Cautious Progress

Everybody talks a good deal about educational TV, but, in the view of Federal Communication's Commissioner Robert E. Lee, *-- nobody seems to do much about it. More than two years have passed since the FCC set aside 242 tax-exempt channels for education, and 195 of them are still going abegging. Is educational TV worth the long wait, or should the unused channels be thrown open to commercial use? By last week Lee's public statements had created enough of a stir to set educators to examining their TV records.

Actually, the educators have been cautious about TV with good reason. First of all, the initial cost (ranging from $32,980 to $754,160) and annual expense ($25,000 to $500,000) are high. Furthermore, FCC has allotted only UHF (ultra high frequency) channels to education in many areas, and this means that set owners have to buy tuners costing about $30 to receive the UHF transmissions. Nevertheless, last week six pioneer educational TV stations--four run by universities and two by cities--were on the air. If their progress has been slow, it has nonetheless been sure. Items: CJ The University of Southern California went on the air last November over UHF station KTHE (cost: $175,000; annual operating budget: $250,000), supported by funds from Oil Tycoon Allan Hancock, former USC board chairman. But with Hancock's abrupt resignation, KTHE may now have to continue on a "restricted-time basis." Surest sign of progress to date: the number of UHF sets in the Los Angeles area has jumped from 5,000 to 30,000.

CJ Michigan State College began operations last January with its UHF station WKAR-TV (initial cost: $400,000; annual budget: $175,000), located on the campus at East Lansing, and now claims an audience of 25,000. It broadcasts liberal-arts telecourses, sports events, a popular family farm program.

CJ The University of Wisconsin has been broadcasting only two hours a day for the past two months over experimental WHA-TV (initial cost: $175,000). In November, Wisconsin voters will be asked in a referendum: "Shall the state . . . provide a tax-supported, noncommercial educational-television network?" WHA-TV has been working hard to make the answer yes. Its bill of fare: a bedtime-story series for children, language lessons, courses in geology, art appreciation, civics. < The six stations already on the air are obviously only the beginning. So far, colleges, cities and foundations have spent or earmarked more than $15 million for educational TV, and 47 applications have been filed for the use of reserved channels. The University of North Carolina is going on the air in October. Thirty cities (including Denver, Boston, and Munford, Ala.) have received permission to start building stations. Chicago and St. Louis expect to put stations in operation by the end of the year, and Cincinnati is starting programs next week.

-- *No kin.

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