Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 45 TELEVISION DIGEST-9 If FTC still wants to define "highfidelity," apparently it's going to have to go ahead without advice o.i industry organizations. Latest developments in Commission's quest for proposals: (1) Audio Engineering Society formally told FTC "we believe that at the present time no sound basis exists for attempting to define the term 'high fidelity' and that no attempt should be made to formulate an official definition." (2) Institute of High Fidelity members disagreed so sharply that matter was turned over to committee, which has made no report. EIA, in submitting proposed definition early this year to cover packaged hi fi, was careful to tell Commission that it did not endorse definition, but merely passed it on. TV sets will be In 04% of U. S. homes by 1969, up from 91% today, Allen W. Dawson, Corning Glass vp and TV Products Div. gen. mgr. forecast. He termed TV industry's 1964 outlook "excellent," noted that Corning has increased employment to 1, 000 from 700 this year at its Albion, Mich. TV bulb plant because of increased business. All-channel rules are waived, FCC informed Motorola, for 357 sets going to 3 hospitals— because Motorola gives assurance receivers will be adjusted to get all channels— present & future— via cable distribution system. National Video Is now turning out "controlled smaU production runs" of 23-in. rectangular 90° color tubes— said to be in the "hundreds a week." Company claims to have licked major problems, now is weU satisfied with end-product. Although Motorola has first call on tube, company now believes it will be able to supply other companies with color tubes next year. National Video's b&w tube business is up; last month was biggest in company's history in terms of picture tube output. RCA will build $2. 5 million, 200, OOO-sq.-ft. facility on 100-acre site in Camden, N. J. area "to house the world's largest electronic parts depot," Group Exec. Vp Arthur L. Malcarney announced. Building, slated for completion by late 1964, also will serve as hq of RCA Parts & Accessories operation which provides replacement parts for RCA consumei; industrial & data processing equipment. Facility will include RCA 301 computer to speed parts service. Westlnghouse and IBEW have agreed on 3 -year wage and 5-year fringe benefit contracts similar to pacts recently concluded with lUE (Vol. 3:44 pll). Subject to ratification by locals by Nov. 25 deadline, proposed agreement would cover 12,000 employes at 44 locations, provide 2 wage increases in 3 years averaging total 131/2^ an hour, 3 weeks vacation after 10 years' service, increased insurance, retirement and layoff benefits. Free world's electronics output will climb to $47 billion a year by 1970 from 1961' s level of $22 billion, Ampex Pres. William E. Roberts told National Electronics Conference in Chicago. He listed 6 most rapidly developing areas of electronics as materials science, microwave electronics, cryogenics, bionics, quantummechanics technology & associated electro-optical devices, new energy sources. Dominion Electrohome will build $6. 5 million 860,OOO-sq.-ft. manufacturing plant on 60-acre site at Kitchener, Ont. to keep pace with increasing sales which have jumped 50% in past 2 years and are expected to top $25 million this year. Dominion's 1962 sales approximated $21.2 million. Building will be completed in 3 stages over next 3 years. Add QS opposition: White House Council of Economic Advisers last week lashed out at Quality Stabilization legislation pending in Congress, declared that elimination of price competition at retail level would produce new headaches for dealers & manufacturers. Among them: higher retailing costs as dealers turn to more service, advertising & fancier fixtures to lure customers; increase in dealers and resultant increased competition; difficulty of small manufacturers to retain dealers in face of "strong incentives" of higher markups & more ad support offered by larger manufacturers. Among over -all results, CEA noted, "This competition would eventually reduce the average retailer's net profit margin back to its pre -price maintenance level. But prices to consumers would not be lowered." Big contract for 75,000 radios and RF distribution systems for more than 2, 000 Greyhound buses has been received by Motorola. Bus company will equip 200 of its east coast Super Scenicruisers by year's end, 1,945 buses next year. System provides each rider with individual AM station selector and sanitary disposable earphones. Each bus will have external antenna and RF distribution amplifier. Dual -level Scenicruisers will have 42 radios, single-level buses 36. TV service pollclee returning? Macy's N. Y. is experimenting with pre-paid plan for TV sets, regardless of make or where purchased. It advertises 3 policies: (1) Covers all parts & tubes except picture tube; home service calls $3. 95; shop labor & pickup, $13. 94; annual charge $14. 94. (2) Same as Plan 1, except that b&w picture tube (non-bonded, up to 21 -in.) is covered instead of all other parts; $14. 94. (3) Combination of Plans 1 & 2; charge $25. RCA has kicked off institutional ad campaign which "will tell the public some of the many ways in which RCA has become a part of their lives by dramatizing the company's great breadth in electronics in relation to the reader's own self-interest & everyday experience," Ralston H. Coffin, ad & sales promotion staff vp, reported. Themed "RCA Is a Part of Your Life,” campaign utilizes network TV and national magazine inserts. Agency: J. Walter Thompson. Taxi TV: Chicago's Flash Cab Co. has installed 5 -in. tinyvision TVs in 40 of its 285 cabs, is so pleased with results that 60 additional cabs will be equipped. Pres. Arthur Deckholtz said: "The response has been tremendous. The drivers say they get bigger tips." TV is mounted on rear of driver's seat. Special speaker is installed behind rear seat to minimize distraction for driver. Automobile tape player, designed to accommodate continuous -loop cartridges, will be marketed through dealers at $119. 95 by J. Herbert Orr Enterprises, Opelika, Ala. Pre-recorded cartridges for Orrtronic AutoMate Tapette will retail at $7.95 (full hour) & $5.95 (half-hour). Capehart Is assembling Panasonic hi-fi consoles for Matsushita of America, Capehart Pres. Roy J. Benecchi told stockholders meeting in N. Y. Capehart also plans to produce phono line under own name later this year, Benecchi said, predicting company would make "a real dent in the consumer field." New organization for service dealers is being formed under aegis of NARDA. To be designed NARDA Service Div. , it wHl be open to any independent TV or appliance service dealer, including non-members of NARDA.