Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

10 Topics & Trends of TV Trade: Phiico showed 37 tv models, 6 of them brand new and others with new furniture stylings, at distributor meetings in Philadelphia, Chicago and San Francisco this week — but it released no prices because they “haven’t been firmed yet.” Whole line was renumbered, and assurances given out that prices basically are to be unchanged except for $10-$20 variations in spots. Final list prices will be announced to dealers in 50 cities on closed circuit network Dec. 29. Phiico is stressing optional all-uhf-channel tuner that will be available in all models except 4 low-end 17-in. holdovers — along with built-in aerials. Its uhf tuner can be slipped into cabinets, after removing name-plate, and is to be priced at somewhere between $35-$50. The 6 new Phiico models will be No. 2230L, 21-in. blonde table; 2281, 21-in. mahogany veneer open console; 2279, 21-in. mahogany veneer half-door console; 2750, 27-in. solid mahogany full-door console; 1887, 17-in. fulldoor combination; 2290, 21-in. half -door combination. Radio line has 22 models, 8 of them new. * * * * RCA Victor also withheld prices on its 25 TV models (Vol. 8:49), all supposed to be adaptable to uhf, preferring to announce them at regional dealer meetings starting in Atlantic City Dec. 18, Reading Dec. 26, New York & Philadelphia Dec. 29-30. No radical price changes are anticipated from RCA either, though it kept proceedings of this week’s Miami Beach convention very hush. “Despite higher costs,” said RCA spokesman, “and with some slight variations in some models, the price level of our 1953 line remains approximately the same as our 1952 line.” Prices range from 17-in. table at $200 to $795 for top-of-line 21-in. combination; one 27-in. console will be available in limited quantities “priced somewhat under $700.” RCA includes combination vhf-uhf models, priced slightly higher. Three of its 25 models, it was learned, are carryovers, having been introduced only recently. They’re all 21-in. combinations — the Sunderland, $795; Westland, $525 mahogany & $550 blonde; Pennfield, $595. Fruitwood cabinets appear in RCA line for first time. Biggest promotion in its history was blueprinted at Miami Beach, particularly using TV, radio, newspapers and magazines. * sfc ❖ *5* Accent will be on white goods at Philco’s Boca Raton convention, Jan. 3-7, inasmuch as its full TV story will be known to whole trade by then. But confidence in and emphasis on TV is manifest from enthusiastic statements coming from its headquarters this week. TV-radio div. president Larry F. Hardy reported Phiico will increase 1953 production substantially from newly increased plant facilities. “In TV,” said he, “we have a particularly bright outlook. It appears at this time that approximately 30 new stations — both uhf & vhf — will begin commercial operations between now and the end of June 1953. It’s estimated that perhaps 75-100 additional stations will begin operations in the second 6 months. “I believe we can safely say that not less than 100 new stations will go on the air in 1953. All of these will not necessarily open new markets. However, every new station broadens the program offerings, and with these comes an increased demand for TV receivers. We at Phiico believe not less than 6,000,000 TV receivers will be sold and the volume may run as high as 7,000,000 in 1953.’’ * * * * Fate of price controls in .new Congress will be considered by House Banking Committee headed by Rep. Wrolcott (R-Mich.) in hearings to begin about Feb. 1, thus virtually assuring OPS won’t be killed before its April 30 expiration date. Trade Miscellany: NARDA reports Jan. 11-13 convention in Chicago’s Conrad Hilton will have largest attendance in history, with hotel accommodations at premium . . . Portland, Ore., first “uhf city,” had 41,135 sets-in-use as of Dec. 1, with 29 manufacturers represented, according to survey by Portland State Extension Center . . . El Faso, newly opened to TV, reports 6000-10,000 TV sets already in use, market booming . . . Hallicrafters distributor convention will be held in Chicago’s Edgewater Beach Hotel, Jan. 5-6 . . . Capehart-Farnsworth to show, at Chicago Furniture Mart, new 21-in. tables at $270 in mahogany, $280 blonde, open console $370 mahogany, French Provincial full-door console $475 fruitwood . . . RCA Victor contracts with Remington Corp.’s air conditioning div., Auburn, N. Y., to supply its console single-room air conditioners; Fedders-Quigan continues to supply RCA’s window models . . . Columbia Records Inc. coming out with new high-fidelity phono called “360,” measuring 16 %x 121,4xl0-in., or about size of hatbox, with tone range superior to most floor models; list is $139.50 or $144.50 in blonde . . . Westinghouse’s new electronic tube div. launching big national & local promotion campaign for its “Reliatrons,” featuring special offer of $1 off for TV-radio repair service; handled by adv. mgr. Joseph Schlig . . . Wanamaker’s leases its TV-appliance dept, to Sunset Appliance Stores for 3 years, as of Feb. 1, on percentage arrangement. * * * * Distributor Notes: Admiral Pittsburgh distributor, Keps Electric Co., sold to New York & Pittsburgh syndicate headed by W. F. Rockwell Jr.; Joseph Elias, New York, one of investors, will become president of Keps, which will retain name and Admiral line . . . Admiral Chicago distributor, Appliance Distributors Inc., appoints Jack H. Zink appliance sales mgr., replacing Paul Dorsey, now acting gen. sales mgr. . . . Motorola Milwaukee distributor, Electro-Pliance Distributors Inc., to open Green Bay branch early next month . . . Phiico Hartford distributor, Roskin Distributors Inc., appoints S. A. Kelsey sales mgr., succeeding Moe Grabell, resigned . . . DuMont names Thurow Distributors Inc., Jacksonville; Indianapolis distributor, Arthur Fulmer of Indiana Inc., appoints J. R. Bradley mgr. . . . Sylvania Seattle distributor, F. B. Connelly Co., opens Spokane branch . . . Raytheon appoints II. E. McMasters Co., El Paso, and Johnson-Moody Co., Peoria . . . Majestic names Victor Shaw Co., Charlotte . . . Andrea names Boyd Corp., Portland, Me. (James W. Boyd, president). * * * * “We’ve seen several of the new lines being introduced by the manufacturers this year,” says NARDA's Dec. 8 Appliance & Radio Dealers News, “and they’re hot. Priced right, with colorful, individual selling features, with good advertising and sales promotional backing and the most genuine company enthusiasm behind them that’s been around in years, the ’53 products look like good selling profit-makers for the dealers. Little chance of duplicating conditions at start of ’52 when you could pick up carloads of the ’51 merchandise at special prices. The only ’52 merchandise likely to be around at the start of ’53 will be the slowest-moving of the models and even these will be in small quantities in the backwater ai-eas.” Doom of large TV service shops employing 150-200 servicemen in favor of smaller, more flexible dealers using 5 or 6 servicemen was predicted this week by Frank J. Moch, president of National Alliance of Television & Electronic Service Assns., in address to meeting of parts manufacturers and factory reps at New York’s Athletic Club. He also foresaw end of one-man “jack-of-all-trades” service dealers as industry grows.