Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

Trade Report December 27, 1952 — — — — — * NEW DIRECTORY OF TV SET & TUBE MAKERS: Whereas we listed 105 U.S. companies making or assembling TV receivers at the start of 1952, our latest semi-annual IV Factbook (No. 16) due off the presses in mid-January will show only 95. None of those dropped was of major consequence to industry volume. Very few new firms are listed. Of the 95, total of 13 reported they merely assembled sets for own or private labels. Details about all these firms — office & plant locations, executives, products, etc. — make up the department headed Manufacturers of Television Receivers, one of major features of the Factbook. In addition, there's a similarly complete directory of 26 Canadian firms, many of them subsidiaries of U.S. companies, which reported they manufacture TVs — a list checked with Canadian RTMA for accuracy. There are 58 tubemaking firms in U.S. and Canada, all but one (in Canada) making CR picture tubes and 12 of them also making TV-radio & other receiving tubes. One set manufacturer and one tubemaker are currently involved in bankruptcy proceedings ; both are listed, nevertheless, because they're reported still in production. THE INDUSTRY 'AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET': Except for the continuing boom in new markets opened up by new stations, this is the usual lull period in the TV trade — the post-Christmas letdown while awaiting new models and new prices. Most new lines and/or fill-ins are to be displayed at Chicago's furniture and merchandise marts Jan. 5-16, and at various private conventions and showings in Chicago and elsewhere after New Year's Day. (For list of Chicago exhibits, see p. 14, Vol. 8:49.) Even hard-working RTMA was giving its staff a well-merited long holiday week end, so deferred issuance of its weekly TV-radio production and factory inventory reports. At this writing, the general trade picture seems something like this: (a) Holiday-slowed production of new 1953 models concentrating on adaptation to uhf. (b) Factories, distributors and retailers alike with TV-radio inventories * at lowest in nearly 2 years, latter awaiting deliveries of new models. (c) Prices of models so far released holding fairly firm, with competing manufacturers cagily awaiting what the other fellow offers and few increases yet over $10 or $20. With its ubiquitous staff of faithful reporters. Retailing Daily continues to report "stickiness" in established TV markets, notably New York, Chicago, Philadelphia — probably reflecting the seasonal lag. But it also reflects wariness lest manufacturers plunge into orgy of over-production leading to "dumps at mid-year." Major producers, measuring their prospective markets well, especially the new ones, don't seem inclined to go overboard, so far as we can discern, and there isn't much likelihood that the 1951 recession will be repeated — despite plans for high first quarter production schedules. v n' ^ There's one school of thought — with which we're disposed to go along — that's inclined to belief that the TV-electronics industry as a whole "ain't seen nothing yet" and that 1953 could be a better year than 1950. Our own leanings, we confess, are prejudiced by our own rather intimate contacts with builders of new stations , the new markets they're opening up and the eager buying they evoke; that and fact that 1953, by all signs, should be good replacement and second-set year. Just when outlook seems extraordinarily bright, though, there's matter of color to consider (see p. 3) and the complex trade problems it's bound to raise. But even if the lab folks stir things up again, it will take several years before color can be offered over-the-counter. The advice given its readers last week by U.S. News & World Report makes sense, shows newsmen now "wise" to unfounded publicity promises; it should be passed on to customers: "If you're thinking of a new TV set for Christmas, you should not be too influenced by the thought that, by waiting a little while, you can get color." 8