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

that "the -O' is here to stay and destined w lead all other types of recorded music," Mr. Folsom added: "That prediction has come true as we knew it would because of the determination and concerted efforts of scientists, artists and businessmen in calling the public's attention to the 45-system. We were confident that once the public was exposed to the '45' success would be assured because it represented progress in artistic fulfillment as well as simplicity, convenience and economy." Developmetits Continue The "45 " system, Mr. Folsom pointed out, is not "static," and because of its relationship with the un- limited possibilities inherent in electronics, it can con- tinually adapt itself to new advances. For example, RCA "Victor's "New Orthophonic" high fidelity records repre- sent the latest improvements in recorded sound. He cited the successful introduction in November, 1952, of the "Extended Play" — or EP — 45-rpm record as another important milestone in the progress of the system. The EP record, he said, won immediate accept- ance, and at the end of its first year, more than 10 million discs had been sold, providing the consumer "more music for less money." "Introduction of the EP record," continued Mr. Folsom, "was an important milestone in recorded enter- tainment because it permitted the development of new repertoire such as combining four hit tunes on one record. It has also enabled us to introduce new concepts in recorded entertainment like the new series which combines famous operatic arias sung in their original language by Metropolitan Opera artists with especially written adaptations in English." Development of the "45s", Mr. Folsom pointed out, marked the first time a player and a record were de- signed as a matching unit. This brought about three distinct advantages, including: 1. A distortion-free, seven inch disc of optimum quality which can be conveniently packaged in small storage space. 2. A trigger-sharp, silently-working changer mecha- nism which eliminated both record damage and the need for adjusting the changer to discs of various sizes. 3. The most compact '"Victrola" in the history of the industry offering the finest in quality repro- duction. The 200 millionth 45-rpm record gets a joyful inspection from artists Perry Como and Roberta Peters, and RCA Victor Record Division sales manager Larry Kanoga. "The 45-rpm system opened up new and untapped markets for the merch.mdising of the "Victrola' and phonograph records," Mr. Folsom said. "The 45-rpm's compact size made possible the expansion of customer self-service in stores and resulted in the trend toward super-market sales. Planned in terms of small homes and apartments where bookshelves would serve as stor- age cabinets, the new 'Victrola' and record found its way into many homes where conservation of space was essen- tial." He said that the unbreakable discs also offered: 1. Eye-attracting window and counter display mate- rial for record dealers. 2. A handy, compact portable imit for music enthu- siasts while traveling or for students and campus living. 3. A sturdy, nursery-sized product for the kiddies' disc market. "The '45' system revitalized the entire record indus- try," Mr. Folsom said. "It has rendered a continuing ser\'ice to the consumer and the artist because it so faithfully reproduces music and sound. Because of the contribution it has made in increasing the confidence of the consumer in the lasting value of recorded music, the record industry is today on the threshold of its greatest period of opportunity and prosperity." RADIO AGE n