Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

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8 they'll be ready just as quickly as stations are. This week. Admiral, throwing down the gauntlet once again to Zenith by claiming to be "first with the turret tuner," announced it will give free to any of the 2,000,000 owners of its present sets with turret tuners, and to any 1952 set purchasers, a tuning strip "to make available to those who can this year receive telecasts of the newly authorized uhf stations." No outside converter is required, said Admiral; all a serviceman need do is remove one of unused vhf tuning strips in turret tuner and insert uhf strip. New Emerson "price protection policy," also announced this week to go into effect immediately, guarantees its dealers against depreciation in value of inventory until Oct. 1, 1952. Said president Ben Abrams: "Now that the TV industry is on the threshold of becoming one of the leading multi-billion dollar industries in America, it becomes increasingly more important for dealers to be afforded the complete cooperation of the manufacturers they represent .. .Emerson' s new dealer price protection plan is part of an overall program to stabilize the present market." No other manufacturer had taken idea up at week's end, attitude of some being that it's unnecessary because their inventories are in reasonably good shape. Magnavox last March instituted price guarantees for 90 days after shipment. * * * * Production dropped to 79,276 TVs (3145 private label) for week ended April 11, according to RTMA, down from 83,031 week preceding (Vol. 8:15). At same time inventory went to 265,754, new high for year, up in week from 262,932. It was the second week of new quarter, 15th week of year. Radio output totaled 201,994 units (88,128 private), not much change in the week. Radio inventory went to 312,630 from 307,691 preceding week. Radios produced were 72,981 home units, 24,435 portable, 30,285 clock, 74,293 auto. Topics St Trends of TV Trade: Relaxation of Regulation W to exempt products under $100 from credit control (Vol. 8:15) has spurred campaign for further amendment or possible abolition of the regulation. William J. Cheyney, executive v.p., National Foundation for Consumer Credit, which has been carrying fight against the regulation, was quoted in April 13 New York Times: “Sources close to the White House indicate that some governors of the Federal Reserve Board are beginning to see the fallacy of continuing to cut back through regulation of consumer credit the distribution of major products in full supply, with inventories heavy . . .” Assn, of Better Business Bureaus has asked FRB to change regulation’s trade-in provisions, charging that the amendment allowing trade-ins to be credited to down payments has led to “too much thinly disguised manipulation, sharp practices and open defiance of the law.” FRB replied to BBB that without a Congressional amendment of the law the board can’t change trade-in provisions. FRB stated the amended Defense Production Act made liberal trade-in policy mandatory. 'Jfi sfc sjc Merchandising Notes: Big Vim chain. New York, becomes associate dealer for Meek, which recently announced 4 retail outlets of own in that city and 17 in other cities (Vol. 8:13); Meek $99.95 set, 20-in. table, will be advertised with $19 warranty, $10 tax, $10 delivery & hookup charge, making total cost $139 . . . New Sears Roebuck spring catalog lists Silvertone TV table models somewhat lower than before — 17-in. metal, $170; 20-in., $230; 20-in. leatherette, $210; 21-in. with base, $260 . . . Spiegel catalog offers 17-in. Aircastle table at $170, console $190 . . . Schulte Cigar Stores, New York, said to be first such chain to retail radios, selling Majestic “Radalarm” clock radios at $24.95 . . . DuMont moves New York factory distributor branch to 1114 First Ave. (at 61st St.); is also moving teleset control dept, there, says mgr. Fred A. Lyman. Trade Miscellany: Within 5 years — 40,000,000 TV sets in use. That was Dr. Allen B. DuMont’s prediction before Edison Electric Institute last week. He said there’s room for about 2000 stations, reaching 90% of population, added that color sets, if made available today, would cost 2% times black-&-white due to high cost of tri-color tube National Union Radio Corp. forms transistor div. to produce germanium diodes, has placed ex-Bell Labs’ Edmund G. Shower in charge, plans separate factory in Philadelphia . . . GE tube dept, building 90,000 sq. ft., $875,000 building at Milwaukee & N. Kilbourn Ave., Chicago, to be used for offices and for “largest electronic tube warehouse ever built” and to be ready by end of this year. ^ * % :je Huge collection of radio historical data, known as “RCA-Clark Collection of Radioana,” was presented April 16 to Massachusetts Institute of Technology by RCA v.p. and technical director Dr. C. B. Jolliffe at Boston ceremonies marked by unveiling of commemorative plaque by George H. Clark, MIT ’13, who collected it and who retired from RCA in 1946. Armed Forces Communications Assn, national convention April 24-25 at Philadelphia’s Bellevue-Stratford Hotel will feature address by DPA chief Manly Fleischmann, forum on govt, procurement and production, open house at procurement offices of Signal Corps and Air Force and equipment demonstration at Philadelphia Navy Yard. Reminiscent of Pilot Radio’s 3-in. TV, which enjoyed some months of vogue while 10-in. sets were still dominant in 1947-48, a British manufacturer is reported by Canadian Press to have exhibited tiny set with 1-in. screen (cost $1540), figures promotional novelty worth it. TV hasn’t clicked in Denmark, apparently, and govt, radio system, which introduced it last fall, is reported in A1‘ dispatch from Copenhagen to be considering dropping it because Danes have bought only 400 receivers thus far. Reason: Sets retail for $596 and there’s $7.25 annual tax.