Television digest and FM reports (Feb-Dec 1947)

leaders to arrange for recordings by Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Forces bands, to be used exclusively in schools and colleges (i.e., non-commercially) . Rep. Kearns was elated, so were all participants, and a benign Jimmy Petrillo emerged from the cozy, informal parleys — a Jimmy Petrillo eager to be regarded as a decent fellow, apparently -ready and willing to "make a deal" with anyone with a fair proposition. Informally, he frankly agreed maybe he'd been wrong, maybe he ought to get himself a public relations advisor, rely less on his lawyers. Next Thursday he meets again with Kearns in Chicago, and AM-FM may be taken up. Then Kearns goes to Hollywood to start hearings Aug. 4, at which AFM contracts with movies barring musical sound tracks on films for TV will be probed. Impatient FMers are disposed to chafe, to demand get-tough policy toward AFM in light of new labor laws, to charge networks with same fear psychosis that apparently has always dominated their dealings with Petrillo. Networks say they're delighted at apparent new attitude of Petrillo, but they are inclined to be cautious, point out their contracts are still in force despite Taft-Hartley and Lea acts, aren't disposed to act precipitately for fear of possum tactics. It's pointed out, for instance, that St. Louis' KWK took advantage of n ew laws to drop 10 of 16 musicians, only to meet such outrageous wage demands from other 6 that it's questioned what was gained. As for networks seeking to retard FM — "they don't want it," Jimmy told Rouse committee — they take pains to repeat over and over again their willingness , indeed their eagerness, to get FM going. First, they admit it can't be stopped ("better mousetrap") even if entrenched radio interests wanted it stopped; secondly, all networks stand to gain from superior FM coverage in certain areas ; thirdly, big NBC can't afford to sabotage a field its parent company (RCA) is committed to advance. There's an admitted inclination among networks to be stodgy and slow-moving — but that they're all for FM now seems fairly evident. .WHO'S WHO M30HG TV SET And still they come — the names of big companies and little (sometimes new ones and obscure) reporting they are going into TV set production. We've published hardly an issue this year without news about new TV manufacturing plans. This week's no exception: Westinghouse ' s first TV set, v.p. Walter Evans tells us, will be a table model, probably in $350 price range, will be ready for introduction first in Boston area at about time company's WBZ-TV transmitter gets going, probably in October; no other details, except that console will be ready for 1948 sale. Bendix is preparing, for September delivery, a TV-AM-FM-phono console to sell at around $1,000, says its plans are to "ease into the market," not to produce table models as yet. Farnsworth unveiled its 2 new sets, both with AM-FM ($349.50 table model, §497.50 consolette), and President Nicholas urged distributors at convention last week to take active interest in TV, predicted market for 5,000,000 sets over next 5 years. Andrea showed 3 models, all with 12-in. tube, all with AM-FM (§695 table model, §795 console, §995 console with phono), reported planned production of 3-4,000 sets this year, 5-10,000 next, mostly for New York area distribution. And Sonora promised its first set in production by Oct. 1, will show pilot model in special telecast ceremony (WBKB) during Chicago distributor convention July 28. New name in TV set field soon will be Arcturus. Standard Arcturus Co., Newark, tube maker, is setting up receiver company, promises line of popular priced TV sets. Smith-Jenkins Co., Los Angeles manufacturer, also announced advent into TV field with §800 table model with 10-in. tube and AM-shortwave, presumably will concentrate sales in that city until other Pacific Coast areas get TV service. Transvision Inc. , New Rochelle, N.Y., TV kit producer, announced showing of new kit for 12-in. tube set at New York's Waldorf-Astoria, July 30-Aug. 1. So we have a big baker's dozen companies in actual production already, even more promising production soon. Others already making TV sets are (no. in parenthesis denotes issue of our Vol. 3 carrying latest dope): Andrea (21), Belmont (23),