Television digest with AM-FM reports (Jan-Dec 1951)

8 factory. Two CR tube manufacturers, Sarkes Tarzian and National Video, are reported planning to enter receiving tube business. On price front, it's possible the wave of CR tube slashes (Vol. 7:14-15) has subsided, at least temporarily. Common complaint is that recent reductions have come almost entirely out of tube makers' pockets; there hasn't been proportionate reduction in production costs. * * * ♦ Things are different in receiving tube industry, possibly due in part to fact there are only 9 important producers in this field (with Westinghouse soon stepping in) as against 37 CR producers (see pp. 64-65, TV Factbook No. 12). Although shortages are bothersome, receiving tube manufacturers luianimously predict present high production rate will continue for at least 30 days. When it does fall off, scarcity of nickel — not customers — will be to blame, they say. Receiving tube sales hit all-time high in March despite depressed TV market, RTMA figures reveal — 44,413,146 vs. 33,663,494 in March 1950 and previous record of 40,105,611 last October. In first quarter, 118,277,243 tubes were sold; 22% or 25,477,655 were for replacement, about 80,000,000 for new TV-radios, 4,000,000 for export and a mere 676,310 for govt, agencies, including military. There have been some cutbacks from March's record production — but many tube plants are still operating with extra shifts or on 6-day week. Military orders, while coming in steadily, still represent less than 10% of tube makers' business, industry-wide, according to manufacturers' ov/n estimates. Principal reason for continued high demand — as most tube makers see it — is that set makers, who for past year have been operating with practically no tube inventory at all, are building up "normal" advance supplies. And radio production is still high. Distributors* buying wave, however, has slackened — most replacement shelves are fully stocked. Material shortages trouble tube makers day-to-day and hour-to-hour. They've felt nickel pinch (Vol. 7:15-16) last 30 days, but full fury hasn't hit yet. And coming tungsten crisis is just dark cloud on the horizon. Conservation and substitution will eventually result in use of about onethird less nickel in civilian tubes, most manufacturers say. But these measures won't do in military tubes — won't fit strict specifications. For example, the military requires pure nickel leads, whereas nickel-plated steel leads are adequate for civilian tubes. So tube makers are faced with new headache. They're going to have to make 2 production runs for each type tube — one to meet military specifications, another for civilian tubes, using minimum of strategic materials. Topics & Trends ol TV Trade: Philco reports “pro gram of cooperative research” with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, alma mater of its engineering research v.p. David Smith and other top staffmen, whereby they will exchange data on military and commercial electronics, TV-radio, refrigeration, home appliances, etc. Special conferences and seminars and factory visits are planned. And this week, too. Majestic Radio announced the establishment of Majestic Research Fund Inc., endowed for $500,000, under which grants up to 48 scholarships per year for 5 years, each worth about $2000, will be made to persons over 35 years of age seeking another chance for education; scholarships will be known as “Second Chance,” and advisory boai'd comprises Dean H. L. Masson, Engineering Graduate School, New York U; Dean Erich Hausman, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute; Prof. R. T. Livingstone, executive officer. Dept, of Industrial Engineering, Columbia U; Prof. David Bendel Herz, Columbia U; G. A. Bishop, director of research. Textile Workers of America. Argument.s again.st Regulation W have been marshalled in 8-page press release by Philip Le.sly Co., 100 W. Monroe St., Chicago, public relations counsel for American Finance Conference, 176 W. Adams St., Chicago. Latter is campaigning for elimination or modification of credit controls. Lesly Co., which also handles publicity for Meek, is preparing leaflet on subject, will make copies available to all interested. Some 3,300,000 wired homes exist within 60-mi. radius of existing or projected TV stations in Latin America, so that within next 5 years there’s potential market for about 1,300,000 TVs. So Philco International Corp. v.p. Radcliffe L. Romeyn told meeting this week of Export Advertising Assn., New York. Within range of the 6 stations now operating in Latin America (2 in Cuba, 2 in Mexico City, one in Rio de Janeiro, one in Sao Paulo) Mr. Romeyn estimated 1,500,000 wii-ed homes, only about 25,000 setsin-use, perhaps another 15,000 in trade pipelines. Of setsin-use, about 14,000 are in Havana, 3500 in Mexico City, 3600 in Sao Paulo, 3000 in Rio. Esquire Radio Corp., 26 Court St., Brooklyn, is new manufacturing firm announced by A. Robert Lieberman, ox-Jewel Radio, with B. Stohl in charge of purchasing. He states company plans (o produce TVs, radio.s ami other electronic equipment.