TV Possible by Christmas, Craney of KXLY believes

Spokane Daily Chronicle

“Television possibly by Christmas but probably not before,” was the word today from Ed Craney, general manager of radio station KXLY which was allotted TV channel 4 by the Federal Communications Commission.

Craney dispelled prevalent rumors that the station would operate on an “interim” basis—a purely local and temporary setup—until such time as full-scale operation would be possible.

“We have no immediate plans for an interim operation,” he said. “Dealers handling television sets have approached me on such a program, but I can’t see that it would be practicable from a public point of view or feasible financially on the part of the station.”

However, Craney said the station is making plans for a “closed circuit camera and film chain, by use of coaxial cable and strictly local” to permit dealers to demonstrate sets.

“We hope to have this in operation by September 1,” he said. Negotiations, he added are being carried on with the Washington Water Power for laying of necessary cables.

Craney said KXLY will set up a control room in present studios at W315 Sprague and will buy a number of national shows for the dealer demonstration.

Channel 4, denoted as “very high frequency,” was allotted to a combine made up of KXLY, Bing Crosby and Spokane associates of Crosby. Channel 6 was granted to KHQ, and Louis Wasmer has an application for Channel 2.

Craney said network television probably will not reach Spokane before 1954.

“Plans are being made to tap the transcontinental line at Salt Lake City for an extension to Pasco for an intermediary station,” he said. “A new connection then would be made from Portland to Pasco to Spokane.”

At KHQ, Richard Dunning said his station was going ahead to get television as quickly as possible.

“As announced before, we plan to use the KHQ tower on Moran Prairie for transmitting purposes, but we’ll have to build new studios,” he said. “We hope to be in operation by the end of the year, but much depends on the steel situation and weather conditions.”

Monday, July 21, 1952