Television digest and FM reports (Feb-Dec 1947)

SELLING TV TO BROADCASTERS: Out of this week's conventions in Atlantic City may come the biggest impetus yet to TV — probably taking the form, first, of several dozen more applications for stations before the year is out. Comic Ray Bolger’s banquet gag that "radio is TV without pictures" didn't sit v/ell with many, but it helped set them thinking. It v/as only one small facet of the great attention TV commanded. Here's gist of TVs 1947 convention role: 1. FCC Chairman Denny repeated that "in our [the FCC] judgment, television is destined to become the greatest mass communication medium of them all." He cited 8 cities now getting, 33 cities presently scheduled to get TV service (Supp. 18-D), urged broadcasters to go into it. As one way to meet cost burden, he suggested "spawning" little clusters of low cost, low power satellite transmitters, taking their programs from big central stations. These would eventually link up for nationwide service as coaxial cables and microwave relays reach out. Little stations later could acquire own cameras and local studios, once sufficient economic support was available. 2. RCA's Gen. Sarnoff and HBCs Frank Mullen told packed NBC affiliates convention their future lies in TV, gave them whole afternoon's selling talk on TV. Sarnoff said fusion of sight with sound is as certain in radio as it v/as in movies, predicted TV programs within range of 40 million people by end of 1947, 750,000 TV sets by end of 1948. He lambasted Zenith's pay-as-you-look PhoneVision system, said there's no doubt TV will be sponsor-supported, like radio. Sarnoff also suggested local stations start in small way, with minimum facilities, then expand as receivers and sponsors increase. He asserted TV is "destined to become one of the nation's major industries," compared its §375 million worth of set business in 1947-48 with sound radio's §100 million worth in 1921-22. Mullen offered affiliates first refusal of NBC video facilities, said NBC's sponsor income from TV this year will run §800,000. For programs, he held out promise of new Kinescope Recorder, camera that produces movies direct off face of TV picture tube. Developed v/ith Eastman Kodak, it will make possible syndication of NBC programs via film to other TV stations. 3. Daily demonstrations included direct pickups of new WFIL-TV from Philadelphia, 65 miles away; 2-jump radio relays from WPTZ, Philadelphia; 6-jump radio relays of live shows and movies from VVNBT, New York — all with excellent results. Pictures projected on 6x8-ft screen sometimes drew gasps of astonishment from big audiences, not only of broadcast folk but of delegates to International Telecommunications Conference holding sessions in same hotel (Ambassador). 4. TV equipment exhibits occupied about one-third of hall, and were usually quite crowded. Most frequent questions asked, naturally, concerned costs. But exhibitors said they had never noted such keen, serious interest, expressed confidence orders v/ould now begin to flow. DuMont displayed its §89,000 "Acorn” package (Vol. 3, No. 37), also its film projector v/ith system that eliminates need for special film camera. GE showed image orthicon studio camera on hydraulic pedestal, claimed it was most compact, lightest yet (about 40 lbs). GE also showed master control desk able to handle 6 studio or 4 remote cameras, including mixing and fading; new film and dual slide projectors; microwave relay equipment. RCA had image orthicon studio camera with electronic view finder (Vol. 3, No. 25) ; 35mm film projector; TV switching unit able to handle 4 studio cameras and 2 remotes ; developmental model of new 3-camera chain program console. Exciting lots of attention at RCA exhibit was fully equipped mobile video truck due for delivery soon to Baltimore's VVBAL-TV. THEY LIiCE THE LARGE SCREEN: Popular trend seems to be toward large-screen TV sets in homes as v/ell as public places, if current experience of Washington's Philco distributors is any criterion. They tell us, with obvious surprise, big-screen sets are moving in 1-to-l ration with cheaper 10-in. direct view models. Simple fact is public likes them. Philco is promoting TV for all its worth in this area, indicat