Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

KiTS-TV's Y/IIJ3FALL XmCULAT!5N': Thanks to Transvision Inc.'s general manager H. D, Suesholtz, we can now throw more light on status of that "sleeper" of the TV industry — kits. It would appear from his company's figures alone, disclosed here for very first time, that we've erred on conservative side in adding only 10% to Rfv^A's monthly output figures to account for kits, non-RMA production, and pre-war sets (Vol. 4:31). For this booming little company, making more TV kits than all others combined, yet only one of a half dozen or more in that line, has shipped some 50,000 kits between November, 1946, and beginning of this month. At this moment it's producing approximately 600 per week, has just moved into new plant capable of 2,000. In 1949 it expects to turn out somev;here between 30,000-50,000. Add the lower figure to non-RAlA Admiral's reported 150,000 a year rate, and you have well over 10% of the best estimate ventured for the v/hole industry for next year (1,600,000; see Vol. 4:32). Nor does that include other kit makers thus far reporting they're in production: Certified Radio Laboratories, 5507 13th Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. ; Espey Mfg. Co., 528 E. 72nd St., New York; Meissner Div. , Maguire Industries, Mt Carmel, 111. ; Tech-Master Products Co., 123 Prince St., New York; Television Assembly Co., 540 Bushwick Ave., Brooklyn (formerly Sports-View). Said to be in field are 5 others on whom we have no reports yet: Dynamic Television Associates, 155 Prince St., Brook lyn; Electro-Technical Industries, 121 N. Broad St., Philadelphia; Republic Television Inc . , 7 E. Madison Ave., Dumont, N.J. Note : Transvision Inc., located in New Rochelle, N.Y., likes to call itself a "little RCA" because it makes own tubes (owns Lectrovision Inc.), antennas, lenses, cabinets, many components. It's going to strut all its stuff at Waldorf-Astoria exhibit Aug. 16-18. SIGHT AND SOUND Denouement in “Mystery of Channel No. 13” (Vol. 4: 28-32) will come early ne.xt week when all parties concerned gather to compare and evaluate findings on Newark’s WATV. Consultant Glenn Gillett says he has excellent data from helicopter records, is satisfied that No. 13 is okay, that situation is “not without remedy,” that remedy probably isn’t too difficult. Meanwhile, consultant E. C. Page’s measurements on Toledo’s WSPD-TV, also on No. 13, tend to substantiate satisfied reports of station manager Ed Flanigan. Interesting angle: Page engineer Joseph Waldschmitt frequently found intensity of WSPD-TV’s distant signals (80-90 mi.) many hundred times theoretical values. Major networks’ profit columns, from now until TV gets on its fiscal feet, will probably show smaller as NBC (RCA doesn’t give out network figures), and ABC and CBS (both listed on Stock Exchange) lay out more money for TV operation, new stations, etc. ABC’s statement for first 6 months of 1948 shows $28,280,574 gross income, estimated $850,000 net after taxes (50<) per share), compared with $25,540,028 and $890,000 (53<^) for same period of 1947. ABC’s next TV venture: WENR-TV, Chicago, about to test, slated for full operation Sept. 17. Whatever titles are fastened on him, just put out of mind any idea Sid Strotz, out in Hollywood, is NBC’s “remote control” chieftain of TV. Real topdog, real successor to Frank Mullen, running TV along with rest of NBC setup, is executive v.p. Charles Denny. Strotz has no intention of leaving Coast, and impracticability of transcontinental commuting is manifest. Unless Cubans beat them to if, looks like Argentine interests will be next country of western hemisphere to go mto TV — probably ahead of Canada, even. Rumors they have bought TV equipment from England’s Electric Musical Industries aren’t substantiated, but an Argentine mission has been in U. S. looking into TV. Next RCA “TV Clinic,” at Camden week of Aug. 30, be for consulting engineers. Reasons are obscure, but phonograph record business is taking bad beating lately — demand simply isn’t there. Inclination is to blame Petrillo, even TV, but common sense doesn’t support this in view of plenteous backlog built up before Petrillo’s Jan. 1 ban and paucity of TV sets. Costs may be reason, also inclination of householders today to cut down on luxury items in view of high cost of food, etc. Reduced record business is understood to account for lower CBS earnings (Vol. 4:32) even while time sales are up; Columbia Records is pushing hard for acceptance of new long-playing record (Vol. 4:25) but it may take time catching on since special playing arm and adaptor is* needed. Stratovision rule-making, to allow airborne station over Pittsburgh (Vol. 4:31-32), was asked by Westinghouse this week. Petition showed how channels in 25 cities could be reallocated to allow Stratovision over Pittsburgh, yet cause no city to lose channels; in fact, some would gain. Also requested is protection to 500 uv/m. Principal argument is that nearly 6 million people who would not get 5,000 uv/m ground station service would get 500 uv/'m Stratovision service, and over 2 million people who would not get 5,000 uv/m ground service would get 5,000 uv/m Stratovision. Those published trade reports about an International Detrola-General Instrument Corp. tieup (with LibbyOwens-Ford and Strickland Mfg. Co.) to produce TV receivers are categorically denied— but it develops this week that G. Russell Feldmann, president of International Detrola, and Richard E. Laux, v.p. of General Instrument Corp., have purchased controlling interest in General Instrument, big maker of radio-TV components, from Abraham Blumenkrantz. Mr. Feldman becomes chairman, Mr. Laux president. Companies aren’t being linked, however, nor are any TV plans in the works. .Vdd freak long-distance TV receptions (Vol. 4:29): WCBS-TV, New York, picked up in Dacatur, Ga., and Wheeling, 111., each some 900 mi. distant.