Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

10— TELEVISION DIGEST JULY 29, 1963 ‘ TV, PHONO SALES SOAR Preliminary unofficial statistics for first half of 1963 show black-&white TV sales continuing to run about 8% of last year. Distributor-to-dealer sales are estimated at 2.955.000, up from 2,727,000 during first-half 1962. June sales were about 12% above June 1962. Radio sales, however, continued to show 1962-to-19G3 declines, 6-month distributor-to-dealer sales estimated at 3.927.000, down 18% from 4,801,000 in first half 1962. June’s dip from 1962 was about 23%. Despite increased TV sales, inventories at manufacturer & distributor levels were about 11% below 1962 figure at midyear, while radio inventories were down 10%. Official EIA figures for 5 months were released last week, and they showed continuation of trend which has prevailed all year — TV & phono up, radio down sharply. B&w TV distributor sales, in fact, showed greatest 1963over-1962 increase in May, up 22%, while 5-month rise was about 8%. Radio sales in May fell 23% below May 1962 mai'k, and 5-month drop was 17%. Bright spots in radio were auto radio (not included in distributor sales) & FM. EIA’s phono data releases have undergone format change, with new breakdown between table-portable & console substituted for discontinued stereo-mono breakdown. We’ve changed our tables accordingly, and bring you full 5-month statistics for 1962 & 1963 below: Phono figures show 25% increase in distributor-todealer sales for first 5 months of 1963 over like 1962 period, although May sales were up only 5% from May 1962. Factory sales are up 21% for 5-month period, and about same as last year for month of May. Analyzing new data on table-portable vs. console shows much of 1963’s increase has been in former category. For first 5 months, 1963 distributor sales mix was 63% table-portable, 37% console, whereas same 1962 period show'ed 59% table-portable, 41% console. Thus while table-portable sales rose 32% from 1962, console sales were up only 14%. Here are EIA’s 5-month figures on TV-radio-phono: TV-RADIO DISTRIBUTOR SALES BIack-&-White TV Radio (rxcl. auto; Month 1963 1962 1963 1962 January 503,821 465,836 453,348 562,869 February 535.999 521,275 616,036 697,893 March 601,797 680,876 818,510 917,236 April 395,166 364,742 637,443 809,499 May 378,215 310,799 598,410 772,479 TOTAL 2,414,988 2,243,528 3,123,747 3,759.976 BLACK-&-WHITE TELEVISION PRODUCTION Total All-Channd Month 1963 1962 1963 1962 January 484,415 488.869 58,032 39,609 February 5 57,931 541,494 63,713 46.716 March 696,435 659,251 76.481 48,323 April 548,637 510,587 70,405 51.107 \Tay 5 07,499 4 74,647 57,208 39,409 TOTAL 2,794,917 2,674.848 325,839 225.163 RADIO PRODUCTION Total Auto Radio F.M .Month 1963 1962 1963 1962 1963 1962 January 1,229,507 1,350,630 594,505 580,589 87,641 76,610 February 1.389,652 1,464,797 657,691 480,232 75„544 84,216 March 1,568,381 1,810,417 677,613 607,510 100,940 81.010 April 1,369.769 1,472,654 696,899 619,296 102,208 63,193 May 1,384,063 1,444,074 555,812 504,846 119,766 62.292 TOTAL 6,931.372 7,542,572 3,082,520 2,642.473 486,089 367.221 PHONO DISTRIBUTOR SALES 1963 1962 Port. & Port. & Month Table Console ToUl Table Console ToUl January 204.073 112,452 316,525 115,998 108,730 219,728 February 192.858 137,114 329,792 130,104 109,316 239,420 March 211,745 134,407 346,152 173,056 126,201 299,257 April 169,478 77,252 246,730 129,175 72,017 201.192 May 129,535 75,513 205.208 136,405 59,159 195,564 TOTAL 907,689 536,738 1,444,427 684,738 470,423 1.155.161 PHONO FACTORY SALES 1963 1962 Port. & Port. & Month Table Console Total Table Console Total January 205,955 135,741 341,696 137,090 122.469 259,559 February 190.352 149,923 340.275 130,495 124,917 255,412 March 200,571 129,142 329,713 166,408 132,075 298,483 April 165.016 76,190 241.206 120,793 62,309 183.102 May 123,486 62,723 186,209 132,749 54.543 187,292 TOTAL 885.380 553.719 1,439,099 687.535 496.313 1.183,848 Should sets exported from U.S. have all-channel tuning? No, says FCC, but a waiver of Commission rules is needed. Deputy Gen. Counsel Henry Geller said both law & rules are silent about exports, but “whole thrust of the law is to protect the American public, nothing to do with exports.” Geller said FCC might be concerned if there’s large sale of sets to Americans through foreign PX’s, to be brought home, “but I suspect it’s de minimis.” New tube-type uhf tuner announced by Standard Kollsman, Series U, is claimed to have low noise (average 9 db) , low drift, low microphonics, ease of mounting, compactness, long life. It measures 1.66-x-3.64-x-4.07-in. Standard also reports transistor model UT “will be introduced very soon.” “Relay I” has achieved record for a communications satellite, builder RCA reports, noting that it has operated 203 days — compared with 185 days for “Telstar I” — has been used for more than 1,350 experiments. Quality Stabilization bill (HR-3669) was reported favorably by House Commerce Committee last week. It allows manufacturer to set price range at which wholesalers & retailers may sell goods, permits him to prevent brand from use in bait merchandising. “States rights” amendment to bill would allow state law to prevent local implementation of act. Senate also has bill, S-774. One attention-getting TV set at Music Show last week wasn’t for sale. It was latest model of Russian TV, displayed by Westinghouse. With 17-in. screen, it sells for about $359.64 in Moscow, Westinghouse officials stated, described features of set, concluded, tauntingly: “And . . . about 10 years ago. Placard in Westinghouse display described features of set concluded, tauntingly: “And . . . it’s hand wired, of course.” New 1-watt ser>-ice for manufacturing operations, for communications in noisy areas, etc., has been proposed by FCC. Thirty channels in 72-74 & 75.4-76 me are planned.