Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

EDITOR’S NOTE: A strike of Washington commercial printers has forced us to publish this issue under unaccustomed circumstances, utilizing offset process. Necessarily, we’ve also curtailed coverage — but we trust our subscribers will bear with us until the local printing situation returns to normal. COLOR ACTION TO BOIL THIS SUMMER : Another color climax in month or so is definitely in works. This week, for first time, RCA chairman David Samoff gave date on which RCA will file petition with FCC for adoption of compatible system — "on or before July 1 . " NTSC panel chairmen, meanwhile, have been requested by NTSC chairman Dr. W. R. G. Baker to start preparing their final reports — and it’s expected field tests will be concluded next week. Gen. Sarnoff's announcement came May 21 after RCA demonstrated color to some 225 patent licensees, including top executives of many major companies. Earlier in week, RCA had given same demonstration to 6 FCC commissioners, 4 top FCC staff members and Robert L'Heureux, chief counsel of Senate Commerce Committee. All this week's observers were obviously tremendously impressed — as were House members, NTSC, press, etc. in other recent showings (Yol. 9:16). RCA's July 1 date puts pressure on NTSC to wind up affairs by then. There's no disagreement between RCA and rest of NTSC regarding technical standards. They agree on same compatible system, but they disagree on time needed to tie up an airtight package for presentation to FCC. But process of writing final NTSC report is bound to be slow, requiring the approval of numerous committees, subcommittees, etc. One experienced member estimates it will take "several months," and he warns of vacations in the offing. Commissioners had their eyes opened at demonstration. All were on hand but Webster, who is overseas. Staff observers were Curtis Plummer, Joseph Kittner, Wm. Boese, Richard Solomon. All who would comment remarked on "vast improvement." They have no question about acceptability of pictures shown. What they want to know now is possibility of achieving such pictures in the home, at what cost, and with what stability. For example, engineering Comr. George Sterling, who has always had considerable faith in industry's ability to perfect compatible system, says that he'll insist on trying color set in his home before he's satisfied system is ready. Interesting sidelight on color evolution: CBS's Dr. Peter Goldmark is now full-fledged member of NTSC, no longer an "observer." NBC’s BIG GUNS IN ‘WAR OF THE NETWORKS’ : "We intend to maintain our No. 1 position — and we have the ingenuity, the manpower and the money to do it. And we mean No.l in facilities, programs, audience and billings." Thus an NBC spokesman threw down gauntlet to CBS, which had NBC family on tenterhooks this week, to say nothing of its own radio affiliates, after disclosure that it had launched "raids" on NBC affiliations as part of its successful timeselling and program buildup to make up for ground lost facilities-wise (Vol. 9:20). One longtime basic NBC affiliate did switch over to CBS this week — WTAR-TV with WTAR, Norfolk, Va., effective Sept. 27. There's possibility of another, Stromberg-Carlson's WHAM-TV with WHAM, Rochester, N.Y., but it's still far from CBS bag. NBC's affiliates in one-station TV cities, who were approached by CBS sta COPYRIGHT 1983 BY RADIO NCW8 BUREAU