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

15 Mobilization Notes: Approximately $1,500,000 in electronic plant expansion has been approved by DPA in addition to previously-listed certificates for rapid tax amortization totaling some $135,000,000 (Vol. 7:36). Certificates granted since “moratorium” began Aug. 18 (Vol. 7:33) — emergency cases or cases which required approval before Sept. 23 under federal law: Standard Tool & Mfg. Co., Arlington, N. J., electronic equipment, $666,429, of which 80% is to be amortized over 5-year period; RCA, Camden, military items, $465,000 at 75%; Globe-Union, Milwaukee, electronic parts, $398,700 & $190,789, both at 75%; P. R. Mallory, Indianapolis, military items, $384,561 at 75%; Magnavox, Ft. Wayne, military items, $350,000 at 75%; Federal Telecommunication Labs, Belleville, N. J., military items, $323,000 at 90%; Raytheon, engineering services at Newton, Mass., $87,208 at 75%, electronics equipment at Bedford, Mass., $8000 at 75%; G. H. Leland Inc., Dayton, electronic parts, $70,876 at 85%, These certificates have been issued over period of time, but haven’t been listed in DPA releases (percentage of amortization undisclosed) : Sylvania, tube components at Warren, Pa., $361,000, tubes at Salem, Mass., $346,893; Westinghouse, Pittsburgh, radar, $285,000; RCA, Camden, military equipment, $223,912; Oak Mfg. Co., Chicago, components, $155,443; Barry Corp., Watertown, N. Y., vibrators, etc., $76,703; D. S. Kennedy & Co., Cohasset, Mass., radar components, $53,399; Plastic Mfrs. Inc., Stamford, Conn., components, $24,398; Stable Engineering Inc., Plainfield, N. J., research & development, $14,365; Globe-Unicn, Milwaukee, printed circuits, $1250. Thirty-five applications for aid in building electronic plants valued at $7,000,000 were rejected this week. Among them: Cornell-Dubilier, 4 applications totaling $1,013,332; Pacent Engineering Co., New York, $1,000,000; International Resistance, $987,278; Remington-Rand, $900,000; Jefferson Electric Corp., Bellewood, 111., $818,000; Aerovox, $751,969; Wilcox-Gay, $506,000; Raytheon, 5 applications totaling $351,973. ❖ sji * * TV-radio-phonos aren’t covered by NPA’s new consumer durable goods order M-47B, which permits manufacturers of 4 selected groups of civilian products to shift production from one item to another in the same group. Under Controlled Materials Plan, any manufacturer may shift production among any items in same official product class code — hence TV-radio makers may shift between TV.s, home, portable & auto radios, combinations, phonos, color slave units, juke boxes, etc. But they can’t shift between TV-radio and other appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, as they could in third quarter under now-revoked M-47A. Govt, limitation on use of selenium may result from recent copper strike, NPA officials say. A by-product of copper smelting and refining, 1951 output of the chemical will be less than the 1,000,000 lbs. originally anticipated — because of strike and because one prime producer has stopped making selenium. Unavailability of selenium rectifiers is just one more headache for conservation-minded TV-radio manufacturers — since the rectifiers are heart of voltage-doubler circuit which can be used in place of power transformer to save copper and steel. Threat of severe tungsten shortage seems to have eased. Govt, officials told tungsten and molybdenum wire and rod producers imports and domestic production should about balance consumption during first half 1952, but the amount going into govt, stockpile will create proportionate deficit in industrial supplies. Inventories of tungsten and molybdenum — both used in electronic tubes — are sufficient to meet “current needs,” producers say. Maj. Gen. Harold M. McClelland, ex-director of communications-electronics for Joint Chiefs of Staff who retii-ed from Air Force Sept. 1, named asst, director of Central Intelligence Agency, under Gen. Walter B. Smith. Col. C. J. King promoted from asst, chief to chief, engineering & technical div.. Office of Chief Signal Officer, succeeding Col. E. R. Petzing, now commanding Signal Corps Engineering Labs, Ft. Monmouth, N. J. Melpar Inc., Alexandria, Va., piime military contractor for electronics gear, sold to Westinghouse Air Brake Co.; Thomas Meloy continues as president, heading staff of 150 engineers in Alexandria and Cambridge, Mass. DuMont will use World Series as peg for big nationwide receiver promotion, built around formation of dealerlevel “World Series Clubs” whose members can watch complete Series on 19-in. sets installed free at place of their choice. “Club” members can get the sets by registering in groups of 5 or more with DuMont dealers. DuMont also plans to install sets in barbershops, stores, hotels, train, bus and plane terminals, restaurants “and any reasonable place for viewing the series within the area where the dealer does business.” National Assn, for Better Radio & Television is new name of Southern California Assn, for Better Radio & Television, headed by Clara S. Logan, 882 Victoria Ave., Los Angeles. This is group that found “horror stuff” dominant on TV, got publicity play on protests last year. Its aim is to raise social and educational standards “without recourse to legal censorship.” A new director is Dr. Dallas Smythe, ex-FCC, now U of Illinois communications research professor. Dr. Richard Atkinson is first v.p.. Dr. Lee deForest second v.p. College students aren’t yet affected much by TV, reports National Advertising Service, representing college newspapers, after sampling 2201 students at 25 colleges in 21 TV areas. Only 13% owned TV sets at college, only 26% said they look at one or more TV programs regularly while at college. More than half (52.6%) said they spent no time at all on TV, 36.3% spend up to 5 hours weekly, 6% five to 10 hours weekly, 4% more than 10 hours weekly. Normal room lighting, with no reflections on screen, is again emphasized as most comfortable for good viewing. Advice came recently from Dr. Carl F. Shepard, Northern Illinois College of Optometry, in talk to meeting of New Jersey Optometric Assn, in Atlantic City. Dr. Shepard, TV consultant to American Optometric Assn., reiterated that there’s nothing fundamentally harmful in watching TV. Offer to install community antenna system for unnamed upstate New York entrepreneur was made recently by New York Telephone Co. It’s first such offer by a telephone company, would cost local operator $5500 per mile for installation, $80 per-mile-per-month for maintenance. No agreement has been reached. Alternatively, poles ai’e offered on rental basis under stringent conditions, similar to arrangements in other towns (Vol. 7:2 et seq). FCC denied WABD’s request to use 16.7-kw ERP on Empire State Bldg, pending decision on protest by WNHCTV, New Haven, that 16.7 kw on adjacent channel would reduce latter’s coverage. WABD’s CP specifies 2.5 kw, but it wants higher power under FCC’s temporary power increase ruling (Vol. 7:30 et seq). Installation of WCBS-TV antenna on Empire State began this week. Another attack on “immoral” TV shows by Boston’s Archbishop Cushing’ (Vol. 7:9), inserted in Sept. 25 Congressionul Record by Rep. Lane (D-Mass.), advises parents to censor children’s viewing, protest to sponsors. His first blast was accompanied by Rep. Lane’s request that FCC be given power of censorship.