Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1958)

MANUFACTURING Radio-Tv Production, Sales Down for February, EIA Reports Production and retail sales of radio and tv receivers declined in February, according to Electronic Industries Assn. Radio production — February. 876.891 sets (includes 268,445 auto sets); January, 1,026,527; February 1957. 1.264,765. Radio retail sales (auto sets not included) — February. 420.065: January, 534,640; February 1957. 525.029. Tv production — February, 370.413 (includes 34.048 with uhf tuners); January, 433,983; February 1957. 464,697. Tv retail sales — February. 448,727; January, 581,486; February 1957, 525,437. Admiral Counters Zenith Suit, Charges Patent Infringement Admiral retaliated against Zenith last Monday with a counter-suit in U. S. District Court, charging patent infringement and "malicious acts of unfair competition" and suggesting Zenith sought '"widespread publicity" through false accusations. Admiral requested treble damages and an injunction against Zenith's "further violation" of two Admiral patents that cover phonograph record spindles. At the same time Admiral denied Zenith's patent infringement claims involving the latter's Fringelock tv circuit and Space Command remote control unit. Zenith brought suit against Admiral in district court Feb. 1 1 [Manufacturing, Feb. 17]. In its counter-claim, Admiral noted Zenith's charge it had employed a former Zenith engineer to reproduce the remote control unit and asserted the accusation lacked any basis in fact. Claiming that phonograph sales incorporating its spindle feature have exceeded $200 million. Admiral asserted Zenith remote control patents obtained in 1957 and 1958 are "invalid" on grounds the principle was previously known and patented by others. Such devices using the same principle were utilized during World War II, Admiral pointed out. Zenith Delaware Incorporation To Include Toll Tv Proviso Provision for toll tv and conventional broadcast transmissions is expected to be effected in Zenith Radio Corp.'s charter for Delaware incorporation when stockholders convene April 22. Shareholders approved a plan last February to change Zenith's legal site from Illinois to Delaware by statutory merger. At the same time the company increased authorized shares to two million (with $1 par value) and shares outstanding to 984,928, having the effect of a two-for-one stock split, effective March 31. Zenith now operates WEFM (FM) Chicago and has uhf ch. 38 for experimental tv purposes. It wants to pave the legal way for FCC authorization to get into pay tv. A Zenith spokesman described the forthcoming move as technical in nature. Following is the new section on which shareholders will be asked to vote: "To own and operate radio and television broadcasting and transmission stations and apparatus for the transmission of writing, signs, signals, pictures and sounds of all kinds, by wire, cable, radio, light and sound waves or radiation of any type including all instrumentalities, facilities, and services which are necessary or desirable for experimental, amateur or commercial purposes." Six Million Tv Sets for '58 Predicted by Motorola's Galvin Industry will turn out about six million tv receivers this year despite a relatively "slow start" in the first quarter of 1958, Robert W. Galvin, president of Motorola Inc., predicted. Scoring the "parade of gloom" in some business quarters, Mr. Galvin reported Motorola will accelerate its tv set production this month and add some 700 production people for the next three months. They will work on the new models to be introduced publicly in July. Among "bright spots" in consumer products Mr. Galvin cited car radio sales (running 5% ahead of January-February 1957) and high fidelity-phonograph sales (up 28% for the same period). He added that Motorola anticipates a 10% increase in portable radio sales during April-September over that span last year. GE Develops New Tv Camera Announcement of the first monochrome or color tv studio camera incorporating transistors to replace vacuum tubes was made last week by the technical products dept. of General Electric Co., Syracuse, N. Y. According to Paul L. Chamberlain, department manager for broadcast and military equipment, use of transistors will result in elimination of many high-pitched voice or sound waves sometimes seen as wavy lines on home receivers. GE Opens Detroit Headquarters General Electric Co. has announced establishment of regional headquarters for sale of its radio and television broadcast equipment in Detroit, Mich. The new headquarters address is 16247 Wyoming Ave. Wells R. Chapin, formerly manager of marketing administration and product planning for the company's technical products department at Syracuse, will head the new office. Westinghouse Unit Moves to D. C. Defense products headquarters of Westinghouse Electric Corp. have been established in Washington. D. C, at 1000 Conn. Ave., N.W., according to E. V. Huggins, Westinghouse vice president, and Maj. Gen. Albert Boyd (USAF Ret.), vice president — ■ defense products. At the same time seven appointments to Gen. Boyd's staff were announced. TAXES Your energies to a useless degree to search for any better TV buy than KJEO-TV, the consistent lead TV station in Fresno and the great San Joaquin Valley. Call your Branham man for the complete KJEO-TV story. We guarantee you'll save your energies and get more for your money on KJEO-TV, Fresno. ACT TODAY! Page 88 • April 14, 1958 Broadcasting