Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

retailing for §279.50. Its estimated 2,500 sales to date include 500 sent to Philadelphia, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, Washington, Detroit, and initial shipment this weekend to Chicago. Viewtone's goal is 200 sets per v;eek. VIBE9 PBOBUCTISil: Here are facts about RCA's TV production, keystone to whole industry, as disclosed at FCC hearing Friday by RCA Victor's George Beers: Set production uo to Dec. 1, only 2,950 — bu,t 8,000 will be total for year (which impelled RCA Lab's Dr. C. B. Jolliffe to estimate that by end of 1946, between 15,000 and 20,000 receivers will be in hands of public, counting pre-war sets). Orders have been placed on RCA manufacturing departments for 90,000 sets, having total retail value of about §36,000,000. Estimated 1947 production is 160,000 sets, retailing for about §65,000,000. Production schedule first two quarters of 1947 calls for 25,000 each, third quarter 50,000, fourth quarter 60,000. As to transmitters, §6,000,000 worth of monochrome equipment is now being manufactured — including 40 transmitters and antenna systems, 150 Image Orthicons, 205 monitors, 50 film projectors and cameras, 75 synchronizing generators. SIGHT AND SOUND; Federal is now promising only 30clay wait on new orders for 1 lew and 3 kw FM transmitters, together with single square-loop antenna and transmission line. With all manufacturers hitting stride, list of stations going on air with STAs shows substantial gain Aveekly, now totals about 125. This week’s: WSAV, Savannah, Ga.; WRRN, Warren, 0.; KFMB, San Diego, Cal.; KGDM, Stockton, Cal.; WELL, Battle Creek, Mich.; KMUS, Muskogee, Okla.; KCMC, Texarkana, Tex. Paul Porter’s mission to Greece for Government, if it takes until April as reported, may end prospect he will assume presidency of BMI. After BMI board met this week, it still had no comment. Fact is, neither BMI nor Porter has ever verified job proffer, though it is known they have conducted conversations. WOKO decision of Supreme Court Monday gives little or no inkling of Court’s thinking about FCC’s powers over progTamming, some attorneys feel, since no question of freedom of speech was involved — issue being falsification of ownership report rather than program promises. Yet some, particularly FCC lawyers, feel Blue Book spine has been stiffened. Onetime owner of Atlanta’s WGST, which it gave to Georgia Tech, only to see it become a commercial outlet, Atlanta Constitution, first getting back into broadcasting via an FM-CP, this week also got 5 kw fulltime grant on 550 kc, directional; also newly assigned to that channel is new 1 kw outlet in Butte, Mont., hitherto the lone domain of E. B. Craney, KGIR. FM Assn, promoters have completed mailing of 2,500 invitations to Jan. 10 business meeting in Washington (Vol. 2, No. 49), express confidence that attendance will exceed original 250-500 estimate. They report GE rounding up manufacturers to exhibit sets, growing number of inquiries and requests for reservations. Iligh-band FM advocate K. A. Norton, whose calculations were used by FCC to substantiate shift of FM “upstairs” (thus incurring professional wrath of FiM’s inventor, Maj. Edwin H. Armstrong), has been appointed chief of frequency utilization research section. Central Radio Propagation Lab, Bureau of Standai’ds. New York’s WABD (DuMont) is putting up new RCA 3-bay super-turnstile antenna, to be ready for operation Feb. 1; rising 689 ft. above sea level, it wiil increase radiated power from 1.81 kw to 17.8 kw. Racketeering, TV-age version: After a Camden, N. J. tavern reported its TV set had increased business 28%, juke-box interests, obviously worried, sent goons around 1 to keep sets out of Atlantic City bars, restaurants, etc. New Jersey Beverage Assn, fought back, threatened to pull out juke-boxes altogether, reports Newark Netvs, and I no fuss ensued. Clash points up fact that tavern ownei-s, like hotel operators, are most eager seekers of new sets (harder to get than cars), and are prepared to buy most expensive models. FCC is expected soon to tell the few old FM licensees using 42-44 me frequencies (Supplement No. 32) whether j they can move temporaidly into 44-50 me band or have I to go directly to 88-108 me by Jan. 1, In July, FCC said ! they must move by Jan. 1 to make way for other services. , Those affected: WMNE, 43.9 me (Yankee); WFMN, 42.8 | me (Armstrong); WINX-FM, 43.2 me; plus the educa | tional FMs. i ! Highest man-made FM tower in land is that for WE 8-bay Cloverleaf antenna installed atop 915 ft. broadcast tower of WKY, Oklahoma City, about 6 miles from town. From this 963 ft. pinnacle, with 3 kw RCA transmitter on way, WKY-FM expects to lay down signal covering whole state. One of costliest items of installation Avas 950 ft. of ' rigid 6-in. transmission line up the tower and 770 ft. on i ground ($17,000). Dixie McKey, ex-chief engineer of WKY, now Washington consultant, has been working on this unique job. ( RCA Victor TV promotion men next take camera crew to Chicago’s big Furniture Mart, Jan. 6-18, to televise annual furniture fair, where company itself will feature its own 630TS (10 in. tube) and 62ITS (7 in. tube) table models, plus rest of 1947 line of radios. American Taxicab Assn., excited over prospect of twoway (FM) radio, has engaged law firm of Jeremiah Courtney, cx-FCC asst. gen. counsel handling special seiwices, to handle its radio problems. Bristol-JIyers Co., retaining choice Sunday 8:15 p.m. period on hookup of W’NBT and WPTZ, this Sunday re})laces Mrs. Carveth Wells’ “Geographically Speaking” with variety show called “Tele-Varieties.” Gulf Oil Co. started sponsorship Thursday (9 p.m.) of John Gnagy’.s “Ai-e You an Artist?” program on ^ WNBT, teaching various forms of art; agency is Young & Rubicam.