Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

► Scientific Research as a Factor in American Business (Coiitinntil fiiiiii inii/i Ji) tion of the Navy, that the Radio Corporation of America was formed, not only to provide America with an independent international sys- tem of communications but to make radio inventions available to indus- try. The founders of KCA created with it the first comprehensive availability of patents. "During the next seven years, most of the uncertainty and con- fusion over patent rights were elim- inated, and in 1927 a patent licens- ing policy was inaugurated whereby the principal inventions of radio became readily available to other manufacturers." Mr. Anderson said that through RCA's policy it is possible and prac- ticable for any manufacturer to obtain quickly, conveniently and economically most of the patent rights necessary for the production of virtually all kinds of radio and electronic equipment, and to do so on a fully competitive basis at an extremely nominal royalty rate. Valuable Rights, of Licensee He ex|)iaine(l that under an RCA patent license a manufacturer ob- tains for a single rate these four distinct and highly valuable rights: 1. Rights to all patents owned by RCA at the time of the agree- ment. 2. Rights to all inventions made by RCA itself during the entire term of the agreement. 3. Rights to patents not owned by RCA. but under which it has a non-e.\clusive license and a non- exclusive right to grant licenses to others. 4. Rights to all inventions for which, during the entire term of the agreement, RCA may obtain a non-exclusive license that in- cludes non-exclusive sub-licensing rights. Mr. Anderson declared that it has been deemed necessary for the radio industry to have a liberal patent licensing policy which, as far as he knew, might not be adaptable to other industries. "With this in mind," he asserted, "I Would like to point out that licenses issued by RCA do not re- strict or limit competition. They contain no price fixing provisions, nor do they limit the licensee's pro- duction, sales or territory. "There is no minimum royalty fee. Moreover, no licensee is re- quired, as a condition of obtaining a license, to grant a license under his own patents to RCA or to any- one else; nor is a licensee required to release any alleged claim or right against RCA or anyone else. "Our patent licenses stimulate competition. They render impos- sible monopoly and restraint of any branch of the radio business by RCA or others. They make it im- possible for RCA or any of its licensees 'to put on the shelf any radio invention and thus keep it from the public. "If one manufacturer should fail to use a valuable invention, others almost certainly would use it in order to obtain an advantage over the non-user. That these licenses are in the interest of the public, and that the public receives great benefit from them is beyond rea- sonable doubt." Mr. Anderson declared that the broad objectives of RCA's practical and basic research have created a business which is not only a busi- ness in itself but which supports many others. He concluded: "That business is research—re- search and invention, made avail- able to any responsible company in America. RCA has made a business of research and of making avail- able the product of that research. "As many of you know, we have publicly declared in the Patent Gazette of the Department of Com- merce that all our patents on file are available on uniform and stand- ard terms. It provides additional evidence of RCA's sincerity and willingness to make its discoveries available to industry and to the public. It also is good business and an important factor in keeping America in the forefront of prog- ress." Adult Educational Series Planned tor Radio Network Television's first major network experiment designed for adult edu- cation was announced on March G by the Alfred I'. Sloan Foundation, Inc., and the National IJroadcasting Company. At that time, it was re- vealed that Teleprograms, Inc., a non-profit corporation, had been set up for the purpose of bringing the adult education series to the Amer- ican public. In announcing the formation of Teleprograms, Dr. Arnold J. Zurcher, executive director of the Sloan Foundation, and Frederick W. Wile, Jr., vice president in charge of Television Production for NBC, stated that William H<Kiapp. formerly script editor and i)roducer of WAVE, Ivouisville, Ky., would act as executive director of Tele- programs, and producer of the new- series, 26 programs of which will be presented during 19.51. Serving on the board of directors of Teleprograms, Inc., are, in addi- tion to Wile and Dr. Zurcher, who will be president, Theodore S. Rep- plier, president of the Advertising Council of Washington, D.C., and William J. Dri.scoll, assistant vice president of the Chemical Bank and Trust Company of New York. This group will serve as advisors in the production and presentation of the series. Concentrating iirimarily in the field of economics, the Sloan Foun- dation-NBC project will be devoted also to public issues involving both social sciences and natural sciences. Davidson Taylor, general produc- tion executive of NBC television, will supervise the entire project for the network. New Radio Circuit Opened A direct radiotelegraph circuit was opened on April 18 between New York and Maracaibo, Vene- zuela's second largest city, H. C. Ingles, President of RCA Commu- nications, Inc., has announced. This new circuit will supplement the ex- isting New York-to-Caracas chan- nel. The channels are operated jointly by RCA and the Venezuelan Minis- trv of Communications. [RADIO AGE 31