Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

10 console, from $290 to $300, and Empire, 21-in. full-door mahogany console from $440 to $460, blonde from $450 to $470. Majestic boosted 7 undisclosed models $5-$25. ;{c * * Second week of 19-in. color in N.Y. consumer market gave CBS-Columbia and Motorola a chance to evaluate their contrasting promotional techniques — and both expressed themselves as satisfied with the results. Motorola exec, v.p. Robert W. Galvin, who used big promotional ads to present his col^~sets, defended that policy as an example of "mass psychology. " He said Motorola was attempting to achieve "notoriety and attention" with ads and that number of sales to consumers wasn't overly significant. Actually, Motorola-New York spokesman said "quite a few" color sets were sold to consumers. "You can't buttonhole specific customers in the type of promotion we're now using," said Galvin. "It's comparable to a distributor giving a big party for his dealers. It's not the atmosphere in which specific sales are closed but is simply an occasion for developing leads, which produce sales. And that is exactly what has happened to us in color. Good leads were developed." Same basic promotional pattern is being followed in other introductions, said Galvin. Detroit and Philadelphia markets were opened up in that manner this week. CBS-Columbia pres. Seymour Mintz said about 15 color sets were sold in first week to consumers in N.Y. market. They were among the "red hot" prospects invited to see Chrysler' s "Shower of Stars" Sept. 30 in stores of 10 dealers and in studios of CBS. He said he was convinced the introduction without fanfare was best approach to sales of 19-in. color in its infant production stage. He declared; "What's the use of inviting a lot of people to see something that's still in short supply? Let's keep it quiet until we have mass production." CBS-Columbia ' s next new market is Chicago, to be opened by Oct. 13. Raytheon's Henry F. Argento this week disclosed plans to produce about 2000 19-in. color sets this year, selling for $1095. Next year, he said, company hopes to turn out about 25,000 color sets using 21-in. tube. Capehart-Farnsworth said this week it too has started 19-in. color shipments. Another contender in big-tube sweepstakes, DuMont claimed "first" this week with a 21-in. rectangular metal-cone color tube. It's now working on all-glass 21 & 22-in. rectangulars , aiming to sample them this year, go into production next year. DuMont has been sampling 19-in. round, presumably will drop it if rectangulars work out satisfactorily in production. Trade Personals: John K. McDonough resigns as gen. mgr. of Sylvania TV-radio div., succeeded by Ward E. Riordon, ex-pres. of Sylvania of Puerto Rico who has been serving recently as TV-radio financial adviser . . . Harry Lehne named gen. mgr., Norman L. Harvey asst. gen. mgr. of Sylvania’s new equipment div., in charge of govt, production previously under TV-radio div. . . . Brig. Gen. James S. Willis, USA (ret.), named Hallicrafters coordinator of research & development; Wm. H. Shaw, ex-H.M.S. Distributors, Los Angeles, appointed Hallicrafters national service mgr. . . . Paul A. Barkmeier, RCA distribution v.p., elected pres, of RCA-Estate Appliance Corp., replacing Cecil M. Dunn, w'ho resigned this week to become pres, of Magic Chef Inc. . . . John S. Mills resigns as Crosley TV-radio gen. sales mgr. . . . Edwin A Freed promoted to gen. sales mgr. General Instrument Corp. . . . Vergal Bourland resigns as NARDA pres, due to illness . . . James F. White, ex-CBS-Columbia contracts div. mgr., named gen. sales mgr.. Crescent Industries Inc. (phonographs) . . . Dr. K. C. Black, ex-Poly technic Research & Development Co., Brooklyn, and AT&T, appointed mgr. of Raytheon communications engineering dept. . . . Charles J. Hirsch, chief engineer, Hazeltine Corp. research div., on extended assignment in London for company in connection with military communications . . . P. J. Cassella, ex-Montgomery Ward, appointed v.p. of RCA Victor Co. Ltd., Canada; F. W. Radcliffe named commercial v.p. . . . W. E. McConnell promoted to national sales mgr. of Wilcox-Gay (Majestic), Wm. J. Sullivan named merchandising mgr. . . . Fred Kennedy, exec, v.p., and Gerald H. Rissman, v.p. & sales mgr., buy controlling interest in Waters Conley Co., Rochester, Minn, (phonographs) from pres. Glen Waters; Kennedy becomes pres., Rissman sales v.p. . . . E. F. Peterson, GE TV-radio marketing mgr., and E. D. McArthur, mgr. of GE electron tube section, presented first annual National Electronics Conference aw'ard at convention in Chicago, as coauthors of paper “Lighthouse Tube — A Pioneer UHF Development” . . . J. A. (Shine) Milling, Howard W. Sams Inc., reappointed chairman of RETMA jobber relations committee . . . Herbert E. Cook, Detroit Electrical Assn., elected pres, of International Assn, of Electrical Leagues, succeeding Albert L. Maillard, Indianapolis; E. J. McGinnis, Cincinnati, elected v.p.; G. L. Logan, Los Angeles, secy.; D. E. Rosenthal, Omaha, treas. . . . Robert Bryant, pres, of Lubbock Radio Co., named west Texas sales rep for DuMont mobile communications dept. . . . George F. Mahoney, ex-Western Adv., Chicago, named Motoi’ola adv. production mgr. . . H. Scott Killgore, ex-Emerson, appointed mgr. of govt, sales, National Co., Malden, Mass, (communications equipment) ... A. Raymond Bermond promoted to Hallicrafters adv. mgi-.. replacing John S. Mahoney, now sui)ervising Hallicrafters account at SheritfLeVally Adv., Chicago.