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

mRRY CHRISTMAS' IN TRADE FIGURES: Two more statistical weeks to go for year — and the industry's TV output total has not only gone well over 5,000,000 already but factory inventories have been worked down to 222,229 from mid-summer peak of nearly 770,000. The 222,229 wouldn't be much more than one week's output by 1950 and early 1951 standards ; runs good 2 weeks by fourth-quarter 1951 standard. That inventory should go down still more before New Year — not only at the factories but at wholesale & retail levels — is manifest from generally favorable reports around the trade. Said Dec. 21 New York Times: "Many retail dealers all over the country have increased their dollar sales volume for TV receivers in the last 4 weeks as much as 100%, store spokesmen reported yesterday." Persistent price promotion and substantial assistance in the last week from holiday gift buying were given as reasons. But one store executive noted that gain isn't as impressive as seems, at first blush, because there was "beat-the-tax" buying rush for several weeks prior to Nov. 1, 1950 when 10% excise tax went into effect ; then from Nov. 1 to end of 1950, there was a retail slump. But any increase over any period in 1950 is regarded as welcome in a trade that suffered such serious summer and autumn doldrums this year. Its auditors having missed usual deadline last week, RTMA this week gave out figures for 2 weeks ending Dec. 7 & 14. Output for Dec. 7 week was 109,468 sets (4841 private label), inventory went down about 14,000 to 241,641. Output for week ending Dec. 14 was 117,047 (5100 private), inventory then went to 222,229. For the first 11 weeks of fourth quarter, output figure comes to 1,200,580 (subject to revision)— which, added to first 9 months' 3,970,857, gives 5,171,437 and 2 weeks to go. Radio output for Dec. 7 week was 206,581 units (80,483 private label) and inventory was 297,471; radios turned out were 129,501 home sets, 17,280 portables, 59,800 auto. For week ending Dec. 14, radio output was 200,869 (73,055 private) and inventory was 287,016; sets were 124,208 home, 19,815 portable, 56,846 auto. Thus radios for 11 of the 13 weeks of fourth quarter equalled 2,259,636 — which, added to first 9 months' 10,077,478, total 12,337,114 and 2 weeks to go. Trade Personals: William S. Schmidt, on leave from Monongahela Power Co., Fairmont, W. Va., named to NPA electrical equipment div. to direct priority system for supplying industry, military & Atomic Energy Commission with electrical components . . . Louis J. Collins promoted from Chicago sales mgr. to gen. sales mgr., Capehart-Farnsworth, succeeding E. Patrick Toal, resigned . . . Robert E. Lee, GE tube dept, finance mgr., Schenectady, named asst. mgr. of CR tube operations, Syracuse, succeeded by Randolph M. Duncan . . . H. A. Gumz, WebsterChicago production mgr., elevated to v.p. in charge of all govt, oi’ders . . . James Dales, ex-Motorola and Belmont, named chief TV-radio engineer, Hoffman Radio . . . Saul Decker promoted to chief TV engineer, CBS-Columbia Inc. . . . Wm. W. Paul elected v.p.. Radio Condenser Co., Camden, N. J., continuing as secy.-treas. . . . Claire Chamberlain promoted to buyer of TVs, radios, musical instruments and related items for Spiegel Inc. mail-order div. . . . Hollis D. Bradbury appointed national mgi\ of film recording sales, RCA engineering products dept., succeeded as Eastern mgr. by Everett Miller . . . Herbert Frank, who resigned recently as Starrett sales director to join Jewel Radio, now reported remaining with Starrett as sales v.p.; Frank D. Langstroth, Starrett president, and Bernard Hecht, gen. mgr., resigning as of Jan. 1, Jack Krieger be coming executive v.p. . . . William F. Cassedy Jr., exKearfott Mfg. Co. gen. mgr., elected president of Aircraft Radio Corp. ^ * sf: TV DX-ing pays off businesswise in Longmont, Colo., despite fact nearest stations are in Omaha, 500 miles away, according to appliance store owner Howard McKee. December Radio & Television News reports how store is cashing in on publicity and getting to be known as the TV store in Longmont in preparation for day when TV comes to area. McKee and technician Lawrence Pickerell have logged 24 stations, all low band, including those in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Charlotte, Greensboro. Best and most consistent signal is that from Houston’s KPRC-TV. Among oddities noted is fact that best signal was achieved in 1950 by pointing antenna at 14,000-ft. mountain, but peak didn’t help in 1951. Once, unusually good picture came when antenna was directed at cloud. Novel experimental license on 32,000 me, highest frequency yet authorized by FCC, was recently granted to Video Corp. of America, New York private-label TV receiver manufacturer, to test radar-like device for recording vehicle speeds. Grant specifies A-0 (no modulation) emission, .02 watts, employing QK-290 klystron. Device measures phase difference of outgoing and reflected waves. 7