Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

10 Oct. 31 (Vol. 8:45). It was 50th week of year, brought cumulative to 5,870.000. Factory inventories also went down nicely — to 93,297 from 104,864 week preceding. Radios went to year's peak — 269 , 640 (97,997) from 229,152 the week before. Inventory went up to 178,824 from 156,942. Week's radios were: 93,369 home models, 41,843 portables, 62,494 clock, 71,934 auto. Topics & Trends of TV Trade: Webster-Chicago will be merged into Emerson Radio shortly, if stockholders of both companies approve plan recommended by their boards whereby Emerson will issue 337,500 shares of capital stock in exchange for the 450,000 shares of Webster-Chicago outstanding (or 75 for 100). Emerson’s present outstanding shares total 1,935,187. Webster’s record-changer and wire-recorder businesses would be continued as a division of Emerson. F. Eberstadt & Co. and Shillinglaw, Bolger & Co. negotiated the merger and have been appointed managers. Announcement was made jointly Dec. 16 by Emerson president Benjamin Abrams and Webster-Chicago president R. F. Blash. Chicago firm recently elected Zenith Radio production v.p. Donald McGregor as president, but he resigned and returned to Zenith after only a few weeks in office. Its last financial report shows net loss of $607,118 on sales of $11,795,000 for 9 months ended Sept. 30. For all 1951, firm showed net profit of $457,635 ($1.01 a share) on sales of $17,971,469. Emerson earned $1,005,359 in 39-week period ended Aug. 2, its latest report, which doesn’t show total sales, as against $3,039,943 in corresponding 1951 period. In fiscal 1951, ended Oct. 31, its net profit was $3,592,397 on sales of $55,797,963. * ❖ * ❖ Prices on RCA line of 22 new models, subject to possible last-minute changes and due to be quoted to dealers at first meetings with distributors in New York, Newark and Philadelphia Dec. 26: 17-in. — maroon metal table, $200; auburn metal table ensemble, $230; mahogany open console $260, blonde $270. 21-in. standard — table, $260; table ensemble, $280; mahogany console $330, blonde $340; mahogany open console $360, oak $370 & $390, maple $380; mahogany half-door $400, oak $420; full-door console in red cherry, maple, mahogany or walnut, $430; mahogany half-door combination $525, oak $550; mahogany & walnut full-door combination $595. 21-in. deluxe — mahogany table $350, oak $365; mahogany open console $395, oak $415; mahogany half-door console $465, oak $485; full-door console in mahogany & walnut, red cherry or natural cherry $495, natural walnut or oak, red cherry & maple $525; mahogany combination $795. 27-in. deluxe — mahogany half-door console $650, oak $675. Three carryover models are the 21-in. combinations, as reported in Vol. 8:50. Higher prices, heavy demand, bigger picture tubes. That’s sizeup by Crosley v.p. Leonard F. Cramer of TV prospects for 1953 in special article in Dec. 16 Retailivg Daily. He predicts total industry output of 6,500,000 next year, broken down into these tube sizes: 17-in., 20%; 21-in., 67%; 24-in., 11%; 27-in., 2%. “Picture tubes may well prove to be the bottleneck,” he says, pointing out that it takes nearly twice as long to build a 21-in. tube as a 17-in. “As far as retail prices are concerned,” he adds, “the only direction they can logically move is up.” * % * ❖ November TV sales in Canada, as reported by Canadian RTMA: 25,431 units at retail value of $10,932,198. Sales for first 11 months of 1952 were 119,271, worth $53,153,672. Toronto-Hamilton led again with 3S.7%, Montreal, 29.4%, Windsor 11.8%, Niagara Peninsula 10.7%. Factory inventory totaled 4828 as of Nov. 31. Cumulative sales of Canadian-manufactured TVs to that date were 197,709 valued at $90,667,697. Trade Miscellany: Fair trade practice recommendations for TV industry (Vol. 8:44,46) will be submitted to Federal Trade Commission next week by FTC attorney Paul H. Butz, with public hearing date to be set after approval by commissioners . . . Warwick Mfg. Corp. buys 200.000»sq. ft. curtain-making plant of Marshall Field at Zion, 111., will convert it to TV-radio manufacture for occupancy by spring . . . Magnavox wins permanent injunction in Los Angeles Superior Court against use of its brand name by Frederick Herbst, trading as Giant TV . . . Admiral’s distributors to show salesmen new 2-reel training film titled Lines and Fines, covering TVs; others to follow will cover various appliances. OPS creates 5-member committee to expedite handling of applications for price increases from individual businesses still under controls. Companies are eligible for price increases when their earnings fall below 85% of their average earnings during best 3 of years between 1946-49. John H. Cashman, president of Radio Craftsmen Inc., Chicago TV-radio manufacturer, and L. L. Cashman are principals in new Hi-Fidelity Mfg. Corp. being set up in 50.000sq. ft. factory at 2501 Belvidere Rd., W. Palm Beach, Fla., to make AM & FM tuners, amplifiers and TV chassis. GE adds 3 new table models to line— one 17-in. with wood cabinet, $200, and two 21-in. “Ultra Vision” sets, $330 in mahogany veneer and $350 in native black cherry panel cabinet. * * * * Disposition of Tele-tone Radio Corp. — whether to Pacific Mercury, California Eastern Airways or Regal Electronics, the first 2 having submitted amended offers — wasn’t finally decided upon at this week’s Chapter X hearing in Newark Federal court, but it was agreed that Bayway Terminal plant in Elizabeth should be abandoned. Judge Hartshorne found Pacific Mercury and Eastern Airways plans fair and equitable, set Jan. 6 for hearing on confirmation of one or other, subject to SEC approval. Both firms propose to move Tele-tone equipment, use facilities to expand own operations, and have stated they are considering eastern branch factories. Freed Radio Corp. will pay creditors 100% under Chapter XI of bankruptcy act under arrangement confirmed by referee John E. Joyce in N. Y. Federal court this week. Payment of 50% will be paid in installments which start after one year and consists of four 2ys% payments quarterly and 5% quarterly thereafter; remaining 50% will be liquidated in first preferred capital stock to be retired out of net earnings after all payments have been made. Bound and Indexed We will index and bind, between embossed book covers, a limited quantity of all 1952 issues of the Television Digest Weekly Newsletters, plus the Final Television Allocation Report, plus the semi-annual TV Factbooks with all Addenda, plus all Supplements and Special Reports. This volume will provide a handy and handsome permanent reference for your own or your company library. Orders will be taken only until Jan. 5. Price: $25 per volume.