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

extent, replace the use of film for television and thus reduce over-all costs. I mil/St rial Television Only a fraction of the potential of industrial televi- sion has been tapped, he continued, asserting: "It challenges the imagination to envisage the many uses of television, including the closed-circuit systems for use in industry, schools, department stores, theatres, hotels, banks and other institutions. Indeed, industrial television may surpass the growth of broadcast television which we are now witnessing. The development of com- pact, lightweight equipment, using RCA's small vidicon camera tube, will help to overcome the obstacle of high cost." He said that the held of industrial electronics also has a great potential for expansion, and discussed the application of electronic devices and systems to business and industry through electronic computers, business ma- chines, inspection devices and household appliances. He declared that RCA is developing the potentialities in the field of solid-state electronics in which the transis- tor, a tiny device using a germanium crystal, is the master key to progress, just as the electron tube has been for almost 50 years. He said the transistor will greatly ex- tend the usefulness of electronics. Microwave Relays Another promising field discussed by General SarnofT was that of microwave and radio relays in which RCA has pioneered. He said RCA microwave systems have been installed by such diverse groups as oil and gas com- panies, utilities, city and state governments, and military organizations, as an effective means of modernizing com- munications. He reported that an RCA microwave sys- tem installed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Europe had proved its effectiveness during the recent flood emergency in Holland. Shipment of similar equip- ment has been started for use in Formosa. Foreign Business In foreign markets, microwave and mobile radio, as well as television, are high on the list of RCA products in demand, said General Sarnoff, adding: "Many countries are modernizing their communica- tions by replacing wire lines with microwave and radio relay systems to aid their over-all economy. These coun- tries include Canada, Israel, Burma, Indonesia, Pakistan and others. "RCA has also sold a substantial number of television transmitters outside the United States, and more of these sales are in prospect in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Japanese actress performs before on RCA television camera in studio of NHK, operated in Tokyo by the Broadcasting Corporation of Japan, one of the foreign installations that "open new markets for home television receivers." These installations also open new markets for home tele- vision receivers. "To meet the requirements of new markets abroad, RCA manufacturing and distributing facilities are being expanded in other countries. Enlarged plant capacity is being provided in Canada and new factories in Spain, Italy and Greece will be operating in 1953. "At the end of 1952, the net assets in RCA's wholly- owned foreign subsidiaries located in seven countries totaled approximately S20 million based on exchange rates in use at the end of the year. This amount is less than 5 per cent of the Corporation's total assets. With this investment, RCA obtained a gross sales volume dur- ing 1952 of S44 million and net earnings, after taxes, of approximately $4 million. "Because of exchange restrictions and other factors, however, less than $300,000 of net earnings was trans- ferred last year to the parent Corporation in the form of dividends. Only this amount was included in the RCA consolidated statement of profits for 1952. The re- mainder of $3,700,000 was retained abroad and added to the working capital of our foreign subsidiary opera- tions." RADIO AGE 27