NATIONAL TELEVISION Servicemen's Week, a nation-wide tribute to the 100,000 technicians who service the 34,500,000 television sets of the American public, was inaugurated on March 7 at the close of NBC's unprecedented color telecast of "Peter Pan."

With 62 stations of the NBC network carrying the filmed ceremony in color and 13 more stations in black and-white, W. Walter Watts, RCA Executive Vice-President, Electronic Products, presented a symbolic statuette to Robert Hester, of Mission, Kansas. Mr. Hester was chosen to represent the country's TV technicians because of the location of his service business near the television geographical center of the United States.

The statuette is a 14-inch gold-finished figure of a man holding aloft the symbol of electronics. The figure stands on a black plastic base inscribed with an RCA dedication to TV technicians.

Purpose is Public Recognition

The idea of a National Television Servicemen's Week was originated by RCA as a public recognition of the contributions of technicians to the establishment of television as a national service. In order to make the "Peter Pan" colorcast and the statuette presentation ceremony available to the maximum number of viewers, RCA arranged for the placement of RCA 21-inch color TV sets in key cities throughout the nation. Nearly 4,000 personnel from RCA distributors were invited to viewing rooms to witness the 2-hour broadcast as guests of RCA sales representatives in the various areas.

In addition, RCA is awarding prizes totaling $10,000 to radio-TV service dealers responsible for the most effective promotions of National Television Servicemen's Week in their respective neighborhoods. The prizes include complete sets of five RCA test instruments for color TV servicing, one set to be awarded in each of the company's eight sales regions.

Survey Shows Attitude Toward Serviceman

In connection with the Week, E. C. Cahill, President of the RCA Service Company, announced on March 9 that a survey completed by Elmo Roper indicated that a great majority of the nation's TV set owners are more than pleased with the promptness, quality, prices and courtesy of TV service technicians.

"These findings, made public during observance of National Television Servicemen's Week, are a mighty tribute to the integrity and spirit of the more than 100,000 highly-trained and skilled technicians who install and maintain television receivers in America's homes," Mr. Cahill said.

The latest survey is the seventh annual study of its kind conducted by the Roper organization for RCA. Undertaken and carried out on a scientific, impartial and nation-wide sampling basis of approximately 5,000 families, the survey was described by Mr. Cahill as the most extensive ever carried out to determine authentic public feeling toward technicians.

Naturally, we are pleased with the results of the findings," Mr. Cahill added. 'Not only is the RCA Service Company proud of the record of its service technicians, but we are proud to be associated with an industry which has in its ranks the thousands of trained and reliable independent technicians that make up the entire electronics service business. If this most recent survey proves anyone point, it is that the record of the country's TV service technicians warrants continued public confidence in their work - and I am sure the industry will continue to provide just as good service in the future as it has in the past."

W. Walter Watts, right, Executive Vice-President, RCA Electronic Products, is shown presenting a symbolic statuette to TV Serviceman Robert Hester, of Mission, Kan., in ceremony telecast over NBC network on March 7 to mark National TV Servicemen's Week.

Seasoned, hard-selling dealers have long ago learned that the consistent use of aggressive and carefully planned advertising and sales promotion on the local level is fundamental to the success of modern retailing in both products and services. To help make your service shop the center of attraction in your neighborhood before, during, and long after National Television Servicemen's Week, your Authorized RCA Tube Distributor stands ready to back up your big show with this tested-and-proved promotion stunt.

HERE IS HOW IT WORKS

1.  See your regular RCA Tube Distributor to obtain the special "Count the RCA Tubes" contest kit (4F116). This kit contains a small-space newspaper ad mat, a pad of contest entry blanks, a cardboard entry box, and a window poster explaining the details about your special NTSW contest.

2.  Decide what you want to offer as top prize. This could be a wrist watch, a set of silverware, a set of glasses, or any worthwhile item of your own choice. Whatever you select should have strong appeal to the woman shopper, preferably something that could be of benefit to the entry family. Display this top prize in your main window throughout the time of the contest.

3.  Place in your window, near the specially prepared poster, a relatively large number of RCA tubes and/or RCA tube cartons, either in a pile or in a container.

4. Make the entry blanks and box readily available to consumers, by keeping them on or near your counter.

5.  As an added incentive, you can give the new "Pocket-Memo" to each contestant or you might use as many as you wish as prizes for the runner-ups.

6.  This program is basically a traffic builder. It will give you a wonderful opportunity to meet local residents during your NTSW celebration, and enable you to talk about your services and products to many prospective customers. You can build it up as a general "open house" program, and you can use the entry blanks to add names to your mailing list after the contest is closed.

You can obtain display-type RCA Tube Cartons from your RCA Tube Distributor if you need them for your contest. Ask for form 2F103 -a package of 14 assorted sizes.

Troubleshooting the many complex electronic circuits in your TV receiver demands knowledge and technical skills. Each day your TV service technician applies his show going" in homes throughout the community.

In much the same manner you call on your doctor to protect the health of your family, your TV technician promptly answers your call to diagnose and cure the ailments of your TV set. Just as most people have a "family" doctor, it's a good idea to patronize one neighborhood service technician who will see that you get full TV enjoyment.

RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA

ELECTRON TUBE DIVISION HARRISON, NEW JERSEY