March 1929

On a rainy day in Washington, D.C., March 4, 1929, Herbert Hoover took the U.S. presidential oath of office as radio covered the story with its top commentators of the era.

What about television?

C. Francis Jenkins, owner/operator of a small station in the nation’s capital, announced elaborate plans to film, broadcast, then re-broadcast part of the ceremony.

Did it happen? In looking through newspapers, broadcasting magazines and other publications of the day, no story exists to say if there was a telecast, let alone how good or bad it was. A sub-headline in the March 5 New York Herald Tribune read “Television Sends Photos of Action During Event” but the actual story, written the day before, doesn’t mention TV at all, just radio. A unsourced, unbylined story in the Gresham, Neb. Gazette on March 8 stated: “Every modern method of dissemination, except television, was used to give the nation and the world instant pictures of the events of the day” and goes on to mention “sound pictures” were made and people “saw the inaugural ceremony in their uptown ‘movie’ places a few hours after the occurrence.” Indeed, Variety reported mentioned Fox Movietone and Pathe News rushed to get the newsreel footage into theatres. Some newspapers wrote about the radio coverage and talked about television progressing so it could air the 1932 inauguration.

Jenkins himself gave quite a number of interviews about television and his station station’s programming to newspapers. Not once did he mention a special inauguration broadcast. There’s no proof it did happen, so I have my doubts.

The decision by the Federal Radio Commission in late February to clear the standard radio band of television signals meant some scrambling, except for WRNY which apparently took advantage of the rule exemption between 1 and 6 a.m. Stations had to change frequencies. As well, several new stations got on the air in the next several months to run tests, including W2XCL in Brooklyn.

There’s a mention in the press of W7AXO in Portland, owned by an engineer at KWJJ radio.

CBS wasn’t in the television business yet, but Bill Paley was planning ahead, reserving space for TV studios in the soon-to-be-built 485 Madison Avenue tower.

