Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

WHO'S BIGGEST AND WHO MAKES MOST TVs? Question we're asked time and again — how do they rank, unit-wise and dollar-wise — can only be answered by 2 sources, and they aren't telling. RCA patent dept, knows exact unit-&-dollar factory figures for all but one of the major TV-radio manufacturers, but is honor bound not to divulge them. RTMA statistical dept, compiles unit output figures weekly, discloses them on cumulative basis but not individually under strict injunction of secrecy. Be it said for both that they've never, to our knowledge, broken the faith with those who supply them this closely guarded trade secret. RCA's own manufacturing branch isn't even told individual royalty figures of its competitors. Only when an executive of one or another company chooses to talk (usually in the exuberance of a public speech or press statement) do we ever get an inkling of individual unit figures. Even prof it-&-loss statements do not tell the TV-radio story inasmuch as nearly every set manufacturer is heavily engaged in other production and never breaks down his dollar figures by products. For 1955, we won't even venture a "guesstimate". But trade reports have it that Admiral and Philco expect to turn out and sell at least 1,000,000 TV sets each this year; and, of course, there's the inevitable statement from RCA that "nobody in the business makes more TV sets than we do." These are the Big 5 of the business, unquestionably, and it may be that they will account for around 1,000,000 each this year. For even in the face of color talk, the continuing good TV turnover, on top of first quarter output of 2,265,000 by the whole industry (Vol.9:15), have led to the confident predictions that we're headed for a bigger 1953 than record 1950 (7,463,800). It's generally believed Motorola runs 4th, though lately the claim has been made that Zenith is pushing Motorola, if it hasn't actually surpassed it. % % % Beyond the top 4, it's a guessing game, pure and simple — and all we can offer inquirers are the 1951-52 per-share earnings of 37 companies, most of them TV set makers (Vol.9:16) and the last "guesstimates" provided by Television Fund Inc. In 1951, it ranked RCA first (700,000 sets), Admiral & Philco tied for 2nd (625,000 each), Emerson, GE & Motorola tied for 4th (400,000 each), then Zenith 300,000, DuMont 130,000, Crosley & Hallicraf ters 100,000 each to make Big 10 (Vol. 7:37). In 1950, it had Admiral, RCA & Philco well in lead, then Motorola, Zenith, Emerson, GE, DuMont , Tele-tone (now bankrupt), Hallicraf ters , Westinghouse , Crosley, Meek (now Scott), Raytheon, Sylvania, Magna vox, Capehart-Farns worth, Olympic , Garod (Majestic) Air King (now CBS-Columbia) in that order to make top 20 (Vol. 6:8). Without attempting any ranking beyond Big 5, it's fair guess that these are still top 20 — with Muntz in lieu of Tele-tone and with possibility that Bendix, Spar ton, Hoffman, Packard-Bell , Arvin and Stromberg-Carlson belong up there, too. But not even Television Fund has offered any 1952 figures or advance "guesstimates" for 1953 — perhaps because its figures always evoked outraged objections. t t TV production totaled 126,905 units (11,152 private label) week ended May 8, down from 133,240 preceding week and 139,708 week ended April 24. It was 18th week of year, 4th week in row of declining TV production and lowest for any week since closing weeks of 1952 — but it was still above the 82,886 of same 1952 week. Radio production totaled 279,244 (141,501 private), down from 280,294 week ended May 1 but up from 278,111 week before, and compared with 183,975 same week in 1952. Week's radios: 67,330 home, 48,828 portable, 36,625 clock, 126,461 auto. 8