Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 19 TELEVISION DIGEST-9 Primary customer of ports distributor is dealer-servicemen group, which in 1961 accounted for 56.2% of total sales — down from 1960's 58.7%. Industrial & govt, customers represented 34.3% of sales — up from year-earher's 32.5%. CJonsumers chipped in balance of 9.5%, up from 8.8% in 1960. "Home electronics dealer portion of the business has leveled off at approximately one half-billion dollars in annual sales," noted RCA Tube Div.'s D. M. (Max) Branigan in recent speech before N.Y.-N.J. Chapter of National Electronic Distributors Assn. He continued: "With the replacement portion of the electronic parts business declining, increased sales promotion efforts must be placed on product lines with elastic demands— where effort can expand coverage & total market as well. This applies to many of the so-called consumer products: Radios, tape recorders, as well as such items as antennas & test equipment" Servicemen & dealers still account for nearly $6 of every $10 dollars of total distributor sales, NCO emphasized in its analysis, but largest percentage increase in 1961 business was netted by "direct sales to individual consumers — specifically mail order, sales to amateurs, and over-the-counter." Concluded NCO: "Sales of primarily ports distributors are now certain to enter into the prestige of the Billion Dollar Industry bracket in 1962." More distributors than ever before are slicing industry pie. At end of 1962's first quarter, there were 1,770 distributors with total of 2,570 outlets & branches. However, number of newcomers is declining. Some 43 companies entered field in 1961, down from 58 in 1960 <& 73 in 1959. Here's size breakdown of the 1,770 distributors & their share of 1961 ports business: Largest group — 33% of total — is represented by distributors with $100,000-3249,000 volume. They did 12% of parts sales. In order come the imder $100,000 group, 26% of total, 3% of business; $250,000-3499,000 group, 20%, 16% of sales; 3500,000-3999,000 group, 12% of total, 19% of sales; over $1 million group, 9%, 50% of total ports sales. TV-RADIO PRODUCTION: EIA statistics for week ended May 3 (18th week of 1963) Apr. 27-May 3 Preceding wk. 1962 wk. '63 cumulative Black & white TV 134,716 138,536 127,169 2,419,788 Total radio 327,779 355,989 341,596 5,870,929 Auto radio 134,704 145,257 118,026 2,662,788 '62 cumulative 2,325,684 6,447,852 2,255,666 Seminar on uhf in N.Y.’s Carneg^ie Hall May 14, sponsored by Committee for Full Development of AllChannel Broadcasting, will feature addresses by Comrs. Lee & Henry. Pilot project in all-channel promotion campaign, it will be open free to dealers, distributors & tech' nicians. Lee’s keynote speech will be introduced by N.Y. Deputy Mayor Paul Screvane. Municipal Bcstg. System Dir. Seymour N. Siegel will describe programming plans for city-owned WNYC-TV. Five-man panel will answer questions posed by Siegel and members of audience. Panel members: Philco Electronic Engineering Mgr. Harris 0. I Wood; Robert G. Weston, engineering asst, to Comr. Lee; j Knickerbocker Distributing Corp. (Motorola) Service Mgr. Jack Warganz; Ed Cicchetti, operator of C.S.I. Electronic Servicing Inc., Flushing, N.Y. ; Jerrold Technical Operai tions Mgr. Jack D. Beever. Comr. Henry will present I plaque to dealer most successful in selling all-channel sets this year. Of England’s new TV sets, 80% are rented, and I rental is reduced annually as inducement to keep same set. Recent survey found, for example, that 19-in. set that sells for $176 rents for $1.20 a week, with rental reduced T4 a week for each year used. Rental for first 3 months is I paid in advance. Rental companies service their sets without charge. Unless set is kept for 4 years, survey found, renting is cheaper than busnng. Recent set introductions ; ( 1 ) Magnavox — 2 color stereo theaters with fully transistorized radio & stereo components, tambour doors, at $1,250; 4 color consoles at $650 (3 models) & $795; five 19-in. spring portables from $169.90 to $229 (remote) ; 2 stereo portables at $99.90 & $139.90 (all-transistor), latter being Magnavox’s entry in drop-down phono field; stereo consolette for use on shelf, table or own legs, all solid-state ($139.50). (2) Zenith— formally announced availability of its Stereo Professional & Stereo Precision record changers as separate components through Zenith dealers. (3) GE — introduced its anticipated coffee-table stereo units at $229-$309 with swivelout turntable to leave top of table free for use. (4) Sylvania — 3 new color lowboys at $599.95, $639.95 & $725. German-made multi-band transistor portable may be added to RCA line, group exec, vp W. Walter Watts said at stockholder meeting last week (see p. 10) , in response to question from floor as to why RCA has no AM-FM-SW transistor set. “We’re now studying such a unit, made in Germany,” he replied. “To date it will not pass our engineering standards. When it does, it will be in our line.” “Five TV Picture Tube Designs” is title of new pamphlet by Sylvania Electronic Tube Div., describing Corning & PPG-type bonded tubes, Kimcode, plastic laminate & conventional tubes. It’s available free from Sylvania, 1100 Main St., Buffalo 9, N.Y.