Television History - The First 75 Years
 
 

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1944 Radio & Television Retailing

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May

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Article Heading about how a Chicago Radio Dealer Uses TELEVISION demonstrations to lure customers in for Radio Repairs!

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Great story about Mr. Al Palacz of the Arrow Radio & Appliance Shop, in Chicago, and how he manages to do about $1,000 per month in business ($11,000 per month in today's money)!  His secret is using television programs, in his store every Wednesday evening, to attract new customers!  The store is packed to capacity with youngsters and adults. 

In England, all TV broadcasting was brought to a complete halt.  In the USA, a few stations (in New York, Chicago, Schenectady, Philadelphia and Los Angeles) continued with very limited broadcasting, a few hours per week.  The article explains that the programs are motion picture projections -- being broadcast from the testing and experimental laboratories of the Zenith Radio Corporation.

"Television - What to do about it NOW" - It is now time for the radio dealer to get on the Television bandwagon!

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Television Audience in the Arrow Radio & Appliance Shop (Chicago).  The "shows" interest current patrons, and also attract new customers!  Notice the WW-II serviceman on the left.  Sign Reads: "TELEVISION Demonstrations Every Wednesday -- 8:00PM to 10PM".  The set on display is a 1939 General Electric 9" screen prewar, Model HM-225.  Notice how he has it behind the counter, away from curious hands!

Presently, there are only 5 known surviving examples of HM-225's left.  One of them resides on display at the Henry Ford Museum, in Dearborn, Michigan.  Collector value for this set (in excellent condition) would exceed ten-thousand dollars today.  

For more technical details about this TV set, refer to the original dealer brochure photo below:

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1939 General Electric Sales Brochure - Note that the 1939 World's Fair image is on the screen!

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Radioman Al Palacz's attractive store-front clearly announces that he is ready to do business in repair work, and identifies him as alive to the future of television.

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"Television Talk" - Topics Covered Are:

• CBS Urges Aid for Postwar Television Improvements
• Newspaper is Televised
• Chicago is Seen as Great Center of Television Activity
• Mutual System, De Mille Join Television Group
• AGE OF TELEVISION
• Beal Predicts Moderate Priced Sets
• Projected Pictures Seen for Postwar Television
• Emerson Official Attends "Round Table"
• Television for Rochester, NY
• What will These Post-War Sets Sell For?
• Survey about Set Owners -- (Talks about questionnaire mailed to 4590 set owners - Interesting reading)

Quoting "Age of Television" -- "When this conflict is over, much of the radio we knew at the time of Pearl Harbor will be old and obsolete.  The trumpets which signal 'Cease Firing' at the end of this war will sound the reveille for the Age of Television"

This 108 page magazine is cover-to-cover with television advertising.  All of it is upbeat, and offers great promise for the post-war period.  Some selected examples are below:

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Stromberg-Carlson Advertisement

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RCA's four-page ad.  (Caution: Large File Sizes!)

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Emerson Radio

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Philco Corporation

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Hytron Tube Corporation

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Bottom Half of DuMont Advertisement

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