New Educational TV Station Will Begin Operation

Boston's second educational television station, WGBX, will be set up within a year with a $725,190 grant from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

WGBH-TV (Channel 2), Boston's existing educational station, will operate WGBX, which will be transmitted on Channel 44 in the Ultra High Frequency range.

David Ives, an assistant station manager of WGBH, emphasized yesterday that HEW has allocated the money not for actual operation of the new station but to cover the cost of equipment. There will be no federal control over programming, he said.

Harvard is one of 14 members of the Lowell Institute Cooperative Broadcasting Council, which provides the operating budget of WGBH and given advice on programming. The WGBH building on Western Ave., which will house WGBX, was built on land made available by the University at an annual rent of $1.

WGBH, in conjunction with the Commission on Extension Courses, broadcasts four courses each term which can be taken for Harvard credit towards a B.A. degree in extension studies. At present, the U.S. Navy finances these programs and they are rebroadcast on film aboard nuclear submarines on lengthly cruises. Ives said it is possible that the new station will also carry extension courses for Harvard credit.

Part of the HEW grant will enable WGBX to install facilities for color transmission. "We need color to compete with commercial TV," Ives explained.