Below are some of the major stories in television for March 1929. We’ve omitted dozens and dozens of speculation pieces, including at least a half dozen from Frank Jenkins.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1929
TO SEND FILM OF INAUGURAL BYTELEVISION
Firm Plans to Transmit Moving Pictures of Parade 30 Minutes After Event
WASHINGTON, March 2.—Anyone unable to come to Washington for the inauguration of Herbert Hoover, but who possesses a television receiving set, will be able to see movies of the parade within half an hour after it passes the moving picture cameras, according to plans of the Jenkins Television Company of Washington and New Jersey.
Moving pictures will be taken of the parade, the film rushed to the laboratory where it will be developed and run through the transmitter of the apparatus, the elapsed time being 30 minutes, C. Francis Jenkins, noted inventor and head of the Jenkins Television Co. explained. The program will continue from the time the parade starts, shortly after noon, until 9 p. m., Mr. Jenkins said, owing to the fact that many of the television audience are employed during the daytime and will not be able to "look-in" until after the parade is over. For the benefit of these the films will be re-broadcast in the evening.
Those who are in a position to sit close to their scanning disks, however will see the parade within 30 minutes after it has been glimpsed by the crowds in Washington. It is pointed out that pictures taken of the parade when it leaves the Capitol will be available to the television audience in scattered parts of the country at about the exact time that portion of it swings around the Treasury Building on its way past the White House.
The films will average 200 feet in length and will be run through the transmitter at the rate of about 15 feet a second. After each section of film is transmitted an announcement will be made as to the nature of the next to be shown, and another 200 feet of film will be broadcast.
This will continue while the parade is in progress and will then be re-broadcast in the evening. To overcome showing pictures of parade in reverse form, as would be the case in looking at a photographic film, the electrical equipment of the television transmitter will be reversed, Mr. Jenkins said.
The transmission will be over two short wave channels which were granted to the Jenkins company this week by the Federal Radio Commission. For local reception a 2,000 kilocycle band will be used, and for distance the broadcasting will be over a band of approximately 3,000 kilocycles. The bands will be 100 kilocycles in width, Mr. Jenkins pointing out this is necessary for the broadcasting of movies. In the regular broadcast band with a channel but ten kilocycles wide it is difficult to transmit anything of a visual nature other than still pictures.
The Jenkins company has in course of construction in Maryland a 5,000 kilowatt station, but it is not believed that this will be completed in time to send out the inaugural parade. The transmitter, therefore, will be located in Mr. Jenkins’ laboratory at 1519 Connecticut Avenue. (Springfield News-Sun, Mar. 3)
SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 1929
TELEVISION SCHEDULES
Radiovision Broadcasts Are Finding Place.
Pittsburgh, Pa.—W8XAV, Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., 20,000 watts, 2000-2100 kc. or 145 m. and 2100-2200. kc or 139 m. 20 frames per second, 60 lines per frame. Transmitting television programs, generally motion picture films, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 5:10 to 6 a. m., eastern standard time.
Schenectady, N. Y., W2XAF, 2100-2200 kc. or 145 m. General Electric Co., 24 lines, 20 frames per picture. Sunday, 11:15 to 11:45 p. m. Tuesday, 1[2] to 12.30 p. m. Tuesday. Wednesday and Friday. 1:30 to 2 p. m.
Washington, D. C., W3XX. C. Francis Jenkins, 250 watts, 2000-2100 kc. or 145 m. and 2850-2950 kc. of 103 m. Standard scanning. 8 to 9 p. m., eastern standard time. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Radio-movies.
EXPERIMENTAL.
Brooklyn, N. Y.—Pilot Electric Co., license approved, but frequency not yet assigned.
Chicago, Ill.—W9XAA, Chicago Federation of Labor, 500 watts, 2000-2100 kc. or 145 m. Standard scanning.
Chicago, Ill.—Aeroproducts, Inc. 2000-2100 kc. or 145 m.
Jersey City, N. J.—Jenkins Television Corp., 2100-2200 kc., or 139 m.
Lexington, Mass.—W1XAY, Lexington Air Station, 300 watts, new frequency not yet assigned. Standard scanning. Daily, 3 to 4 p. m. and Friday, 7:30 to 8 p. m. Will soon be equipped to broadcast voice and vision simultaneously.
Newark, N. J.—WAAM, Inc., license approved, but frequency not yet assigned.
New York, N. Y.—W2XBW, Inc., [sic] license approved, but frequency not yet assigned.
New York, N. Y.—W2XBW and W2XBV, Radio Corp. of America, 5000 watts. 2000-2100 kc. or 145 m. and 2100-2200 kc. or 139 m.
Oakland, Cal.—General Electric Co., 2000-2100 kc. or 145 m.
Springfield, Mass.—Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., 2000-2100 kc. or 145 m.
Winter Park, Fla.—William Justis Lee, license approved, but frequency not yet assigned.
NOTES.
Standard scanning refers to the standard adopted by the Radio Manufacturers Assn. This is 48 lines per picture, 15 frames per second, with scanning consecutive from left to right and top to bottom as one reads the page of a book.
All the above stations have been licensed by the Federal Radio Commission. A number of others who have previously been broadcasting still have their applications pending. (Pittsburgh Press)

SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 1929
The new and powerful transmitter, now being constructed by the Jenkins television corporation in Jersey City, will be ready for preliminary tests on April 1. Its call letters will be W2XCR and it will operate on a frequency of 2150 kilocycles with a variable power up to 5 kilowatts. (Ben Gross, Daily News)

Television Space in New 25-Story C. B. S. Building
Realizing that television as a means of transmitting visually action that takes place in studios is somewhere in the future, engineers of the Columbia Broadcasting System are providing lighting equipment, control rooms and conduits for this purpose in their new 24-story [sic] building now in the course of completion at Madison Avenue and 52d Street, New York.
The five top stories of the structure, which will bear the name "The Columbia Broadcasting System Building," are being specially constructed. They will provide executive offices of the company, as well as tiny studios for individual speakers, medium studios for such presentations as orchestras, and huge, auditorium-like rooms for accommodating up to 250 entertainers. There will be fifteen studios in all. Visitors will be able to witness performances from glass enclosed balconies above the larger studios, which will be two stories high in some cases.
The building is expected to be ready for occupancy by early fall. Officials of the company hope that they may be able to celebrate Columbia's second birthday in the new quarters. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

So far, nothing has been heard of the television films to be made at the Hoover-Curtis inaugural for transmission shortly thereafter.
But, scanning the public prints, Static refuses to mourn a lost opportunity to see ex-President Coolidge again under a top hat. (“Static” radio column, Cleveland Plain Dealer)

TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1929
TELEVISION STATIONS BEING ERECTED
JERSEY CITY, N. J., March 12.—Having been granted the necessary transmitting licenses by the Federal Radio Commission, the Jenkins Television Corporation of this city is now building a powerful television transmitter here and another In Washington. D. C. According to James W. Garside, president of the corporation, the Jersey city transmitter will operate at a frequency of 2150 kilocycles, which is equivalent to about 140 meters, a variable power up to 5 kilowatts. The construction work should be completed in time to have the transmitter on the air for preliminary tests by April 1. The transmitter is being installed in the radio room on the roof of the Jenkins Television plant. The call letters of this transmitter will be W2XCR.
Meanwhile, a similar license has been granted the Jenkins Television Corporation for the Installation of a television transmitter in the vicinity of Washington. The site will be in Montgomery County, Me., [sic] between Norbec and Rockville. A 5-kilowatt transmitter will be installed to serve Washington, Philadelphia. Baltimore and other surrounding cities. (Burlington Press, Mar. 13)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1929
TELEVISION PERMIT GRANTED LEXINGTON
Station to Use 5000 Watts on 2000-2100 Kilocycles
The Lexington Radio Station was notified yesterday [13] by the Federal Radio Commission that the petition of the company for a 5000-watt television transmitting wave band has been granted. This station will be the first station New England to have a television transmitter.
At present there are but three other licensed television stations. They are owned by the Westinghouse Corporation, General Electric Company and the Jenkins Television Corporation.
The Lexington station will have a band covering 2000 to 21000 kilocycles [sic].(Boston Globe, Mar. 14)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1929
Demonstration of Outdoor Scene By Improved Television
By DR. R. W. KING
ENGINEERS of Bell Telephone Laboratories, who nearly two years ago gave the first demonstration of television, disclosed some of the further progress which they have made during their continued researches by demonstrating a new transmitting device which is capable of putting upon the television circuit outdoor scenes. On the roof of the Laboratories actors boxed and danced, swung baseball bats and golf clubs to appear in brightly illuminated pictures in one of the laboratories on the eighth floor. The present apparatus differs radically from that of the first demonstration when the scene to be transmitted was illuminated by a powerful artificial light and only the actor’s head and shoulders appeared in transmission. With the improved apparatus the scene was illuminated by ordinary sunlight and covered the area occupied by the golfer.
In the first form of apparatus, demonstrated in April, 1927, the scene was illuminated by a rapidly oscillating beam from a powerful arc light, and that limited the scene to be transmitted to a very small area. The new development frees television from one of its most serious limitations.
The scene or event to be transmitted is reduced to the form of an image by a large lens, this image being scanned by a rapidly rotating disc similar to but much larger than that previously employed. The lens served somewhat the same purpose in the television apparatus as the large lens of an astronomical telescope, and like the latter it should be large to gather as much light as possible.
The experiments show that moving persons and objects can be successfully scanned, although at a considerable distance from the lens, and therefore in such a position that the focus of the lens does not require changing from moment to moment. Light passing through the lens and scanning disc actuates a light responsive device of extreme sensitiveness and generates an electric current which after amplification may be transmitted either by wire or radio.
The developments in television which were demonstrated were perfected by Dr. Frank Gray of the Laboratories working in collaboration with Dr. Herbert E. Ives. They illustrate the continued interest and progress of the telephone engineers in the problems of television, but the engineers themselves refused to prophesy as to future developments or applications. They pointed out that the improvement was in the television transmitter and that its use required no fundamental change in the two types of receiving equipment for use by either single individuals or larger audiences which were developed and demonstrated year ago. (Paterson Morning Call)
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1929
That Strange Sound in Radio Is Nightly Television Program
NEW YORK, March 22—Radio fans who twist the dials between 7 and 9 o'clock these nights are hearing, when they get down between 142.8 and 149.9 meters, a strange stuttering gibberish and unmusical mixture of musical sounds which only a few amateurs, those who are experimenting with television, are able to untangle.
Dr. Alfred N. Goldsmith, vice-president and chief broadcasting engineer of the Radio Corporation, let the secret out yesterday [21] and explained this nightly program is sent an almost unknown broadcasting station at No. 411 Fifth Avenue and is for the enjoyment of "lookers in" not "listeners in."
In the small laboratory at 411 Fifth Avenue, where the 250-watt transmitter is situated, every now and then Dr. Goldsmith, instead of making the usual announcement, "This is station W2XBS,” reaches over and picks up a placard on which simply “W2XBA” has been printed and holds this up to the electric "eye" of the television transmitter.

