NEW ACHIEVEMENT

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 457, 15 June 1937, Page 2

NEW ACHIEVEMENT

TELEVISION PROGRESS Economic Problems Remain Press Association—Copyright. Auckland, June 13. Progress made with television in the United States particularly pressed Mr. J. I. Carroll, of Sydney, general manager of Electricity Meter and Allied Industries’ Limited, who passed through Auckland on the Monterey yesterday after a business visilt of six weeks ,! o America. He siaid that the problems to be overcome before television was ed into the homes of ithe people were economic and not. technical. The only obstacle in the way of television being put on a commercial basis was that concerned with getting iit into the homes, Mr. Car_ roll said. No fees were charged raddo listeners in the United St:aito®, as was the custom in Ami ralia and New Zealand, the broadcasting companies being private concerns rely ing on advertising for revenue. Enormous expediture would be involved in the development of (television on the same ‘scale as broadcasting, and therefore some security would have to be given on the revenue side be fore a full service could be inaugurated. Costly Equipment, A high state of perfection hadi been reached with the actual apparatus for television. It could now be pur~ chased ia»t prices that a section of the public could pay, alhtough prices were still high, compared with what they would be when manufacturers went into full production A /television receiver cost about £lOO, against £4 .for a radio set. Twentyjfive skilled research engineers were maintained on ithe staff of one leading concern, working exclusively on television, Mr. Carroll said. Other companies were carry ing out research on a similar scale, and there was a feeling that financial returns for ithis expenditure were “just round the corner.”

Vast Radio Industry. Ihe magnitude of the radio industry in the United States was Ulus trated by Mr. Carrol when he said that one company alone was making and selling 2,000,0000 sits a year. In. some homes there were as many as’ four or five sets, just as many residents had more than one telephone. Mr. Carroll also referred 'tio Ithe growth of the air-conditioning and refrigerating industries in the United Slates. He said that there were available air-conditioned homes with five rooms and basement, for prices ranging from 0000 to 8000 dollars. They were fitted in the most mod_ era manner, the tendency being to use las many appliances as possible to reduce the work of the housewife. He was convinced 'that air-condition mg would have an early introduc” tion in Australia and also possibly in New Zealand.