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

"With so much of immediate importance crowding today—What about the future? "RCA is engaged in the fullest possible development of electronics as a science, art and industry. Presently, the science of electronics is in an extraordinary state of transition and expansion. Transistors are supplementing and, in some cases replacing, electron tubes. Color tele- vision is on its way to universal use. Tape recording is challenging film recording, and ultimately tape may become the preferred method of visual as well as sound recording. And this does not complete the area of transition. Within the next ten years we can expect to see electronics expand and become an even more impor- tant factor in the fields of business machines and other office devices, industrial equipment and home appliances. "When we consider the fact that 80 per cent of RCA's business in 1955 was in products and services that did not exist commercially ten years ago, there is good reason to expect that at least 80 per cent of our business ten years hence will be in new products and services that do not exist commercially today. "The present annual volume of the electronics indus- try is estimated to be 11 billion dollars. With the devel- opments under way and the prospects ahead it seems to me reasonable to expect that this figure will double by the end of the next decade. "By that time, RCA's annual volume of business will, I believe, also be double its present size. This would mean a gross business in excess of two billion dollars a year—with increased profits and increased dividends to stockholders. "In the natural course of events there may be ups and downs. But the prosperity of a soundly built organ- ization does not rest on the record made in any one year. It is the record and reputation established over the years that count. "The history and growth of the RCA attest to the basic soundness of its policies and justify us in looking to the future with confidence." Television The leadership which RCA achieved through the development and production of television sets, both black-and-white and color, is now history, General Sarnoff said, and he added: "We have borne the major scientific, manufacturing and financial burdens of pioneering and developing both black-and-white and compatible color television and of establishing them as a service to the public. "Having blazed the trail in color television, we are now entering a new era of great expansion and sales opportunity for RCA as well as our competitors. "In accordance- with RCA's long standing policy of keeping others in the industry informed of technical progress, RCA held a color TV symposium in Chicago two weeks ago for its licensees. We are turning over to competing manufacturers, RCA's latest color receiver blueprints, technical 'know-how,' production details and bills of materials. A reduction in the price of the RCA color picture tube to manufacturers—from S100 to $85 —was also announced at that meeting. All this should stimulate other manufacturers to make and sell color sets. As production increases, prices to the public will decrease. This is the normal pattern of mass production." Color TV Programming NBC has launched a 12 million dollar plan to facilitate color programming, said General Sarnoff, con- tinuing: "Two weeks ago, our station WNBQ in Chicago. became the world's first all-color TV station. All live programs originating at WNBQ are now in color. This project is an integral part of the RCA-NBC move to break through the black-and-white curtain and speed the advance of color TV as a regular service to the public. "Plans are being developed for converting the other NBC-owned stations for broadcasting programs in color." A box lunch was served to the stockholders. RADIO AGE 73