Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

8— TELEVISION DIGEST MARCH 11. 1963 phono combinations sold last year contained FM stereo (Vol. 3:8 p9). Add on estimated 250,000 component FM stereo tuners and perhaps 40-50,000 FM-stereo table radios and the figure climbs well over million, not including imports. Our guesstimate for 1963 is that about 2 million, or approximately 50%, of FM receiving devices sold in U.S. will contain FM stereo. We'll print another complete list of operating & upcoming FM stereo stations in a future issue. Until then, if you're keeping track of stations on air, you con add these to list in our Dec. 10, 1962 issue (Vol. 2:50 pi 3). If you no longer have your copy of list, our Washington hq will be happy to send one on request. List below (by states & cities) indicates new FM stereo markets with asterisk : California — *Long Beach, KNOB; *Palm Springs, KDES-FM. Illinois — ‘Bloomington, WJCB-FM. Indiana— ‘Evansville, WIKY-FM. Kentucky — ‘Owensboro, WSTO. Massachusetts — ‘Worcester, WTAG-FM. New Jersey — ‘Atlantic City, WFPG-FM. North Caroling— ‘Hickory, WHKY-FM & WIRC-FM. Tennessee — ‘ Sevierville, WSEV-FM. Texas— Ft. Worth, KXOL-FM; KQUE. Wisconsin — ‘Kenosha, WAXO; Madison, WHA-FM. (If you find it necessary to keep up with new FM stereo starters on weekly basis, we suggest that you add our weekly AM-FM Addenda service to your subscription. Among other items. Addenda list FM stereo starts as soon as they're reported to FCC. Rates on request.) Adoption of stereo standards for Europe seems several years off. FCC Chief Engineer Edward Allen tells us it looks as if such standards won't be finally considered imtil next plenary assembly of CCIR in France some time in 1966 — though there's nothing to stop individual coimtries from establishing own standards, just as we did. Allen reports that at a preliminary conference last Jime, in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, there was great deal of support for oiu: standards. However, there was a major backing off, notably by United Kingdom <S Russia, at recent CCER Study Group IX meeting in Geneva Jan. 15-Feb. 15. UK representatives indicated they want more study — and Russians can't use our standards because their FM has 50-kc deviation, compared with our 75-kc. FRANCHISE CASE HOLDS LITTLE THREAT FOR TV INDUSTRY: It's not illegal per se for manufacturers to grant franchised distributors & dealers exclusive sales territories, U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week in 5-3 decision in White Motor Co. case (Vol. 3:3 p8). Chief Justice Warren and Justices Black & Clark dissented. Individual franchise agreements, however, could be in violation of Sherman Antitrust Act, Court declared, and should be examined individually to determine if they are in restraint of trade. Court returned test case to Federal District Court of Northern Ohio to determine White issues by trial. Latter court initially had ruled White's franchise arrangements illegal on their face, without trial. We discussed case with TV industry lawyers & drew consensus that Supreme Court's decision has little literal meaning for TV manufacturers. Ramifications & nuances of case are being studied assiduously, of course, but there was general agreement after first reading of decision that home electronics industry's distribution setup is quite different from that of White Motor which brought it into conflict with Justice Dept. "Electronics distributors retain their freedom," industry lawyers said, in effect. "They operate as independent businessmen, make their own decisions & policies. Manufactmrers don't tell them whom to sell or at what price."