NBC chimes (Jan 1953-Dec 1954)

XBC News Roundup . . 21.234.100 TV Sets .January 1st Television sets in use in the United States totalled 21.234.100 as of January 1. 1953. according to an announcement made by Hugh M. Beville. Jr.. NBC director of Research and Planning. This new total reflects an increase of nearly 800.000 set installations since December 1. the largest monthly gain since October. 1950. The estimate represents an increase of nearly 5.500.000 sets during the year 1952. a greater gain than occurred in 1951. PRC-TV Resumes UN (overage Coverage of the important activities of the United Nations General Assembly, which has been a feature of the National Broadcasting Company's News and Special Events Department every year since creation of the world organization, was resumed on Wednesday. February 25. Henry Cassidy is giving the commentary on diplomatic procedure and on the issues under consideration by the General Assembly. NBC-TV Opera March 7 Puccini's one-act opera, "Sister Angelica." was presented last week on March 7. and has won critical acclaim. The opera was offered in English in a translation prepared by the NBC Opera Department. Peter Herman Adler conducted. The title role was sung by Elizabeth Doubleday. soprano. Glenn Rowell on YVMtK Glenn Rowell. once a member of the famous "Gene and Glenn" team of yesteryear, opened his new ""Captain Glenn" program on Cleveland's WNBK on Monday. February 23. It is to be telecast Monday thru Friday. Rowell once made radio historv in Cleveland during the earlv pioneering davs of WTAM. I . S. Chooses **Vouth Wants to Know" The L . S. Defense Department, in connection with its Information and Education Program, has selected NBC-TVs "\ outh Wants to Know" program to be shown via kinescope recording to the Armed Forces in this countrv and abroad. Choosing "Youth Wants to Know" because "it tvpifies and best demonstrates our democratic principles in action." the Defense Department has already ordered kinescopes of the program telecast on January 4. 1953. which featured James A. Michener as guest. Certain tests made by the U. S. Navy have shown servicemen to be much more responsive to kinescoped recordings of regular TV shows than to special educational films made especially for their Information and Education Program. Paul Lavalle and hi* Cities Service "Band of America." Cities Service is now in its 26th year and is the oldest sponsored network program. Oldest Sponsored Network Series On February 16. the Cities Service Company celebrated its 26th anniversary on radio. The performance of Paul Lavalle and his Cities Service Band of America marked the 1.350th radio program in the Cities Service series — the oldest sponsored continuous radio program on any network. The first broadcast of the series took place in Carnegie Hall. New York, on February 18. 1927. and it has been heard over NBC ever since. The first cycle featured Edwin Franko Goldman and his famous band. »ws Caravan Five Years Old Also on February 16. the "Camel News Caravan" with John Cameron Swayze. celebrated its fifth anniversary on the NBC-TV network. It has the highest rating of any Monday-thru-Friday news telecast Toscanini Chooses Soloists Arturo Toscanini has chosen the four soloists to sing in Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis" which he will direct, with the NBC Symphony Orchestra on Saturday. March 23 | NBC radio 5:45 p.m. EST i . The Robert Shaw Chorale, prepared by Robert Shaw and Ralph Hunter, will be the chorus for this program. The singers chosen by Toscanini are Lois Marshall, soprano: Nan Merriman. mezzo-soprano Eugene Conley. tenor: and Jerome Hines. bass. 14-Hour Telethon at WMSK A brigade of prominent Hollywood radio, television, film and stage stars arrived in Cleveland on Saturdav. March 7. and staged a mammoth 14-hour telethon over WNBK on Channel 4. The program was broadcast on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. NBC Chimes 3