Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

9 retail sales this year, by comparison, were 1,780,899. Production in first quarter will be between 1,000,000-1,500,000, compared to current year's 1,574,293. (3) Concentration on low-end, cheaper models will be evident in additions to new lines and any all-new lines which will be introduced. * * * * More layoffs and cutbacks this week. Sylvania laid off 100 more employes at its Buffalo receiver plant, in addition to 100 furloughed 2 weeks ago. Corning Glass Works laid off 350 at its 2 TV bulb plants in Corning, N.Y. and Albion, Mich. Muntz TV closed down its Los Angeles plant, where reported 150-200 sets a day were being produced, will concentrate output at Chicago. And RCA Victor announced it would close down Cincinnati tube plant from Dec. 11 to Jan. 4. Set makers and distributors continued to hold firm price line, but dealers went hog-wild with price cuts and gimmicks in eager zeal to tempt Christmas buyers. Manufacturers held fast in aftermath of Westinghouse ' s big price slash last week (Vol. 9:46). Admiral, for one, made point of informing distributors by telegram it would not cut list prices, Capehart-Farnsworth was only set maker announcing reductions this week, cutting 8 models (for list of models cut, see below). * * * * Talk of reducing production rate in December continues — but so far there doesn't seem to have been much diminution of output. TVs turned out week ended Nov. 13 totaled 149,724, down from 161,337 preceding week and 158,052 week ended Oct. 30. It was year's 45th week, compared with 198,917 same week year ago and brought 1953 production to date to about 6,520,000. Radio production totaled 276,657, compared to 285,340 week ended Nov. 6 and 261,614 week before. It brought year's output to date to about 11,860,000. Trade Personals: Eugene J. McNeely, AT&T person nel relations v.p., appointed v.p. in charge of operation & engineering dept., succeeding Frederick R. Kappel, recently elected pres, of Western Electric . . . Joseph H. Gillies, Philco, named chairman of RETMA’s new govt, relations dept.; Abraham Blumenkrantz, General Instrument, elected director of parts div.; Louis Hausman, CBSColumbia, to exec, committee of set div. . . . John J. Farrell appointed gen. mgr. of GE electronics div.’s newly formed heavy military electronic equipment dept., Syracuse; Herman F. Konig named gen. mgr. of new light military electronic equipment dept., Utica. Vernard M. Lucas continues as mgr. of govt, equipment marketing section, Syracuse . . . Wm. H. Kelley, ex-Motorola v.p., reported this week as DuMont v.p. in charge of marketing . . . G. Robert Mezger promoted to asst. mgr. of DuMont instrument div.; Morris Harris, to mgr. of procurement & planning; Arthur J. Talamini Jr., to engineering mgr. . . . Ross Siragusa, Admiral pres., returned from Europe this week, 2 weeks earlier than first planned . . . Joseph P. Halpin, ex-Crosley New York, appointed sales mgr. of Admiral’s new contract div., in charge of appliance sales to apartment houses and builders . . . Thomas A. Moore, exec, v.p., RCA Victor Co. Ltd., Montreal, elected a director . . . Lynn Eaton, ex-Andrea Radio, named sales v.p. of National Co., Malden, Mass. . . . H. James Tait promoted to eastern sales mgr., Capehart-Farnsworth consumer products div. . . . Fred J. Nataly named promotion supervisor of GE replacement tube sales, succeeding A. L. Champigny, now adv. mgr. of tube dept. ■ Irving Herriott, 67, director and gen. counsel of Zenith Radio Corp. since its inception in 1923, died Nov. 17. He was one of organizers of National Assn, of Broadcasters in 1923, member of Chicago law firm of Montgomery, Hart, Pritchard & Herriott. James J. Ashworth, 85, retired gen. mgr. of Canadian GE, died in Toronto Nov. 17. Distributor Notes: Admiral establishes factory branches at 1030 Dragon St., Dallas (Marshall Wells, v.p.gen. mgr.), and 1017 W. Reno St., Oklahoma City, both areas formerly served by Capitol Distributors Inc., Oklahoma City . . . Raytheon appoints Valeo Distributors, Spokane (Leslie K. Valandingham, pres.) . . . Bendix Radio appoints J. H. S. Distributing Co., Atlanta (James Simpson, pres.) . . . Graybar, Omaha (Raytheon) opens new branch at 510 Pearl St., Sioux City, la. . . . Motorola Detroit moves to new headquarters at 13131 Lyndon Ave. . . . Philco Chicago appoints Preston Shivers Jr. as asst. mgr. . . . Henry N. Clark Co., Boston (Capehart-Farnsworth) announces resignation of sales mgr. Sol Goldin. . . . Raytheon appoints No. Louisiana Distributing Co., Monroe, La. (Claude Harrison, pres.). Capehart-Farnsworth reduced list prices on 8 models this week. Cuts were $20 to $295 on 7 consoles and one combination out of its 18 models. Sales mgr. E. W. Gaughan explained they were designed solely to stimulate Christmas sales. The cuts: 17-in. open-face mahogany, reduced from $270 to $250; 17-in. open mahogany, $300 to $280; 21-in. open mahogany, $350 to $300; 21-in. open blonde, $370 to $340; 21-in. open mahogany, $420 to $400; 21-in. full -door blonde, $450 to $300; 21-in. full-door blonde, $475 to $300; 21-in. combination, $795 to $500. Henry C. Roemer, 55, named in Sept, as IT&T v.p. in charge of its domestic divisions, and from 1951-53 pres, of Federal Telephone & Radio Co., died suddenly Nov. 16. He rose from comptroller’s dept., which he joined in 1927, was elected IT&T director in 1943, v.p. in 1944. He is survived by his wife and a son. Dr. Herbert E. Ives, 71, who was in charge of Bell Labs’ first closed-circuit TV transmission between Washington and N. Y. in 1927, died at his home in Upper Montclaii, N. J., Nov. 13. He retired from Bell Labs 6 years ago, following notable work on color TV, 3-dimensional movies, etc.