Immediately this "eye" flings its retinal message into space, making that mysterious gibberish for the "listeners in" but recording a perfectly intelligible message in the television receivers or "electric brains" which a few scattered experimenters have set up on Long Island, in Jersey or upper New York State or Connecticut, attached to wires strung over apartment roofs.
Although David Sarnoff, executive vice-president of the Radio Corporation, said only two months ago that it would be three to five years before television equipment was on the market for anybody to buy and set up, in the same fashion as sound broadcasting goes on at present, Dr. Goldsmith let it be known that the scheme has already reached a very research workable stage, thanks to the research work of Dr. E. F. W. Alexanderson of the General Electric Company and Dr. Frank Conrad of the Westinghouse laboratory, not to mention Dr. Goldsmith's present work. (Springfield Union, Mar. 22)

OFF THE ANTENNA
For over six months past the Jenkins laboratories of Washington, D. C. have been broadcasting television pictures for members of the American Radio Relay league and radio amateurs at large. This service has proved highly popular. Many "lookers-in” have built their own television receivers or have made use of the simple kit offered by Mr. Jenkins for purely experimental purposes. However, of late there is a steadily increasing demand for a simple, compact and practical television receiver which will soon be met by the production of the Jenkins televisor.
The Jenkins radio movies, as they are termed, are broadcast on 46.72 meters (6420 kilocycles), in the form of a 48-line picture with 15 pictures per second. The station call is W3XK. The same pictures are also simultaneously broadcast on 186.92 meters (1605 kilocycles) for Washington and neighboring receivers within the skip distance of short-wave signals. The radio movies are broadcast on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings at 8 p. m., eastern standard time.
The Jenkins broadcasts have been in the form of experimental tests. Mr. Jenkins, a firm believer in the great laboratory of everyday application, has had the active co-operation of experimenters throughout the country who have tuned in his television signals. At first, simple subjects have been sent out, but of late Mr. Jenkins has arranged for more elaborate subjects, step by step, in keeping with the experimental facilities of his scattered collaborators. Each subject is preceded by an announcement (both in code and phone at present) and each picture story finishes with “End,” which means, of course, that the looker-in must throw a switch back to the loud speaker for the next announcement.
Until now, the subjects have been in the form of silhouet or black-and-white pictures and the action has been relatively simple. This simplicity has been for the purpose of making reception easier for amateurs, and also to insure best results with the frequency bands available. However, Mr. Jenkins has about completed a new broadcast transmitter for working in the band of 4900 to 5000 kilocycles, which will permit of transmitting half-tone pictures in place of the present black-and-white or silhouet pictures. Nevertheless, it has been found by repeated broadcasts of Jenkins radio movies that stories in silhouet can be made quite as entertaining as movie cartoons in the theater, not forgetting in addition the appeal of the mystery of movies by way of radio.
Within the very near future the first practical television receiver or televisor will be placed on the market for use with any standard short-wave or broadcast receiver, as the case may be, in place of the usual loud speaker for the reception of the Jenkins radio movies and other television signals. Through the medium of the Jenkins radio movies projector, a sufficient number of stations will broadcast television signals throughout the country for a nation-wide service. (Springfield, Mass. Daily News)

SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1929
TELEVISION EXHIBITED
Demonstration Features Verona Business Show.
A television demonstration is a feature of the Verona Business show at the Gearty building, Bloomfield and Fairview avenues, Verona. The show, which opened Wednesday and will end tonight, is being held under the auspices of the Verona Chamber of Commerce.
The television apparatus is being shown by Leland St. George, radio dealer, through an arrangement with Station WAAM, Newark. Demonstrations have been given nightly to large crowds. (Montclair, N.J. Times)

