Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1957)

STATIONS a mass market, is a fussy one and many fm stations cater to it successfully. • The electronic woods are full of experts who cling to the belief that all aural broadcasting will move to fm some day. • Some operators have so much money invested in fm that they're afraid to back out. • Others have their investment written off and don't mind a little extra expense in view of the satisfaction of putting out a clean signal based on quality programming. • A number of new fm service enterprises, such as station-network representatives and regional networks are projected. These include such projects as Western Fm Network, providing taped packages west of the Rockies, and proposed formation of an fm representative-promotion service during the current NARTB convention by Charles W. Kline, of Chicago, sales representative. He also wants to form an all-inclusive fm trade association. Educated Guesswork Since there isn't anything resembling a meeting of the minds on fm's circulation or impact, the only course available is a listing of available data — some of it scientific, some semi-scientific and some educated guesswork. First of all, Radio-Electronics-Tv Mfrs. Assn. production data indicate that 7.5 million receiving sets with fm tuners have been produced since production was resumed in 1947 following the World War II layoff. The figures range from 1,140,000 sets produced in 1947 and 1,529,000 in 1948, the peak fm year, to 250,000 in 1955 and 200,000 in 1956. For five postwar years the factory output hovered around or above the million mark. Then in 1952 the factories began losing interest, producing 525,000 sets with fm. Now the figure is down to a skeleton level. Zenith has led the fm set field for years. Then in 1954 Granco Products Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., decided to add fm radios to its line of uhf tv converters. Now it claims a third of the national fm production, making fm and am-fm tuners as well as complete sets though not a basic maker of hi-fi components. Granco sets range from $33.95 to $59.95 plus clock fm radios from $54.95 to $64.95. Some talk has been heard that Granco might turn out sets for some of the major manufacturers, but this can't be verified. Granco expects to hold its one-third production figure during 1957 when it figures the industry will turn out 500,000 sets with fm receivers. Fewer than 12,000 of the 7.4 million television sets produced last year contained tuners capable of catching the fm broadcast band. This is due to the dominance of the turret-type tuner, which has almost pushed the continuous model, with its 88-108 mc segment, off the market. Fm imports are starting to increase, and RETMA has deigned to recognize their arrival by naming a special committee headed by its president, Dr. W. R. G. Baker, General Electric Co., to look into the matter. The committee has bought some foreign sets and is now in the process of dissecting them on laboratory benches to see how good they are. GE, by the way, is showing new interest in fm set production and the fm audience. In 1955, imports ran about 20,000. They rose to 50,000 in 1956 and are expected to reach 75,000 this year. Among popular makes are Majestic-Grundig, Telefunken, Elite, Phillips (Norelco), and Blaupunkt. Most have English dials and often they are shipped in chassis form, with U. S. tubes inserted in the sockets. Fm for Automobiles? Blaupunkt has entered the U. S. market with the dream of all fm operators — an auto radio tuning the 88-108 mc band. If these catch the interest of the U. S. public, manufacturers will have something new to think about. Unfortunately, most American factories show no enthusiasm for the fm set market. They think in terms of millions and are loathe to turn out the more intricate fm circuits despite their experience in producing tv receivers with similar tolerances. The same lack of enthusiasm marks their approach to all-wave tv sets and those on the market are vhf sets with uhf built into the tuners. A rumor that Motorola was coming out soon with an fm auto set was flatly denied by that company. Some engineers still feel auto fm sets aren't practical and they claim imports aren't completely workable. Transit radio proved, and and nu mm Iwli the only 24-hour FM-AM music station for southern California complete duplicated coverage at one rate card rate 1330 on your radio — 92.3 on your FM 0K/AC LEADS IN FM LISTENERS IN THE LOS ANGELES MARKET see PULSE L. A. Survey — Jan. '57 Page 120 • April 8, 1957 Broadcasting • Telecasting