Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

practical arrangement. In between (Wednesday) was left open for social affairs. Altogether, it was the most superbly managed, most businesslike convention, yet most enjoyable for hospitality, in NAB's history. Your trade papers' reports on social events, especially Atwater Kent's fabulous "$40,000 party," and detailed accounts of the convention's business sessions should make absent half of NAB membership (compared with last fall's nearly 3,000 registered) regret missing this one. It would take dozens of these pages even to highlight what transpired. But aside from adoption of the Broadcasters Code, the outstanding event, to our thinking. was the "whither radio" panel, with its know-how names and horse-sense discussions: by ABC's Mark Woods, CBS's Frank Stanton, NBC's Noran Kersta, Don Lee's Lewis Allen Weiss, AAAA's Fred Gamble, Mason-Dixon ' s Clair McCullough, FMA's Everett Dillard, Hoffman Radio's H. J. Hoffman. By all means, if you weren't there, have NAB send you its excellent press digest if not full transcript. There was more plain talk here, less bunkum, than ever heard in any forum discussion of TV and FM — capped by this pointed warning of Lew Weiss, whose company has spent 17 years and a million dollars experimenting with TV: This is no get-rich-quick business but rather an extremely costly long-range investment requiring most cautious approach and most prudent planning. Engineering papers and floor exhibits were very largely TV, and exhibitors and chief engineers of stations indicated many more TV applications are on way. Nor did visits to magnificent new Don Lee studios and Mt. Wilson sites of most Los Angeles area's TV and FM transmitters fail to impress one w^ith technicians' deep preoccupation with radio's great new development. Also worth mention: First display of RCA's new low power 500-watt TV transmitter, demonstration of Paramount's of f-the-kinescope films for program syndication, first showing of Warner BrothersRCA large screen theatre TV, impressive array of TV studio gadgets being produced by new Bill Eddy-Keith Kiggins company. As for FM. it looked like a "lonesome kid," bound, nevertheless, to grow up and eventually to succeed. It got its usual pat on the back from FCC, this time from Chairman Wayne Coy. Like predecessors Fly, Porter and Denny, he went all out for FM, deploring those who are satisfied with the status quo, urging "you broadcasters make up your minds you can provide a superior aural broadcast service through FM," and asserting: "It seems almost inevitable that FM will, wuthin a generation, largely replace AM. " We asked Mr. Coy what he meant by "a generation," ahd he replied: "A radio generation — you figure that out — you know how fast things happen in radio." Obviously, he didn't mean proverbial 33-year human span. But FMA President Everett Dillard and those of us who believe FM really is "the best aural system" could derive small comfort from show of hands at panel after Dillard talk. Half of audience said they were operating both AM and FM, but only about dozen raised hands when asked to indicate whether they believed FM would eventually replace AM, nor did Dillard win any support for his suggestion FCC should fix deadline beyond which it would license no more AMs. FM PRODUCTION HITS SNAG IN APRIL: RMJl's April FM set production took rather shock ing drop to 90,'635 (from March's 161,185). The fact April had 4 weeks and March had 5 was expected to show in figures, of course; however, FM's weekly average in April was 32.7% less than average week of year's first quarter. On other hand, though TV for April dropped to 46,339 (from March's 52,137), weekly average was up 27.6% from first quarter's average. Thus, post-war FMs reached 1,881,717 and TVs hit 349,413; non-RMA production, kits, etc., probably put actual number of sets near 2,000,000 and 375,000, respectively. Set production of all kinds was lowest in months — 1,182,473, with auto and portable receivers carrying burden of AM output. Drop in AM and FM is unquestionably heavily attributable to tooling up for TV. April TV breakdown: 33,803 table models, 4,859 TV-only consoles (1,794 pro jection type), 7,677 consoles with radio-phono (48 projection type). FM breakdown: 24,424 AM-FM table models (103 with phono), 59,372 consoles (3,373 without phono), 6,839 FM-only and tuners.