard over one of the large networks.
Andre Baruch, Columbia announcer, was another . . . he didn’t believe that people more than five miles from Columbia could possibly see pictures through thin air . . . he laughed and kidded when we told him that pictures had been seen as far away as West Point, Neb. . . . Haw, Haw, Haw . . . he laughed and he laughed until one night while he was announcing a television broadcast an old friend in Detroit, Mich., saw him and called on the long-distance telephone . . . Now Andre is another who no longer laughs at television. (Bill Schudt’s column, Brooklyn Eagle, June 12)

Monday, June 13 1932
W9XAO, Western Television, Chicago (Sound on WIBO 560 kilocycles)
6:15—Vocalist, television.

Tuesday, June 14, 1932
NEW YORK, June 14—(AP)—The date for the formal introduction of practical television still is something for the future to decide.
David Sarnoff, president of RCA, whose company is conducting extensive research into the possibilities of sight transmission, indicated as much in a statement to the annual meeting of stockholders.
Part of this research has included the establishment of ultra short wave transmitting equipment for both sound and sight.
Seek Practical Service
“We have continued the intensive experimental work which has been carried on in order to make television a practical, worth-while service,” Sarnoff said. “Our experiments up to the present have confirmed the belief that practical television can best be accomplished on its own band of wavelengths, where it will be a service additional to the present system of sound broadcasting.
“Our engineers have done much research during the past year with television transmission on short waves and with various studio problems incident to television transmission. However, I am going to re-emphasize what I have said before—that while the public was quite willing to experiment with radio in the early stages of broadcast development, it will expect television apparatus of a more advanced type than the early crystal sets.”
Experiments To Continue
The statement gave no inkling of a date for the introduction of practical television, whether it would be this year or next, but said:
“To attempt to market television equipment prematurely would severely retard a development that has great promise, and which we expect to grow into a great and widely accepted service. . . . The experimental work we are undertaking will be continued energetically.
“As stated in the annual report, television receiving equipment will be offered to the public when this experimentation has shown that a system of sight transmission having practical value can be assured.” (C.E. Butterfield column)

Likable Billy Like, who we believe is most versatile youngster on the air, struts his stuff before the television camera of W2XAB each Tuesday nite at 8:15....Je does expert impersonations of stage, radio and screen luminaries and aspires to be a stick waver....Billy plays the saxophone and clarinet. (Murray Rosenberg, Brooklyn Citizen)

Friday, June 17, 1932
WASHINGTON, June 17—Application for a reconstruction permit for television service was denied the Shreveport Broadcast company today by the federal radio commission. The commission’s action sustained the report made by Examiner Pratt. (Shreveport Times)

Saturday, June 18, 1932
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., June 18. (AP)—Real television can be seen only in the laboratories today.
It is these quarters, closed to all but the initiated, where the newly developing art is being pushed ahead at a faster pace than was believed possible even a year ago.
Too Early to Forecast Date.
At the same time, the task of turning a laboratory accomplishment into a practicability is not an easy one, and it probably is too early to attempt a forecast of the date for the introduction of television in the home.
Two important problems remain to be solved—the supplying of adequate picture broadcasts at a reasonable cost and the design of a receiver that won’t require too much of an outlay.
Take it from a young man who has spent all of his days and many of his nights and week-ends for nine years crouching over apparatus too elaborate to describe.
Believes He’s Making Progress.
This engineer, Philo T. Farnsworth, whose penthouse workroom in the Philco laboratories here has been augmented by two short wave transmitters housed in a tower above an elevator shaft, believes that despite the handicaps, he has made worthwhile progress in the year that has elapsed since he came from San Francisco, Cal.
His particular task is the perfection of the cathode ray tube to provide electrical scanning both for transmitter and receiver, to replace the mechanically operated disk of holes or lenses.
And, he has at least two recent accomplishments that stand out. One is the design of a cathode receiver which will throw a picture on a screen.
Cathode Ray Scanner Used.
The other goes into the puzzle of a Cathode ray scanner, or television camera, that can be used for direct pickup, such as living images, in the studio and out.
In most cathode ray receivers, the picture is seen on the end of the tube, the size of the image being fixed by the diameter of the flat end of the tube. About six or seven inches square is the maximum that can be built up with this method.
But by projection it is possible to jump this up to at least a foot. Farnsworth has done just that, and at the same time has lowered the cost of the cathode tube considerably.
Lens, Screen, Mirror Used.
Enlargement is accomplished with a lens, a reflecting mirror and a ground-glass screen. With a smaller tube, enough concentrated light is available to get fairly satisfactory results.
The cathode ray direct vision camera looks much like a small wooden cask mounted on a swinging pedestal. It can be focused as an ordinary camera, and appears considerably simpler than a mechanical scanner.
Transmission experiments are being conducted at present on both 107 and seven meters, or thereabouts. (C.E. Butterfield column)

Sunday, June 19, 1932
Realism was injected into a Columbia television drama recently when John Hewitt, playing the part of a detective, reached for what he thought was a prop phone and asked for police headquarters.
By mistake he had picked up a phone on the main circuit and was actually connected with headquarters. He hung up in a hurry. (Los Angeles Times, July 19)

