UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Why Did UK TV Sales Collapse in late 50s/early 60s?

FERNSEH · 13th Sep 2017, 3:30 pm

Quote Nuvistor: Possibly too much manufacturing capacity and market saturation in those areas with transmitter coverage.

By the end of the 1950s there was too many manufactures in the UK making TV sets. At the end of 1960 Emerson, Portadyne, Masteradio, Peto-Scott and Cossor had all been taken over by much larger concerns or just simply gone out of business. EMI had gave up making TVs in 1957 and struck up a deal with Thorn the previous year to make and market home consumer electronics under the HMV and Marconi brands.
Beethoven and Raymond gone by 1958, later products marketed as Emerson.
In 1959 Pilot had gone to Ultra Electric which in turn was taken over in 1961 or 62 by Thorn. Not sure about Philco, the American company stopped making TVs at the end of 1960 and all later Philco products were made by Thorn. I think it was a similar arrangement like EMI where the Philco brand name was licenced to Thorn.
In the late sixties Philco reappeared in the UK as Philco-Ford.
Murphy taken over in 1961 by Rank-Bush. 1962 Ekco taken over by Pye which in turn was taken over by Philips.
Kolster-Brandes continued until the seventies when the Footscray, Kent works simply assembled sets supplied from SEL Germany.

Many others come to mind; Agosy, Regentone and RGD become brands used by STC. RGD brand gone in the early seventies, everything sold as KB.

Decca kept on going up to the acquisition of the company in 1981 by Tatung.

DFWB.

13th Sep 2017, 3:30 pm	#9
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Why Did UK TV Sales Collapse in late 50s/early 60s? