Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1962)

NEW SERIES VOL. 2, No. 33 -—Television Di AUGUST 13, 1962 © 1962 TELEVISION DIGEST Albert Warren, Editor & Publisher, 911 -13th St., N.W., Washington 5, D.C.. Ster. David Lachenbruch, Managing Editor, 625 Harold Rusten, Associate Editor, 1 1 1 Beverly Rd.i N In j jA f >S/f^Mtelp#i aV3a, 1755 195 way 2-64 1 1 AUG 131962 Michael H. Blake Jr., Assistant Editor, Washington. Charles Sinclair, Contributing Editor. New York The authoritative service for executives in all branches of the television arts & industries SUMMARY-INDEX OF WEEK'S NEWS Broadcast iMODERN COLOR SETS — EVALUATING striking strides evident in new receivers, in fidelity, stability, b&w performance, etc. (p. 1). FCC MAY BLOCK CHANGED CBS INCENTIVE PLAN with amendment of rules to ease affiliates' substitution of non-network programs for CBS offerings (p. 2). COLLINS TO DEFENSE OF CODES, asserting that strong selfregulation wards off "law of the jungle" and "law of the bureaucrat" (p. 2). SATELLITE BILL PROGRESSING SIDEWAYS: Passage uncertain as Senate Foreign Relations Committee approves measure which faces new filibuster on floor. RCA Chmn. David Sarnoff calls for single huge U.S. communications firm (p. 3). NEW EXPATRIATE BREED of U.S. TV producer is represented by ex-NBC executive David Lown, now head of new Ampexequipped Trans Europe TV. Lown's plans range from Telstar shows to film series; closed-ciruitcasts to specials (p. 5). Consumer Electronics CORNING 19 & 25-IN. COLOR BULBS GET GREEN LIGHT. JEDEC meeting Aug. 8 gives tacit approval to new sizes; Kimble shows plans for 24-in. rectangular color bulb. (p. 7). TV ENGINEERS VOTE UHF TUNER STANDARDS. Ad Hoc Committee, chaired by Philco chief engineer, Harris O. Wood, formed to translate proposals into formal document for submission to FCC Aug. 22; executives of 20 TV & tuner companies attend meeting Aug. 7 at EIA's N.Y. hq (p. 7). TV-RADIO SALES UP & CLIMBING AT MIDYEAR. Jan.June TV sales by distributors rose to 2,724,038 from 2,491,744 in 1 961 's first half as dealers purchased record 480,510 sets in June; halfyear radio sales gained to 4,800,574 from 4,370,863; EIA also releases first-half TV-radio production figures (p. 8). TV'S 'CRITICAL MONTH' is August, with new models now flowing. Truesdell sees inventories under control after good July, but warns that production should be carefully geared to sales (p. 9). MODERN COLOR SETS — AN EVALUATION: We'd like to pause a moment and chat with you about today's color receivers. We've had color sets in our home since Jan. 1954, new models every year or 2 to keep up with current picture. Our first receiver had been used in White House by President Eisenhower, later went to a station as monitor. It's surprising but true that many people in industry, otherwise very sophisticated, haven't looked at color for a long time. They have a delightful surprise waiting. Our latest set is an incredibly effective product of American industry. We've waited several months before commenting, to see how it holds up. Color rendition is absolutely superb. It's faithful, stable, has had just one service call — minor one, at that — and set is used many hours daily. Registration, throughout, is excellent. Tuning is guite easy — young children are adept, though far less critical than adults, who apparently will always disagree vigorously on subjective concepts of color fidelity. There is still only one way to tune for fidelity — i.e., by tuning flesh tones to your satisfaction. Brightness is as great as you need. B&w is fine — good contrast, resolution, etc. Probably the most effective comment on color quality came from a guest, former FCC employe who had substantial role in Commission's first decision favoring field-sequential system against present NTSC standards. Long irked by Commission's final reversal and final choice of NTSC, he is now a convert, saying : "That's wonderful! I had no idea that it's that good. Color has arrived." If you've been too busy to think about color recently, drop in on your favorite dealer.