Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

newsmen, its publicity director telling them: “Frankly, the reason is simply that, with production and availability still not a reality, the best interests of television would not be served by a splurge in the press at the present time.” Reason behind failure to offer sets in quantity as yet lies in production problems, including unavailability of requisite wood. Nevertheless, set makers are hoping for best, expect they’ll catch up with demand as aroused by expanding activities of telecast stations. Nine manufacturers have engaged to show their prospective models at Television Broadcasters Assn, convention in New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Oct. 10-11: Crosley, DuMont, Farnsworth, GE, Philco, Raytheon-Belmont, RCA, Sonora, Telicon. There are others known to be getting ready, too. PLENTY OF SPONSOES: Plenty of sponsors avail able for TV’s handful of existing stations (Supplement No. 18), judging from current time purchases and increasing interest being manifested by big advertisers and agencies. Ford Motor Co., in addition to signing Madison Square Garden sports and Columbia U football on WCBW-CBS (Vol. 2, No. 34), this week also bought Northwestern U football games on WBKB, Chicago, after having assumed sponsorship of N. Y. Yankees pro grid games on WABD-DuMont. Alexander Stores last week began sponsoring ABC-produced charades program, “Play the Game,” on WABD. Reid’s Ice Cream Sunday started thrice weekly one-minute weather forecasts on WCBW. In Chicago, Commonwealth Edison last week became first sponsor on WBKB since station issued Sept. 1 rate card (Vol. 2, No. 35), continuing “Telequizicals” it formerly produced on cost-sharing basis. And Philco’s recently commercialized WPTZ, Philadelphia, last week started Sears Roebuck’s “Sears Visiquiz,” first use of TV by mail order house. ENLISTING THE SET MilHEHS: “Our FM grant makes it extremely imperative FM receivers he channeled to this market. Appreciate receiving names and addresses of all FM receiver manufacturers, including distributors and sales representatives in our area . . .” So runs a telegram we received the other day, one of a series of queries we’ve had along the same line. We immediately contacted Radio Manufacturers Assn., and for the sake of others who may be in the same boat, here’s the nub of the advice we passed on: Consult the latest RMA Trade Directory (we’ll get it for you, if you wish), on page 84 of which you will find a list of members of RMA Set Division who represent perhaps 90% of U.S. set manufacture. RMA says all of them, if not already making FM sets, should be doing so as soon as conditions permit. Determine from that list. after checking with your local dealers, the manufacturers having distribution in your area, and contact their sales managers as listed in the alphabetical portion of the RMA Trade Directory (pages 20-76) . You will have to ask respective sales managers to advise you names and addresses of their distributors and sales representatives in your territory. Certain manufacturers are known to be more eager than others to invade FM field, and your local dealers should know who they are. Work hardest on them, for you may stand better chance of interesting them in your local problem than most of smaller companies. On the other hand, it is possible some smaller companies may have particularly good distribution channels already set up in your area, and may leap at chance to work with you in your campaign to get listeners for your FM outlet. Certainly, any manufacturer with the productive capacity would be stupid not to take advantage of the new market you are opening up. One more suggestion: O. R. Wright, of pioneer FM station KOZY, has just finished doing just what we suggest in foregoing paragraphs. He will be glad to tell you what he found out, at least so far as his area is concerned. Write him at Station KOZY, Porter Bldg., Kansas City, Mo. MOST SETS STILL LACK FM: There’s an interesting sidelight to current pokey pace of FM set production, which according to latest RMA figures took dive down from 19,642 in July to 13,892 in August. According to sources that ought to know, some manufacturers are purposely underplaying FM in their promotion and advertising right now because they’re afraid they will be swamped with calls for FM sets from dealers and distributors — and they simply don’t have them yet. Main reason for lack of FM sets, as reported by RMA’s President R. C. Cosgrove, Crosley general manager for manufacturing, is shortage of wood for consoles, most of which will include FM. But he says consoles should be plentiful during spring 1947; in fact, he said, some set makers are already cutting down small set production preparatory to switchover. Sharing platform at Washington’s Electric Institute Wednesday with Everett Dillard, consulting engineer and FM booster, Cosgrove did not quite share Dillard’s enthusiasm for FM. Dillard told dealers FM means “folding money” for them (higher priced sets, greater profit margin), warned against incurring customer ill-will w'^hen selling expensive consoles without FM. On his part, Cosgrove damned FM with faint praise, wasn’t so sure about its “wonderful” characteristics, foresaw tough selling job for dealers in obstacles (such as need for receiver antennas). He took exception to what he termed misrepresentative FM station ad