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

3 doesn't agree with many predictions ranging as high as 1500 transmitters in 5 years and I'll admit the estimates are conservative. If materials, including construction materials, should be in free supply, then these estimates could be quite low. "You may consider these forecasts to be pessimistic. On the contrary, they are realistic , not based alone on what industry members think can be produced, as many surveys are." How soon will non-TV areas get stations — and open up new gold mines for set and parts manufacturers and merchandisers? This rule of thumb, said Dr. Baker, can give very rough idea: "If a city is a good market area; if it is on the coaxial cable, or relay network, or within one microwave link of the cable ; if it has only one applicant for permission to construct and operate the station, then, according to our market research experts, it has pretty good chance of getting on the air in next 2 years. If any one of these items is missing, it may be 5 years." [Editor's Note; Dr. Baker's 5-year prediction appears unduly pessimistic. All these conditions would rarely obtain, e.g., only one applicant in "good" market.] "Happier side of the picture" is Dr. Baker's forecast that approximately 55,500,000 families will be within range of at least one TV station by end of 1955. "We believe," he said, "there will be 44,500,000 wired homes in 1955 or 14% more than in 1950. We believe that by the end of 1955, nearly 80% of these homes... will be within range... And there is a possibility that 9 out of 10 of those more than 35,000,000 families will own at least one TV receiver. " To parts & components distributors, this will mean gross annual business about $1 billion in 1955 — more than triple 1950's gross of $520,000,000, and over twice as much as 1951's estimated $475,000,000, Dr. Baker said. G0V(IPAT1BLE COLOR UP ANOTHER NOTCH: "Operat ion Lovebird, " so called because lovebird act is one of most critical tests of a color system, continues to prove smash hit with more people who make TV tick — the makers & merchandisers of TV receivers and the broadcasters, advertisers & agencies providing the programs for those receivers. Enthusiasm for RCA's pictures — and compatibility — came from all quarters during all-week, thrice-daily showings in Radio City's Johnny Victor and Center theatres. Even those who have no special love for RCA-NBC attested to prime importance of compatibility and the high quality of RCA's images. Quality of pictures seemed about same as during July showings (Vol. 7:28), with exception that more emphasis was placed on vivid (saturated) colors, presumably in answer to criticisms that colors were too pastel (Vol. 7:28). Entertainment content of program has been enhanced, but George Burton's extraordinarily well-trained lovebirds, brought in from Coast for demonstrations, and singing & dancing turns by Nanette Fabray, are still top attractions. To show black-&-white on color tube, extremely clever sequence had a secretary living drab life in monochrome, then flashing into color when she took "a trip to Havana, on one of those cruises," meeting outrageously-dressed Latin dancer. Remote pickup from Merchant Marine Academy. Kings Point, L.I., some 12 miles away, featuring Marine drill team and cadet color bearers, came through well. ^ :{t From two of nation's biggest TV merchandisers — Davega Stores' Jules Smith and Vim Stores' Max Kassover (about 40 outlets each) — came indignant comments. Smith burst out in middle of demonstration; "CBS is still out of step. Somebody ought to show Coy a thing or two." Everyone laughed. Kassover 's opinion; "This is the ultimate. I think it's a shame to keep this from the public. It's here now." "Compatibility is very critical, we've found," said telecaster George Storer, whose WJBK-TV, Detroit, is scheduled to carry CBS's color football schedule (Vol. 7:35). He described how flock of complaints followed an experimental colorcast. "But what troubles some of us, regarding a compatible system," he said, "is the problem of mass producing tri-color tubes." RCA president Frank Folsom replied; "V>fe think we can mass produce them. When we had Mr. Coy out to Lancaster, a worker showed him a machine that exhausts 12 tubes an hour. Coy thought that