Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 9 TELEVISION DIGEST— 7 MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION, HNANCE TINYVISION HEATS UP — SONY SLASHED BY $40: Transistor portable TV race was getting hotter at week's end. Sony ripped $40 from its 5-in. Micro TV, bringing list price down to $189.50. Meanwhile, Westinghouse was putting 6-in. Mitsubishi battery set through its paces for possible marketing as specialty item. Although cut in Sony's prices had been expected, move's timing took competitive importers by surprise, and many were studying their own price lists for possible revisions. Fact is that although 9 tiny imported battery-powered transistor TVs hove already been shown, only Sony and Sharp sets hove been mass marketed so far. Official explanation for Sony price cut was economy due to automated mass production, but upcoming competition undoubtedly also influenced decision. Sony's 5-in. Micro TV was cut from $229.95 to $189.50, accessories (including $39.95 battery) remaining xmchonged. Sony's older 8-in. battery TV was officially cut from $249.95 to $229.95 at some time. This appeared to be pro forma move, however, as older model apparently is no longer being imported, and has been selling as low as $149.95. List-price reductions went into effect March 1, but cut in dealer prices apparently come earlier. Earlier last week, one N.Y. discoimter was offering 5-in. Micro TV at $169.96 — below recent wholesale price. Sony's sales were good during Christmas season — but nobody knows how good. Official JcrpKmese export figures indicate about 37,000 transistor TVs were sent to U.S. last year (Vol. 3:6 p7), but some of these may have been re-shipped to other ports. One estimate is that Sony sold about 15,000 battery TVs in 1962. U.S. monufactxirers & importers have been watching Sony sales closely to determine if there's real market for transistor TV — and, if so, at what price. Although it would be phenomenally expensive to tool up & produce such a set domestically, importing can be done with far less extensive commitments. It is on this basis that Westinghouse is testing sets made by Mitsubishi, one of its Japanese licensees and affiliates. "We're thinking about a novelty item in this category — miniature TV set," we were told last week by Westinghouse TV-Radio Div. gen. mgr. O. H. Yoxsimer. "We've ordered 50 of them to study, but haven't made any commitments on greater quantity. Even though it's a very fine set, with every imaginable kind of accessory, we look at it as a specialty item for a specialized market, and if we do handle it, we'll do so on that basis." Although at least 2 U.S. companies ore planning to manufacture tiny vision sets this year (in 10 & 11in. sizes), we know of only one which has even hinted at plans for battery-operated transistor models. This is GE, which will offer non-transistor version first, then possibly phase into transistor set later this year or next. How does transistorized wee-TV market stand now? Here's status of other importers with their plans and list prices (some subject to change os result of Sony move) exclusive of batteries or accessories: Sharp (Hayakowg) is now shipping its 8’/2-in. set ($229.95 list) in quantity, has received one air shipment of 6-in. ($199.95), plans to begin full-scale 6-in. deliveries within 4 weeks. Sharp is re-evaluating prices in light of Sony action. Matsushita (Panasonic) now is quoting "spring deliveries" for its 9-in. at $249.95 and its 5-in. at $229.95. Spokesman soys there's now possibility 5-in. price may be lowered. Delmonico now is promising Moy-Jime delivery for both its 4V2-in. (which uses 9 flashlight batteries) at $149.95 and its 5'/2-in. at $179.95. Channel Master is putting Sanyo-built 8-in. set through tests, has established no date for sales, is restudying pricing situation.