Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

8-TELEVISION DIGEST AUGUST 19, 1963 "Many people in the low-margin retailing field are now, for the first time, beginning to understand what QS is and what it means to them," we were told last week by NAMM Exec, Secy. Roger Courtland. "They're just beginning to realize that QS could put a lot of them out of business," He explained discount industry's general apathy: "The people in this mushrooming discount industry have been so busy with business, expansion and opening new stores that many of them haven't even had time to read the newspapers. Until recently, many didn't know how the bill would affect them. However, as soon as they understand that QS is price -fixing in disguise & has nothing to do with quality, they understand the threat to their business." Concurrence came from industry trade paper "Discount Store News," which emphasized editorially in Aug. 12 issue: "We would like to goad or shame into action a discount industry which apparently has done little to protest & even knows less about a bill (HR-3669) which would amoimt to Federal Fair Trade Law & could seriously hamper the pricing techniques of a discoimt industry based on pricing technique. For the fight let's give cards, spades & the House to pro-QS lobbyersfc concentrate on the Senate which has not yet blessed this latest price-fix gambit." TV-RADIO PRODUCTION; EIA statistics for week ended Aug. 9 (32nd week of 1963); Aug. 3-9 Preceding wk. 1962 wk. '63 cumulative '62 cumulative Black & white TV. . . 127,726 106,449 129,822 4,093,306 3,867,331 Total radio 272,083 211, 185 270,081 10,074,973 10,827,494 Auto radio 109,013 63, 177 131,299 4,279,269 3,826,909 TOPICS & TRENDS Servicing industry, "presently accounting for more than $5 billion in gross sales," will get tre ^ mendous hypo from color TV, RCA Sales Corp. Pres, Raymond W. Saxon told Texas Electronics Assn, 's 11th Annual Clinic & Fair. "The opportunities for dealers who emphasize service in selling color TV is particularly promising because today's consumer will not buy a color set like a box of cereal off the shelf of the supermarket," he said, "though some consumers may be buying portable sets like this today. " He noted that independent servicemen now handle more than 94% of service business on RCA TV sets. Electronic Components Conference of 1964, sponsored by EIA & IEEE, with American Society for Quality Control participating, convenes in Washington, D.C. May 5-7, seeks papers for presentation in these areas: Resistors, capacitors, connectors, printed wiring, materials for components, thin film devices, microminiaturization, conductors & cables, reliability & testing techniques. Three copies of 500 word abstract should be sent by Nov. 1 to technical program chairman. Dr. John J. Bohrer, International Resistance Co. , 401 N. Broad St. , Phila. 8, Pa. Motorola now foresees 1963 color sales of 600,000-700,000 xmits, up from previous estimate of 600,000 maximum. Consumer Products Pres. Edward R. Taylor believes lower prices & Motorola's entry in field & introduction of 23 -in. sets will produce the additional sales. Forecast for b&w sets; 6.5-7 million. J. C. Penney will soon add color TVs in most of the 74 of its 1, 684 stores now selling privatelabel b&w sets. Initial color models will be 21-in. consoles made by Wells-Gardner for Penney's Penncrest label. Some Penney stores are expected to have color sets before month’s end. Litton Industries is forming a division to make & market microwave cooking & heating ovens for commercial use, anticipates "a multi -million-dollar investment in the field over the next few years.' Litton currently is a supplier of components for microwave ovens. i,