Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

10 Topics & Trends of TV Trade: Final week’s output figures still lacking due to inability of auditors to compile them soon enough, RTMA this week released revised and final TV-radio production figures for January-thru-November, 1951 (see below). To these can be added the estimated 125,745 TVs turned out during week ended Nov. 30 (counted as a December statistical week), the 109,468 to Dec. 7, the 117,047 to Dec. 14 and 86,594 to Dec. 21 — to give grand total of 5,236,910. Final 10 days of December, despite holidays, are reasonably certain to swell this figure to around 5,300,000. The radio figures in table below tell their own story. But since November figures were finalized, RTMA has reported these additional weeks’ totals: 196,222, 206,581, 200,869, 164,276 — so that with one week to go total radios came to 12,469,063 units. The RTMA table for first 11 month of 1951: Home Auto TV Radios Portables Sets January 645,716 750,289 75,294 346,799 February 679,319 764,679 79,859 437,779 March (5 Weeks) 874,634 988,078 147,037 545,297 April 469,157 619,651 150,494 542,021 May 339,132 581,557 164,171 603,534 June (5 Weeks) 326,547 346,135 228,454 494,202 July 152,306 184,002 70,538 293,955 August 146,705 295,587 77,568 190,252 Sept. (5 weeks) 337,341 603,055 103,355 393,836 October 411,867 513,609 94,053 267,061 November . 415,332 477,734 64,111 206,069 Total 11 Mo. .. 4,798,056 6,124,376 1,255,934 4,320,805 * * * * Merchandising Notes: New York dept, store business was down 5.5% in December from same month year ago — TV-radio decreases ranging from 1% to 50%, according to monthly Herald Tribune retail trade survey; only one store reported TV-radio gain, which was 32.3% . . . Washington area distributors sold 5028 TV sets to retailers during November, as against 5947 in November 1950, repoi’ts Electric Institute; for 11 months through November, sales were 49,915 TVs vs. 72,511 . . . Sears Roebuck mid-winter catalog cuts 17-in. Silvertone TV table to $160 (was $170), 20-in. to $210 (was $220) ; new 20-in. console lists at $240 . . . Spiegel Inc., in new 1952 catalog, adds 20-in. “Aircastle” table at $240, consolette $270; its 17-in. table is $190 (reduced from fall-winter catalog’s $220), consolette is $230 (console formerly offered was $260); combinations dropped . . . Add these distributor meetings and exhibitors, during Chicago’s Jan. 7-18 furniture marts, to those previously reported in this column (Vol. 7:50-52): CBS-Co lumbia, exhibit in Congress Hotel Jan. 7; Bendix Radio, meeting in Ambassador East Jan. 7 ; Sentinel, headquarters in Sheraton Hotel . . . Admiral again to sponsor Chicago finals of Golden Gloves boxing tournament March 7, AllStar football Aug. 15, simulcast on DuMont and Mutual. National Appliance & Radio Dealers Assn, expects big dealer attendance at its Jan. 14-15 convention in Chicago’s Conrad Hilton Hotel (Stevens). Monday luncheon speaker is Allen B. DuMont giving “One Man’s Opinion” on TV and related arts TV session Tuesday afternoon will be addressed by Fred Ogilby, Philco v.p., speaking on “How Dealers in New Territories Can Get Started in the TV Business”; Glen McDaniel, RTMA president, “The Outlook for TV in 1952”; Mort Farr, NARDA president, “Servicing.” Motorola’s new price list (Vol. 7:52) x-an into snag this week because of OPS ruling against higher warranty charges, but executive v.p. Robert W. Galvin said that prices would remain same and that firm was working out new method of computing warranty and taxes. Featured in new Philco line, introduced at Jan. 5 distributor meetings in Chicago, are nine 21-in. models, all with cylindrical face tube which reduces glare and reflection, provides 20% more viewing area than conventional 20in. All-new line also includes six 20-in. and four 17-in. sets. Prices are considerably lower than previous line, with 20-in. receivers “in the same price range that made 16-in. sets price leaders less than a year ago.” New developments include completely new chassis and “SuperColorado Tuner.” Prices, rounded out, not including Federal excise tax: The 17-in. line begins with Model 1802 table at $200. Other 17-in. tables are Model 1820 at $240 & 1821 at $260. Only 17-in. console is 1850 at $300. The 20-in. tables: 2120, mahogany $260; 2122, mahogany $300, blonde $320. Consoles in the 20-in. line: 2151, walnut $320, mahogany $340, blonde $360. One table model is featured in 21-in. line, Model 2224, mahogany $340. Consoles, all mahogany: 2252 at $360; 2253, casters, $380; 2254, casters, $400; 2256, casters, % doors, $430; 2258, casters, full doors, $450; 2259, genuine mahogany, full doors, casters, $480; 2283, AM-phono, % doors, $600; 2275, AM-FM-phono, $775. * * * * RCA’s winter line, delivered to distributors this week, consists of six 21-in. models and six 17-in., including four 21in. and two 17-in. held over from old line. Dropped from 17-in. line were old metal table at $280, wood table at $300, and in place of them are the Colby, metal table at $260, and Glenside, metal table at $280 in mahogany finish, $290 in blonde. New 17-in. consoles are Crafton at $340 in mahogany or walnut, $350 in oak and Calhoun, with doors, mahogany or walnut, $395. Continued are 17-in. console Covington, $380 in mahogany or walnut, $390 in oak, and Kendall, mahogany, walnut or oak, $390. New in 21-in. line are Selfridge table at $380 in mahogany or walnut, $390 in oak, and Meredith open console at $425 in mahogany or walnut, $445 in oak. The 4 holdover 21-in., all consoles introduced last August and increased in price about 5% as of Dec. 24 (Vol. 7:50): Suffolk $450, oak $470; Donley $475, oak $495; Rockingham $495; Clarendon $525. Matching consolette bases are available for table models at $18.95 for 17-in., $20 & $22.50 for 20-in. No combinations are now offered by RCA, except as there may be some old models still in pipelines. Whether combinations will be made second half of 1952 depends on materials supply. All prices include tax, 90-day warranty. * * * * New 11-set DuMont line, to be introduced at Chicago’s American Furniture Mart Jan. 7, is priced 10-15% below previous line, with 21-in. consoles running $70-$150 under 19-in. 1951 predecessors. New line, all 17 & 21-in., features cylindrical face picture tube on all 21-in. models, built-in booster and “Distan-Selector” switch for fringe areas. Three sets have new “Selfocus” picture tube. Line starts with Devon, 17-in. table, $280 in mahogany, $290 in blonde (prices rounded out). Other 17-in., all consoles: Chester, mahogany, $320; Park Lane, doors, FMphono, mahogany, $350, blonde $360; Andover, doors, FMphono, mahogany, $350; Meadowbrook, doors, FM-phono, mahogany, $370. The 21-in. consoles: Wickford, mahogany, $400, limed oak, $420; Banbury, doors, mahogany, $460, limed oak, $480, raffia doors, $490; Wimbledon, doors, mahogany, $480, blonde, $500; Whitehall, doors, mahogany, $500; Flanders, doors, fruitwood, $540; Sherbrooke, doors, AMFM-phono, mahogany, $650, blonde $675. * * * * Raytheon has new “Corona Inhibitor” treatment foxpicture tubes to minimize loss of brightness and audible effects l-esulting fi-om cei-tain atmospheric conditions.