Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

to equip the standard home television receiver with a button which, when pressed, will register a vote of “yes” or “no” at the television station. The purpose, of course, is to get from listeners and lookers their reactions to programs and issues of the day. Eventually we may have a national push-button poll, the results of which can be tabulated automatically by electronic computers at a central point. Thus, public opinion throughout the nation could be sampled instantaneously. Instant Response from TV Audience * [What possibilities that opens up! Those of you who are experts in merchandising and advertising can let your imagination roam and consider what an additional commercial advantage it could be to the sponsor of a television program to be able to show a product, particularly in color, and get an instant response from the TV audience as to its interest in the product. I shall not now elaborate on that. I leave that to your imagination.] Of more immediate interest is the fact that the necessity of compatibility in color television is now generally recognized. Its logic was too compelling to be long denied. We may therefore hope that the day is not far off when compatible color television will be authorized for commercial broadcasting. Color Television — No Tricks, No Battles * [At this point I might answer a question or two that may be in the minds of those who are interested in the subject of color television. I think that the press and the trade papers generally have been reporting excellently and most informatively on the progress made by the technical developments in the laboratories and demonstrations in the field. In fact, I sometimes wonder how they can do as well as they do with such complicated, technical and controversial subjects. Here and there an adventurous headline appeals to readers and sometimes confuses them, but for that we must make reasonable allowances. I am glad to tell you, in the presence of distinguished members of the Federal Communications Commission who are here today, that there is no rabbit, there is no secret, there is no trick, and there is no mysterious program so far as RCA is concerned, in the development and progress of color television. All that we have said publicly on the subject I am sure you have seen and read. Therefore, what we have not said publicly so far, I am glad to tell you now. Further than this, I know of nothing else I can usefully impart to you in the way of information at this time. First of all, I understand that the engineers of the industry agree on the most desirable technical characteristics for compatible color standards. There is no battle involved. There was a difference of opinion about the technical merits of this system, that system or the other; but that belongs to yesterday and has little or nothing to do with tomorrow. As far as we are concerned, we have proceeded — and by “we” I am speaking of the company I have the honor to represent, the RCA — in the confidence that when the FCC made its last decision on the color question, it said what it meant when it laid down a procedure that did not close the door to further progress. If we had doubted the truth of that statement, we perhaps would not have had the courage to spend $20,000,000 in further development of color television. So we proceeded in good faith on the belief that if we could improve our compatible color television and meet the criteria laid down by the Commission for any new system that might petition it for authorization, we would be given the opportunity that Americans are entitled to receive; that is to present our package, to tell our story, to ask the Commission to review the subject and to give us their decision. Color Ready For FCC Action* [Now, we sincerely believe that we have brought compatible color television to a point where it is technically ready for submission to the FCC for review and decision. The demonstrations recently made and reported in the press and trade papers have reflected the views and opinions of others who have seen it as well as ourselves. But all these demonstrations have not been of an official character. They have been demonstrations needed in order to carry on field testing of the system. We have not yet made contact with the procedures laid down by the FCC in a petition for a review. We have cooperated with the industry in the development of signal standards for a compatible color system so that the engineers of the entire industry might agree on the desirability of those standards as they have done in black-and-white television. Now, the other members of the industry who have worked with us as well as we have with them, say that they require two or three months to complete the field tests of the compatible standards agreed upon by the engineers. As far as RCA is concerned, having had longer experience with compatible color, and having conducted more tests, we would be ready today to appear before the FCC and to petition it to set standards for compatible color. But I think it is only fair, and practical also, that the other members of the industry who have had less experience with compatible color than we had should take the time needed to complete their field tests in order to satisfy themselves about the practicability of those standards. If it requires two or three months to complete those field tests we are not only willing but happy to carry on our own tests simultaneously and to make all the information available to the others in order to give the industry the opportunity to complete their program. It is my own hope and expectation that this is exactly what will happen. Will Go It Alone, if Necessary* [After completion of these field tests, should there be any change in that program, or any hesitation on the part of others to go forward with a petition to the Commission, RCA will present its own petition and request the Commission to authorize use of these standards. As a matter of fact, each licensee of a broadcasting station who wants to use color can make his own application. Therefore I see no conflict, I see no battle and I see no reason for any heat. What w’e want is light. In fact, the more light we have in television the better off we are, whether it is color or black-and-white! I do not think it would be fair to ask any member of the Commission to express a view on what will happen to a petition that is not yet before him. Therefore, I do not undertake to express any opinions or to make any “guesstimates” as to what the Commission may or may not do. But assuming that we are right, we now have a compatible commercial system of color television that is ready for authorization by the FCC. 9-12 Months to Tool Up, 500,000 Sets in 2-3 Years * [When and if the Commission determines in favor of commercial compatible color television standards, I would estimate that from the day of its authorization, it will take somewhere between 9 and 12 months to tool up, so that the necessary receivers and tubes can be manufactured for color transmission and reception. At the end of that period — 9 to 12 months from the time of authorization — the amount of production which will begin to roll off the lines necessarily will be small because there will be a number of bugs to eliminate and kinks to iron out, as is the case with all new production. I think it will take one year from the time that the first commercial television color receivers begin to roll off the lines before manufacturers can hit the stride in quantity production. Therefore, I believe it will be two to three years before as many as half a million color television receivers can be produced for public use. I see no reason why anybody should hesitate to make an investment in the purchase of a black-and-white television receiver now, particularly since that receiver will continue its usefulness under compatible color television standards. As you know, com * Bracketed paragraphs that follow are extemporaneous Interpolations. 6