Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

13 "We're making more TV sets than anybody else in the business," he told us. "And, believe it or not, in the last few weeks our biggest seller is the 24-inch console . It represents the biggest percentage of our production. We've always had hot console lines, but this one is the hottest item yet" — referring to |370 model. New network shows and upcoming World Series, excellent lines and attractive prices were cited as reasons for current business boom. As for color. Carmine said; "It will be 1956 before it becomes a factor in the IV market." Other manufacturers shared Carmine's enthusiasm, though none was quite so specific. Admiral's Ross Siragusa stated 2 weeks ago that industry's unit output and sales last 4 months of 1954 would equal same period of record 1950 (Vol. 10:36). He said last week that Admiral is now producing 100,000 sets a month. Continued TV boom depends on stability of national economy, of course, and this week 2 major pronouncements pointed to a growing prosperity. Commerce Secy. Weeks, speaking to National Petroleum Assn, in Atlantic City Sept. 16, said he is "extremely optimistic" about business conditions for rest of 1954 and beyond. He said personal income of Americans should reach about $253 billion this year. The unemployment situation, he said, is "coming along in a satisfactory manner." If you see political overtones in this, there's the further testimony of pres. Rowland Jones of big American Retail Federation, representing 600,000 outlets, who told President Eisenhower that retail sales are expected to reach their highest level in history by end of 1954, so prosperous is the nation. He said rising retail sales always indicate expanding production, increased employment and better wages. He said retail wages are up 4.3% over first half of 1953 and "disposable personal income — the source of consumer purchases" had risen 8.8% since 1952. ♦ * * * TV production totaled 151,544 in week ended Sept. 10, compared to 178,224 preceding week and 182,977 week ended Aug. 27. It was year's 35th week and brought production for year to date to about 3,900,000 vs. 4,890,000 in same period of 1953. Radio production totaled 154,593 (50,435 auto), compared to 197,126 in week ended Sept. 3 and 196,448 week before. For 35 weeks, output was about 6,250,000, compared to approximately 8,600,000 in corresponding period year ago. Trade Personals; Harold Botkin, asst. gen. nig-r. of AT&T Long Lines Dept., next week succeeds Wm. A. Porter as asst, director for telecommunications, Office of Defense Mobilization, as Mr. Porter returns to Washington law firm of Bingham, Collins, Porter & Kistler about Oct. 1 after short vacation; Mr. Botkin, on year’s leave from his firm, recently organized new communications office for Secy, of Defense Wilson . . . Paul A. Gorman elected Western Electric v.p. for defense products, Timothy E. O'Shea eastei-n manufacturing v.p., Gus F. Raymond purchasing and traffic v.p. . . . Charles H. Shuff named directoi’, C. Aggers asst, director, Westinghouse International’s new defense relations dept., responsible for military components equipment, radar and related products for defense purposes abroad . . . Robert Hartman appointed dii-ector of new CBS govt, div., combining govt, operations of CBS-Columbia and CBS Labs; Sidney Wiesner appointed director of all non-civilian govt, production . . . Ralph R. Batcher, ex-RETMA chief engineer, named technical consultant to Hudson Wire Co., Ossining, N. Y. . . . Robert M. ^'an Brundt promoted to Motorola adv. mgr., replacing Jack SiegrisI, now DuMont merchandising mgr. . . . Henry Schmalz, ex-RCA, Rauland & Sarkes Tarzian, recently with Crosley tube jilant at Batavia, 111., joins Thomas Electronics Inc. as mgr. of color tube engineering . . . H. .1. Schulman, CBS-Columbia, reappointed chairman of RETMA service committee . . . Uoberl hi. Durham, ex-World Disti’ibuting Co., Toledo, named Emerson distiict mgi-. for western Mich., northern Ind., northwestern Ohio . . . Stanley Crockett appointed Olympic Radio southeastern sales rep, Birmingham . . . Gordon Mueller named Stewart-Warner New England sales rep, 27 E. View Ave., Hartford; C. C. Dixon for Florida, 1721 18th Ave. N., Indian Rock, Fla.; Robert Martin for southern California, 3611 Chesapeake Ave., Los Angeles . . . Ben V. K. French, ex-Geneial Instrument Corp.. named service mgr. of I.D.E.A. Inc., Indianapolis (converters) . . . Art Brown named adv. mgr. of Jensen Mfg. Co., Chicago . . . Richard K. Winslow, ex-RCA public relations at Princeton labs, joins Newsweek as science editor . . . Virden E. Scranton, Motorola administrative planning mgr., promoted to operations v.p. of Motorola Canada Ltd.; M. M. (Pete) Elliott, gen. mgr. of Canadian subsidiary, elevated to marketing v.p. . . . Arthur V. Loughren elected Hazeltine Corp. v.jo. in charge of research; he’s also exec. v.p. of Hazeltine Research Inc., Chicago. ■ Dr. Vladimir K. Zworykin, famed electronics inventor, retiring as RCA Labs v.p., was to be honored at Princeton Labs Sept. 18 with technical symposium and dinner featuring addresses by RCA chairman David Sarnoff and noted scientists. He becomes RCA’s fii st honorary v.p. Winter market dates for TV-radio manufacturers: Chicago’s furniture marts, Jan. 3-14; Los Angeles marts, Jan. 17-21 ; Western Merchandise Mart, San Francisco, Jan. 24-28. Philco closes washer-dryer plant at Alliance, 0., henceforth will concentrate home laundry pi'oduction at Fairfield, la. plant of Dexter Corp. subsidiary.