Television digest with AM-FM reports (Jan-Dec 1950)

Topics & Trends of TV Trade: DuMont has sliced dealer outlets some 20%, and Bendix called off its Dec. 15 sales meeting due to pricing uncertainties growing out of components situation. Meek raised TV prices about 10%, and others are doing much the same but without public announcements. Hallicrafters reports 6 new models to be added to line, showing them first at meetings Dec. 27-28 in New York’s Park Sheraton and Chicago’s Edgewater Beach. Bigger producers like Admiral, Philco and RCA maintain discreet silence about new models, except to hint at “very slight changes,” the former 2 holding usual winter meetings in Chicago Jan. 4-6 (Vol. 6:49). Foregoing are scattered and diverse news straws in the slow-blowing but shifting TV-radio trade wind — and if they betoken any definite trends, we can’t pin them down yet. TV-radio industry, like so many others, is at mercy of many elements — but with added disadvantage that higher food and clothing prices, payments due on that car or refrigerator or washer, higher taxes due, seem to be impelling too many people still without TVs to decide “the TV set can wait.” Or else, to buy cheap. * * * ♦ CIO’s International Union of Electrical Workers has asked wage increases “immediately” from GE, Sylvania, Westinghouse. In telegram Dec. 13, lUE says, “In view of the extraordinary profits your company has made and is making, it is our finn conviction that the wage adjustment can be put into effect without any price increases in your products.” Revival of Detrola trade-name on TVs, radios and other electronic equipment is proposed by Harry Cohen, who operates Hershel Radio Co., 5249 Grand River Blvd., Detroit. He reports he has purchased all stock of Detrola Division of Newport Steel Co., along with tools, dies, etc., of old International Detrola Corp., and plans factory operations in building at 4850 Seventeenth St., Detroit. “This is a mail order Christmas,” said Dec. 16 Chicago Journal of Commerce, but while it found toys, winter clothing, etc. gaining it had this to say about TV: “. . . television continues to drag its feet. And it takes a great many $1, $2, $5 & $10 sales to make up for a decline in a big ticket item like TV.” “Investigation of TV service racket” by Attomey General and Postmaster General is objective of resolution (H. Res. 881) introduced Dec. 13 by Rep. L. G. Clemente (D-N. Y.). He says he was prompted by complaints involving “false, fraudulent or deceitful” sales contracts. ■ Trade Personals: Jack M. Williams, ex-aide to John K. West, now Hollywood NBC v.p., appointed adv. mgr. RCA Victor Home Instrument Dept., succeeding James M. Toney, who took Mr. West’s place as director of public relations . . . Sol Prediger, ex-Garod & Majestic purchasing v.p., appointed v.p. in charge of pui'chasing for Tele King . . . RCA Victor Record Dept, sales, merchandising & promotion moving from Camden to New York, with following shifting: L. W. Kanaga, gen. sales mgr.; David J. Finn, adv. & sales promotion mgr.; Robert M. Macrae, mdsg. mgr.; Edward O. Walker, sales planning mgr.; Edward Dodelin, field sales . . . Harry E. McCullough promoted to mgr., Crosley TV-radio sales section . . . Kenneth D. Turner, Admiral v.p. & director, has retired and sold his 72,000 shares . . . Hallicrafters board elects Rollie J. Sherwood sales v.p., appoints A. D. Gaines gen. mgr., Hallicrafters-Chicago, Ollie Helmer continuing there as sales mgr. . . . O. O. Schreiber, asst, secretary of Philco, also appointed asst, to the president . . . R. D. Burnett, new president of Starrett, announces appointment of Herbert A. Frank, ex-Farnsworth and Tele King, as sales mgr. Henry M. Shaw, 80, pioneer radio inventor, founder of Shaw Insulator Co., died in St. Petersburg, Fla., Dec. 2. Financial & Trade Notes: RCA board has extended contract of president Frank Folsom to Dec. 31, 1954 (was Dec. 31, 1953), boosted his salary $25,000 to $165,000, amended contract to protect salary from cuts while permitting increases to be voted any year prior to March 1. Board also granted stock options to Mr. Folsom and Chairman Sarnoff to buy 50,000 & 100,000 shares respectively at $17.75 per share, purchasable on or before Nov. 3, 1955. International Resistance Co. this week called for redemption of all remaining shares of 6% cumulative convertible preferred stock, par $5, to be paid off Jan. 31, 1951 at $5.50 per share plus accrued dividends of a share. About 30,000 such shares are outstanding out of original issue of 175,000. Preferred is convertible into common until Jan. 20 on basis of 2 common for one. Dividends: Corning Glass, extra $1 with regular quarter 25(‘, payable Dec. 26 to holders of record Dec. 16 . . . Trav-Ler, 10< payable Dec. 28 to holders of Dec. 18 — third 10(? dividend since company became publicly owned in May . . . Meek, 10^ payable Dec. 28 to holders of Dec. 15 . . . WJR, The Goodwill Station Inc., 40^ payable Dec. 27 to holders of Dec. 18 . . . Tele-tone, 12(1 on common, 1614^ on Class A payable Jan. 2 to holders Dec. 18 . . . Packard-Bell, 25<? payable Jan. 25 to holders Jan. 15 . . . Sylvania, $1 payable Jan. 2 to holders Dec. 19. * * * « Faulty defense planning is “messing up our economy,” Stromberg-Carlson president Robert C. Tait told American Bankers Assn. Chicago credit meeting Dec. 15. Major disruptions of industry are taking place through forced stockpiling, he said. He cited recent NPA cobalt orders (Vol. 6:46-49), said one company had to shut down because no military business was available. “We are going about this in a way that may kill the goose that lays the golden eggs,” he said. Obviously referring to electronicscommunications industry, as well as others, Tait made point so far just hinted at (Vol. 6:49): Many industries have so expanded to meet post-World War II civilian demand that “a fairly sizeable chunk of our defense expenditure would merely absorb excess capacity.” Loudspeaker and permanent magnet manufacturers listed by NPA as attending Dec. 14 industry-govt, meeting on cobalt (see page 2) included: O. H. Hofman, General Magnetic; W. G. Scharnberger, Crucible Steel; A. D. Plamondon, Indiana Steel Products; E. L. Hubbard, GE; Robert Arnold, Arnold Engineering; James C. Skinner, Thomas M. Skinner Steel Products; Thomas A. White, Muter Co. (Jensen & Rola) ; Richard A. O’Connor, Magnavox; David Rogers, Stromberg-Carlson; Matt Little, QuamNichols; John A. Proctor Jr., Oxford Electric; Ben E. Schwartz, Perfection Electric; L. M. Heineman, Permoflux; W. E. Bahle, RCA Victor; W. Dumke, Zenith; Mr. Cromartie, Best Mfg.; Mr. Carbonneau, Carbonneau Industries; and representatives of Allegheny Ludlum Steel, Allen-Bradley and General Motors’ Delco Radio Div. Airborne Instruments Laboratory, Mineola, L. L, has been purchased from Aeronautical Radio Inc. by Laurance S. Rockefeller, American Research & Development Corp. and a gi’oup of Airborne’s executives and employes headed by president Hector Skifter. Airborne has $6,000,000 backlog of military and commercial orders, did $2,868,000 business last year. Westinghouse received $20,000,000 Air Force order for electrical equipment to be used in testing jet planes. Pacific Mercury Television president Max Stetner announced his firm has been awarded Air Force contract to produce $1,000,000 worth of electronic equipment. NPA’s new Communications Division is headed by Brig. Gen. Calvert H. Arnold (retired), former Signal Corps chief procurement and distribution officer.