Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

15 Topics & Trends of TV Trade: Full new tv lines will be a rarity when manufacturers exhibit their wares at winter markets of American Furniture Mart and Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Jan. 3-14. Almost without exception, manufacturers report drop-in models, rather than full lines, will be the rule. Some, in fact, are delaying introduction of new models beyond market dates. As usual, marts will be held in conjunction with or follo^ving distributor meetings, though only a few manufacturers have announced dates of meetings. Among them are RCA meeting with field reps in Atlantic City starting Dec. 6; Philco in Atlantic City Jan. 5-7; Motorola Dec. 29 at Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago. These manufacturers wull exhibit at American Furniture Mart; Admiral, Arvin, Bendix Radio, DuMont, Hallicrafters, Motorola, Philco, RCA, Sparton, Zenith. At Merchandise Mart: Capehart-Farnsworth, CBS-Columbia, Crosley, GE, Magnavox, Westinghouse. In addition, several smaller manufacturers will take display space in Loop hotels. ^ ^ 4: Trade should educate set owners to make minor repairs themselves, as one step in avoiding abuses by seiwicemen. New York City Council was told this week by Kings County district attorney Edward Silver, testifying on bill to license servicemen in metropolitan N. Y. (Vol. 10:48). Currenth^ conducting own investigation of alleged abuses in Brooklyn, Silver said he found chief evils were taking sets out of home unnecessarily, charging for parts not put in, substituting inferior parts for those in good working order, doing unnecessary work and charging for parts not needed. Twelve witnesses spoke in favor of bill, 8 again. Action by council is expected next week. General Instrument Corp. will open new plant in Waterloo, Ont. in Jan. as part of program to expand Canadian production of TV components. New plant will include production research lab and special engineering service group to work with Canadian customers. It will employ 250 at outset. Company has Canadian headquarters in Kitchener, Ont. Motorola’s purchase of Lee J. Drennan Inc., Arcade, N. Y., auto radio tuner manufacturer (Vol. 10:45), was finalized this week, though terms of sale were not disclosed. Factory will devote entire production to supplying Motorola assembly plants in Quincy, 111. and Toronto. Wm. Bruyere continues as plant mgr., reporting Walter B. Scott, Motorola manufacturing v.p. Hallicrafters has re-entered private label TV business with production of a “substantial number’ of such sets this fall, says pres. Wm. J. Halligan. He said company is now soliciting business from mail order houses and dept, stores, while continuing to supply regular retail outlets. Fire at Tele-Ray Tube Co. plant in Yonkers, N. Y. on Thankgiving Day destroyed estimated 6000 picture tubes. More than one-third of plant was destroyed by blaze, which caused $61,000 damage. Hoffman Radio Co. will shortly change name to Hoffman Electronics Corp., the better to indicate its diversified TV-radio-electronics operations. Maj. Gen. Kirke R. Lawton (ret.), commandant of Ft. Monmouth from 1951 until his retirement last Aug., has been elected a director of Gray Mfg. Co., succeeding the late Adm. H. P. Blandy. Gray makes TV studio and specialized electronic equipment. Wm. Miller, mgi\ of .Terrold Electronic’s community systems operating div , was one of 5 survivors of Northeast Ai?-lines plane crash near Berlin, N. H., suffering only sprained hand and bruises. Trade Personals; MaJ. Gen. Wm. L. Richardson, USAF (ret.), recent commander of Missile Test Center, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., named to newly created post of mgr., defense projects coordination, RCA engineering products div., under gen. mgr. Theodore A. Smith . . . Maj. Gen. Edmond H. Leavey, USA (ret.), pres, of IT&T’s Federal Telecommunication Labs, Nutley, N. J., elected pres, of International Standard Electric Corp., IT&T’s overseas manufacturing subsidiary . . . E. K. Foster, Bendix Aviation v.p. in charge of TV & radio divs., Baltimore, also assumes direction of Cincinnati (research) and York (broadcast equipment) divisions; Howard Walker, York plant mgr., promoted to gen. mgr.; Maurice W. Horrell promoted to gen. mgr. of computer div., Los Angeles . . . Robert G. Marchisio, asst, to CBS-Hytron pres. Charles F. Stromeyer, promoted to v.p. . . . E. Gordon Burlingham named to new post of CBS-Hytron sales service mgr., Danvers, Mass. . . . John W. Christensen pi'omoted to national merchandise mgr. of major appliances, Montgomery Ward . . . T. A. Lindsay, v.p. & director of Phillips Electrical Co. Ltd., Brockville, Ont., promoted to exec, v.p.; F. W. Barnhouse, gen. sales mgr., proomted to v.p. . . . Fred L. Gordon, exNecchi-Elna Sewing Machine Co., named CBS-Columbia adv. production mgr.; George C. Daleo resigns as chief cabinet engineer . . . Alexander Kidd, ex-M. W. Kellogg Co., elected Stewart-Warner corporate v.p. . . . Daniel F. Shea Jr., ex-Hazeltine, named engineering liaison executive, Hallicrafters govt, contract div. . . . James W. Safford, ex-Sylvania, named Andrea Radio eastern sales mgr., N. Y. . . . W. E. Laswell appointed Motorola southeastern regional sales mgr., Atlanta . . . Irvin H. Webster named operations mgr. of GE’s western regional electronic communications equipment office, moving shortly to Redwood City, Cal. . . . George J. Rodgers promoted to N. Y. state sales rep, Sheldon Electric Co., Irvington, N. J.; John Mustico to cover Pa., Del. & southern N. J. . . . Norman Koetke promoted to distributor sales mgr., Gramer-Halldorson Transformer Corp., replacing Charles A. Hansen, who will set up own factory rep firm at 1148 S. Grand, Los Angeles . . . Lou Silver, recently resigned as Majestic v.p., forms manufacturers’ rep firm, Lou Silver Assoc., 1665 Warwick Rd., Hewlett, Long Island . . . Wm. Coon promoted to engineering director, James Werner to purchasing mgr. of Simpson Electric Co., Chicago . . . Ralph G. Maddox promoted to v.p. in charge of technical sales & service, Prodelin Inc. . . . Vincent K. Meehan, administrative asst, to Clarence Tay, gen. mgr. of all Admiral branches, named administrative asst, to W. C. Johnson, Admiral sales v.p. DISTRIBUTOR NOTES: Raytheon appoints East Coast Radio & Television Co. Inc., 1922 NW Miami Court, Miami (Saul Tasman, pres.) . . . DuMont: Kelvinator Corp., 60 Arsenal St., Watertown, Mass. (Walter R. Gunberg, mgr.) . . . Emerson west coast factory branch, 2630 Railroad Ave., Fresno, appoints David Gray gen. mgr., Robert Holley parts & service mgr. . . . Philco Distributors, Philadelphia, appoints Wm. Taschner northeast district rep, his duties as major appliance sales mgr. assumed by gen. sales mgr. Dave Brody; Jack Halley continues as TVradio mgr. . . . Judson C. Burns, Philadelphia (CBSColumbia) appoints George Adames as adv. mgr. . . . Trav-Ler San Francisco factory branch appoints Mrs. Ora Fisher as credit mgr. . . . GE Supply Co. names F. A. Pai’ente as Columbus, 0. bi’anch mgr. Dr. Richard W. Porter, gen. mgr. of GE’s guided missiles dept., elected pres, of American Rocket Society, succeeding Andrew G. Haley, Washington TV-radio attorney. George B. Flood, 74, who retired last March as treas. & director of Sprague Electric after 23 years with firm, died last week at N. Adams, Mass, home after long illness.