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 1929
GRANT TELEVISION PERMIT
WASHINGTON, March 26.—(AP)—The radio commission today granted stations WHAS, operated by the Courier-Journal and the Louisville Times Co., permission to engage in television and picture broadcasting on 820 kilocycles between the hours of 1 and 6 a. m. The commission also granted the station a construction permit to increase its power from 5,000 to 10,000 watts.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 1929
WASHINGTON, March 26, (AP)—Twenty-two visual broadcast stations soon will be transmitting pictures and television images on channels assigned by the federal radio commission.
Twelve of the stations are located in the east, four in the middle west, two in the far west and one in the south. Three are portables owned by the Radio Corporation of America. One station, WRNY, Coytesville, N. J., operated by the Experimenter Publishing Company, is operating on 1010 kilocycles in the broadcast band. The others send on channels, 100 kilocycles wide, in the high frequency band.
Stations operating on short waves and their frequencies follow: W1XAE, Springfield, Westinghouse Company, 2000 to 2100 kilocycles; W1XAY, Lexington, Lexington Air Stations, 2000 to 2100; W2XBA, Newark, N. J., WAAM Inc., 2750 to 2850; W2XBS, portable, RCA, 2000 to 2100; W2XBV, portable, RCA, 2000 to 2100; W2XBW, portable, RCA 2000 to 2100; W2XCL, New York, Pilot Electric Manufacturing Company, 2000 to 2100 and 2750 to 2850.
W2XCO, New York, RCA, 2100 to 2200; W2XCR, Jersey City, Jenkins Television Corporation; 2100 to 2200; W2XCW, Schenectady, N. J., General Electric, 2100 to 2200; W2XX, Ossining, N. Y., Robert F. Gowen, 2000 to 2100; W3XK, Washington, Jenkins Laboratories, 2000 to 2100 and 2850 to 2950; W3XL, Bound Brook, N. J., RCA, 2850 to 2950; W4XE, Winter Park, W. J. Lee, 2000 to 2100; W6XN, Oakland, Cal., General Electric, 2000 to 2100; W7XAO, Portland, Wilbur Jerman, 2750 to 2850.
W8XAV, Pittsburgh, Westinghouse, 2000 to 2100, 2100 to 2200 and 2750 to 2850; W9XAA, Chicago, Federation of Labor, 2000 to 2100; W9XAG, Chicago, Aero Products, 2100 to 2200; W9XAO, Chicago, Nelson Bond and Mortgage Company. 2000 to 2100; W9XAZ, Iowa City, University of Iowa, 2000 to 2100.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1929
TELEVISION PERMIT SOUGHT BY WENR
Chicago Station Proposes to Give All-Day Service
Special Dispatch to the Globe
WASHINGTON, March 27—John V. Hogan, consulting radio engineer of New York City, today appeared before the Federal Radio Commission on behalf of Station WENR, Chicago, which has an application before the commission for television broadcasting. WENR wishes to erect a 5000-watt station to broadcast pictures on a frequency of about 2000 kilocycles from 7 in the morning until midnight.
Speaking of television, Hogan told the commission that he knew of no visual broadcasting with any program that was available to the public the present time. “However,” he said, “it is of a character and in a condition that should be encouraged as much as possible. As a program service television is very much in need of technical and program development. Even in its present state it has aroused interest to the extent that there now between 500 and 1000 receiving sets in the vicinity of Chicago.”
At the same hearing WENR also applied to the Commission for several short wave channels to use experimentally for relay broadcasting. E. H. Gager, chief engineer for WENR told the Commission that for the past little while his station had been conducting experiments in the rebroadcasting of programs from WWVA at Wheeling, W. Va, and WDRC at New Haven, Conn.
“If the Commission will permit us the use of these short wave channels we are asking for,” he said, “We hope to distribute ours to WRUF, Gainesville, Fla., and WEBR, Buffalo, and eventually over the South and West of the United States, after we have solved the national problem we will attempt to do some international relay broadcasting." (Boston Globe, Mar. 28)

FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 1929
GREAT LAKES COMPANY ASKS STATION PERMIT
WASHINGTON, March 29.—The Great Lakes broadcasting Company, Chicago, today applied to the federal radio commission for permission to construct a broadcasting station having 5000 watts power and operating on the 6000 kilocycle wave length.
Application was made also for permission to erect television apparatus having 20,000 watts power and to be operated between 7 a. m. and midnight daily. (Camden Evening Courier)