Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

GUIDE TO TV SET MAKERS AND SETS; To give you an idea of how fast TV set manufacturing is mushrooming, here are a few statistical facts based on our newly revised Directory of Television Manufacturers & Receivers (Supp. 57-A) . Sixty-eight companies, including all name brand makers, are listed with present or prospective production of 220-plus models, (88 table units, 96 consoles, 12 projections, 8 consolettes, 16 custom-builts , commercials, etc.) — at prices ranging from 599.50 for Pilot's 3-in. Candid to 54,100 for RCA's Berkshire Breakfront. Six kit and 15 picture tube makers are additionally listed. We also compiled names and addresses of 44 more companies variously reported as producing or soon-to-produce TV sets (none well known yet) who did not respond to our repeated requests for data. Hence, unlike our list of 68, we have no verifiable dhta on them. Recalling the history of radio in the 20s and 30s, it goes without saying that many new firms, new labels, new products will appear and disappear in TV — indeed, it's interesting to note that our present compilation compares with 51 set and 5 kit makers listed last January (Supp. 57). Our data was supplied by top company officials, plus other verified sources. We've attempted to make the model name, number, picture tube size, tube and price listings as accurate and complete as possible up to Sept. 1, including recently announced price changes. But they're subject, of course, to constant changes — so we'll continue to revise and reprint this directory periodically. Note ; Another good compilation is(Tele-Tech Magazine's chart with Sept^ edition. It lists 64 setmaking companies ancT 5 kit-makers, covers 180 models. It contains valuable technical specifications ours doesn't, such as loudspeaker, anode voltage, power supply, power consumption (watts), number of tubes in various stages (RF, mixer, oscillator, IF, detector, audio, amplifier). RMA's CITY BY CITY TV SET CENSUS: RMA came out this week with figures showing where TV sets were shipped during all 1947 and first 6 months of 1948. Mulling over these statistics (Supp. 61 herewith), it becomes apparent TV industry for all practical purposes now has a city-by-city census that begins to mean something. At very least, the figures provide an irreducible minimum, should gain more weight with each of RMA's quarterly reports. Moreover, they cover not only cities with TV stations but other TV-served communities. Figures tally to 421,772 receivers shipped up to July 1, 1948. This, of course, excludes pre-war (about 10,000), kits and non-RMA, to say nothing of 1946 's total of 6,476. But it constitutes bulk of American TV output to July 1 (RMA's monthly output figures for same period added up to 457,465) — differential of 35,695 being quite logically accounted for by normal lag of shipments behind production. Though an excellent guide, RMA figures leave something to be desired. For example, city to which sets are shipped isn't always where they're installed. Thus Hartford, which has no station, got 7,023 whereas New Haven, which has, is down for only 763 — probably explained by fact Hartford distributors supply contiguous areas covered not only by New Haven but by New York stations. But count is now pretty clear for TV areas like Los Angeles, Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, etc. Copyright 19i3 by Radio News Bureau