Monday, June 20, 1932
W9XAO, Western Television, Chicago (Sound on WIBO 560 kilocycles)
6:15—Vocalist, television. Miss Marion Carter, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. T. A. Carter of 505 Julian street, who broadcasts regularly over WRJN radio station, last evening [20] appeared in a program over WIBO, Chicago, and Associated Television station. Miss Carter is an accomplished musician and plays six different instruments. Over 8,000 viewed the television program last night. (Waukegan News-Sun)

Another television triumph was chalked up last night [20] by Bill Schudt and the Columbia Broadcasting System when W2XAB projected complete picture scenes of the replica of Mount Vernon erected in Prospect Park, by the New York City George Washington Bicentennial Commission. Mary Moss Wellborn, curator at the replica in Prospect Park, presented the still pictures, maps and original photographs from the Columbia studios in Manhattan. By presenting this series of programs we add another first to our television list of scoops,” Bill Schudt, television director of the station said. “We are proud of being able to participate in this worthy celebration and hope to present many similar features in the near future.” (Jo Ranson column, Brooklyn Eagle, Jun. 20)

Tuesday, June 21, 1932
It is astonishing how little has been done with television in the west, particularly in Los Angeles, when you consider that nightly entertainment via television is fairly common in New York and New Jersey.
We have one television station here—W6XAO, owned by KHJ and operated by Harry R. Lubcke. When we say operated, we mean that W6XAO regularly broadcasts vertical and horizontal lines, the rudiments of making an image, to a handful of avid fans who build home-made receiving sets. But nobody is going to purchase a television set until he is sure of a program to receive. And there is nothing particularly romantic, or entertaining about vertical or horizontal lines.
But to Mr. Lubcke and his W6XAO goes ample credit for the only worthwhile television progress locally. He states he could broadcast television approximately as well as it is being done in the east. To Mr. Lubcke, however, even the latest thing in television is not good enough. “Every time we make a move,” he states, “we discover some new way of improving our equipment. And as long as we keep making these discoveries, we are not going into programming on a big scale.”
Mr. Lubcke believes his recent feat of receiving television images in an airplane through a set installed in an airplane is noteworthy accomplishment. Reason: Up until then, it was thought that television transmitters and receivers both had to be synchronized with the same power line before they could operate. Lubcke found that his receiving set worked from the power generated in the plane, and as far as he knows, his is the only set which will do this.
“For instance,” said Lubcke, “if television as it is practiced in the east were installed here, and the transmitters were using L. A. Gas and Electric power, listeners who used Southern California Edison could not receive the programs and vice versa. With my set they could receive either one, or they could even generate their own power, as the farmers do, and still receive the programs. (Keith Frogley column, Los Angeles Daily News, June 21)

Wednesday, June 22, 1932
Orrin E. Dunlap, radio editor for the New York Times, and author of five books on radio broadcasting and television, will speak to a nationwide radio audience when he faces WABC-Columbia microphones and W2XAB televisors as guest in “Bill Schudt’s Going to Press” from 5:25 to 5:30 p.m., EDST, Wednesday, June 22. Mr. Dunlap has just completed his fourth year as the radio editor of the New York Times. Likewise he has just published his fifth book on radio. It is entitled “The Outlook for Television” and it will be upon this same subject that he will speak on the air. Bill Schudt, Columbia television director, has again arranged for complete television and sound network synchronization for the Dunlap broadcast. Thus listeners equipped with televisors may see as well as hear the veteran radio editor. (Kingston Whig-Standard)

Saturday, June 25, 1932
WASHINGTON, June 25 (UP) – The Federal Radio Commission today granted the application of First National Television Corporation to construct and operate experimentally a 500-watt visual broadcasting station at Kansas City.
In granting the application, the commission reversed the recommendation of its examiner, R. H. Hyde.

Monday, June 27, 1932
W9XAO, Western Television, Chicago (Sound on WIBO 560 kilocycles)
6:15-6:45—Vocalist, television.

Wednesday, June 29, 1932
Louis Reid, radio editor for the New York American and also for a score of syndicated newspapers, will be the speaker on “Bill Schudt’s Going to Press” program this afternoon from 5:15 to 5:30 o’clock over the WABC-Columbia network. The talk will also be transmitted over experimental television station W2XAB at the same time. Mr. Reid's talk, orginally scheduled for a few weeks ago, was postponed due to the broadcast of the Republican National Convention.

A decidedly interesting experiment will be made for vacationists over the CBS television channel tonight [29], when two members of the Kittredge Foundation for Business Girls will demonstrate first aid measures as approved by the Red Cross and as used at their camp at Interstate Park, Bear Mountain, Miss Peggy Howells, Jersey City champion, will direct, The camp is a non-sectarian, non-commercial camp for business girls and is widely known. Incidentally, the CBS television unit is undergoing vast changes and will return to the air in about a month or so, at which time the regular network programs are expected to synchronize with the images. (David Bratton, Jr. column, Brooklyn Times Union)