Ha-- WUAB to ask for Channel 19 ^Ra^BoilP.Eirt If theFederal Commum- eatiq^Commission (FCC) allows, Channel 43 will’ be come Channel 19—possibly by the £nd of this year. -Jack Moffitt,' general mSnager’of WUAB-TV, confirmed yesterday that thestation will apply to the' FCC this month for the change on the UHF band. “After the filing—and if we have clear sailing—the earliest we could have the switch completed would be close to the end of 1975” Moffitt said. The license for the last, lowest—and best—spot on the Cleveland UHF spec trum, as assigned by the FCC, has been up in the air for years. The construction permit is owned by Community Te lecasters of Cleveland Inc. Channel 19 is considered a broadcasting plum be cause reception should lit erally rival that of a VHF station. Due to the nature of the UHF band, the lower the channel number, the better the picture quality as com pared to that of a higher- numbered station with comparable power. Community Telecasters applied for Channel 19 on April 16, 1963. The firm was given the go-ahead May 22,1968, after Cleve land Broadcasting Inc. (former owner of WERE Radio) had given up its original right to the con struction permit and a bid by Westchester Corp., for mer owner of WIXY-AM and WDOK-FM, was dis missed by the FCC. In August 1972, Joseph T. Zingale, former co-owner of WIXY and WDOK, an nounced that he had made an agreement to buy the construction permit However, Channel 43 contested Zingale’s bid in January 1973, citing his in terests in professional sports teams—director, partner or part owner of the Indians, Cavaliers and Crusaders—plus broad casting ties. The FCC later struck down Channel 43’s chal lenge. Then, Zingale pulled out of the race for Channel 29 In February 1974 is a dispute over the price. “United Artists Broads casting . (New York-based owner of Channel 43) and Community Telecasters have agreed that we will pay the latter group what ever the FCC says we must for its expenses—up) to |250,000,” Moffitt said. He added that WUAB has^ been conducting a studyott> its plan to transfer the con struction permit* * Channel 4 3^ -Muck .-, bias : 1 beat on theMjp since Sept 15, 1968, is licensed to Lo rain. Channel 19 is licensed to Cleveland. “We are licensed to Lo rain and we certainly plan to continue to fulfill the needs of that community” if the channel switch is ap proved, Moffitt said. WUAB’s studios are at <443 DayDr, Parma, and would . remain there after- the transfer. The call let ters of the station would not be changed. Channel 43’s signa^ comes from an antenna .atop a tower, leased front and shared with Channel 61. Tfcesite is ojg Bnwfung Dr.,plfiSia. ' If toe FCC approves the change/sHtiiat would happen toOupujel 43 on the dial? ^*Tnere are a number of opens,” Moffitt saqL “We could give it to an educa tional institution—or just give it back to the FCC (for someone else to pur chase)." Moffitt said broadcasting from Channel 19 “would give us a vastly improved signal over what we now have. Part of the advantage would be better reception in Lorain. “And becoming a Cleve land station would give us a chance to become more Continued oe Page 5-D Shatterproof Bottle MOZ. MOUTHWASH Revco's low. Everyday Discount Price EVERY DA Y /S SA VIN6S DAY ON EVERYTHING ^revcT „ AT "revco/ - s v BEVC0 All this week,'Today originates in Hawaii. Barbara Walters and Jim Hartz (and Joe Garagiola- back for a week) bring you the f lavor, tradition and life-styles of our 50th State. This morning: sit in on a rural luau! 7AXT-SAKIAM NBC3