Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

I — though, like a few others also expected to withdraw, it hung on longer than anticipated. Your Supplement No. 18A will be complete if you delete from the Applications Pending column the Jacksonville application and the Los Angeles1 San Francisco applications of Hughes Tool Co., as I reported last week; and if you transpose to the CPs Outstanding column, besides WGN, the following grants since Sept. 28: San Francisco, Associated ; Broadcasters Inc.; Indianapolis, William H. Block Co.; Minneapolis, Minnesota Broadcasting Co.; Philadelphia, William Penn Broadcasting Co. RCA’S TV SETS ON^SALE: What it calls “T-Day,” ^ this Sunday, finds RCA releasing full-page ads in I New York, Newark, Albany, Philadelphia and Chicago definitely offering medium-priced TV sets 1 to the public. Buyers may have to get on waiting lists, as for cars, but dealers in those cities now have demonstration models, a few to sell immedi, ately, more promised soon from an accelerating j production line. j RCA sources conservatively estimate deliverI ies of 5,000 to 10,000 units by Christmas, which I means more than that company produced pre-war I (about 5,000). The company calls this its “sample I year” — the test period for popular reaction to TV. I Next year, it anticipates production geared to de! mand, more models to offer, a v/idened market as more stations go on the air. Los Angeles and Washington, with only sporaI die service from their still-experimental stations, are not on RCA’s marketing schedule as yet, though a few demonstration models will reach those cities, too. And Detroit, where the Netvs promises to get its station on the air before Christmas, and such other cities as secure CPs for TV and build stations I (Supplement 18A) will get consignments of sets II as they can be channeled — not only by RCA but I by rival set producers. RCA words its “T-Day” ads with circumspection — for obvious reasons. It pictures the $350 :• I model, on the viewing screen of which is a football N ' shot. Underneath is this legend: “Prices start at ' * $225. Table set shown, the G30TS, is $350. Cabinet 1j in fme-grain walnut 25’/2” wide, 14V2” high, 18%” } [ deep. Picture size 52 sq. in. Console and combina> ' tion models in production. All Victor sets are sold tf, with an RCA Victor Television Owner Policy.” This is the gist of the rest of the story on RCA’s t TV line — what is not told in the ads: ^ I Only a few of the $225 table models with 7” K ^ direct viewing tube are available yet, more will be j later, and that is the cheapest set in sight at pre, sent. Neither the $225 nor $350 model (latter with I 10” tube) contains regular AM-FM bands, though ■ 'they do of course have “sound tracks” which the R I ads call the “Golden Throat” tone system. Auto matic selector tunes in all of the 13 TV channels, perfectly sychronized (“Eye Witness picture synchronizer”), and pictures are so bright, ad says, you can see them with living-room lights turned on. The console and combination models mentioned in the ad refer to two models to be available after Jan. 1, one to cost $750 (with 10” direct viewing tube) and the other $1,250 (with 18 x 24” largescreen reflected image). Both will contain AMFM-phonograph. The “Owner Policy” is a warranty, entitling buyer to one full year of “perfect operation” of his set, including installation, antenna, replacements, etc. This costs $45 additional. Since TV poses special problems before it can be made to work in the home, RCA has been training special personnel for installation and servicing — and that’s the fee for their services. So the actual out-of-pocket cost of a working set, if you can buy one after Sunday, will be $395 for the 10” screen model, $270 for the 7” screen model. RADIOS DECOHTROILED: It remains to be seen — OPA having decontrolled radio sets and cabinets Wednesday, parts and tubes Friday — whether prices move upward or remain stable. Crosley’s R. C. Cosgrove, RMA president, said after the set decontrol order: “Decontrol will not result in any general increase of prices to the consumer.” But Bendix’s sales manager, Ij. S. Truesdell, said: “Manufacturers of quality radios can adjust their prices on a fair and equitable basis.” FM comes mostly in console or quality sets. So if prices of consoles go up (since trade sources now predict most will henceforth have FM), it would seem to bode none too well for FM. On the other hand, competitive factors are seen pushing prices down since supply now exceeds demand in all but higher cost radio-phonograph models. Moreover, Zenith has shown way to table models with FPd, which others will emulate. In fact, Zenith claims to have produced 70.7% of all table models with FM reported by RMA for whole industry up to Sept. 13, and 62.2% of all radio-phonograph combinations with FM. RMA records for first 9 months of year show 7,187 FM-equipped table models, 42,465 radio-phonographs with FM, produced by whole U. S. industry. Fr^ vs. 750] KWXCIEARS: One of the hurdles the Clear Channel Broadcasting Service will have to leap, when the FCC resumes its perennial clear channel hearings in Januaiy, is the CBS plan for a 200-station FM network, plus 2 high powered AM clears, to blanket the country with good, usable, day and night signals (Vol. 2, No. 17). A CCBS spokesman admits the network plan will have to be disproved. The CCBS plan makes no reference to FM,