Television digest with AM-FM reports (Jan-Dec 1951)

9 Mobilization Notes: “Take the electronics thing. My God! They are conceiving things that are just amazing, but awfully intricate to build.” Speaker was mobilization chief Charles Wilson, testifying secretly before House Appropriations Committee 2 weeks ago. His testimony released Aug. 16, and included therein was statement that production of electronic equipment has increased 300% in the last 6 months, and another 300% is expected in last half of this year. Electronic gear on some planes, he observed, was now costing more than the entire plane cost in the last war. He said steel output is 7% better than year ago, will be 9% better in another year. Aluminum and copper shortages are serious, he said. Over-all military spending is now running at rate of $1.5 billion a month, wall accelerate to $3 billion a month in a year — with $10 billion in orders placed during last 3 months, $49 billion now outstanding. :fc 4: ^ 3K A 60-day “breather” on certificates of necessity, which permit 5-year tax amortization, was called this week by Mobilization Director Charles Wilson. Said Wilson, in letter to DPA Administrator Manly Fleischmann asking moratorium to begin Aug. 18: “The extremely tight situation in the availability of critical materials, such as structural steel, makes it unlikely that new facility construction beyond that now planned can proceed for several months except for the most urgent projects.” He asked for “minimum of exceptions.” Most recent list of certificates, covering Aug. 3-10, includes 3 electronics firms: GE, Bridgeport, electronic equipment, $131,700, of which 75% can be amortized over 5-year period; Transducer Corp., Boston, research & development, $11,376, and electronic equipment, $11,177, both 75%; Transformer Engineers, Pasadena, electronic equipment, $13,453, 75%. In addition, DPA authorized 2 emergency loans for electronics firms during July 27Aug. 9 period: Varian Associates, San Carlos, Cal., $1,520,000 for expansion of research, development and production facilities ; Lear Inc., Grand Rapids, $863,000 to buy machinery and retire debt. * * * * Slow rate of CMP applications for fourth-quarter allotment of raw materials puzzles NPA officials. Of anticipated 1200 from electronics industry, only 700 had been counted by week’s end, though deadline was Aug. 15. According to H. J. Holbrook, chief of consumer durables division, many manufacturers don’t seem to realize they’re taking serious risks for next year if they don’t get their requests. in now, even if they think they’re well fixed for fourth quarter. To ease delivery problems of small users of steel, copper and aluminum, NPA amended Direction 3 to CMP Reg. 1, to permit manufacturers to hike from 35% to 50% amounts of the metals they can order for any single month. Order also permits users to order full carload of carbon steel at one time, even though they’re allotted as little as one carload for whole quarter. Whole NPA Electronics Div. moves Aug. 21 from 801 E St. NW. to Temporary Bldg. T, Constitution Ave. & 14th St., in Washington. Automatic activator for sleet-melting elements on antennas has been developed by American Instrument Co., 8030 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, Md. It has “sensing” unit whic’n turns on heating elements during proper temperature-moisture conditions. Company says device is particularly useful for unattended relay stations which generally employ parabolic antennas. Financial & Trade Notes: ABC’s net income after taxes rose to $472,000, or 28^ a share, first 6 months of 1951, continuing rise since recent report to stockholders that first quarter profits were $221,858 on sales of $14,560,345 (Vol. 7:26). Six-month profit, in fact, was slightly more than shown in all of 1948, when net was $468,488 on sales of $37,110,726. In 1949, ABC lost $519,085 on sales of $40,267,488; in 1950 it earned $84,605 on sales of $45,879,660. ABC’s first 6 months earnings compare with profit of $180,000 (11^) for same 1950 period, loss of $46,141 for same 1949 period. Gross sales figure isn’t announced, but for ABC’s gross TV & radio time sales for the 6 months, see PIB figures, p. 16, Vol. 7:29. * * * * Philco sales rose to $171,023,000 during first 6 months of 1951, up 16% from the $147,012,000 of same 1950 period. But net income after taxes of $8,046,000 fell to $6,342,000, or $1.74 a share after preferred dividends, from $6,672,000 (after $5,378,000 taxes) or $1.84 per share for first half 1950. Second quarter sales were $57,499,000, net earnings $1,988,000 (53(if) vs. $67,525,000 sales and $2,598,000 ($1.49) earnings same quarter last year. During all 1950 (Vol. 7:12), Philco’s sales were $335,318,000, up 56% from 1949’s $214,884,000; earnings $15,484,000 ($4.50), up from 1949’s $5,692,000 ($1.58). Cornell-Dubilier reports sales of $26,202,998, net profit of $1,415,738 ($3.21 a share) first 6 months of 1951. This compares with $19,432,514 sales, $970,148 profit ($2.15) same 1950 period. During quarter ended June 30, sales were $8,981,505, profit after taxes $475,521 ($1.08) vs. $9,265,156 & $415,325 (94^) same 1950 quarter. Muntz TV Inc. reports net loss of $7282 for June 30 quarter, compared with $154,436 loss same quarter last year. For its fiscal year ending last March 31, Muntz reported profit of $749,852 (74^ a share) on $27,147,846 sales (Vol. 7:26). General Precision Equipment Corp. consolidated net income for quarter ended June 30 was $188,035 (30^ a share) on $7,654,493 sales vs. $195,662 (33<ji) on $6,779,814 for same 1950 quarter. Webster-Chicago sales rose to $9,928,723 first 6 months of 1951 from $7,907,740 same 1950 period, but profit dropped to $409,944 (91^ a share) from $618,038 ($1.37). Oak Mfg. Corp, reports net income of $1,188,037 ($2.27 a share on 524,715 shares) for fiscal year ended May 31 vs. $1,179,334 ($2.62 on 450,524 shares) in preceding fiscal year. Dividends: Philco, quartei’ly 94%^ on pfd. payable Oct. 1 to holders of record Sept. 15, and 40^ on common payable Sept. 12 to holders Aug. 27; Cornell-Dubilier, quarterly $1.31% on pfd. payable Oct. 15 to holders of record Sept. 24, and 30<^ on common payable Sept. 25 to holders Aug. 28 (raised from former 20<f quarterly); WebsterChicago, 25^ payable Sept. 20 to holders Sept. 10. ■ Weaker signals very near transmitter, a concomitant of extremely tall antennas with high gain, are being boosted by antenna phasing techniques which direct more radiation towards antenna base. WNBT, New York, is latest to try it. Allowed 18.3 kw ERP at Empire State Bldg., it was granted STA to beam more energy downward, reducing over-all ERP to 14.5 kw. KECA-TV and KTTV, Los Angeles, have used technique, and others plan to try it. Note on progress-under-Socialism : London reports say National Radio Show, Aug. 29-Sept. 8, will bring forth fewer 9 & 10-in. TVs, with 12-in. becoming “standard” and some 15 & 16-in. emerging.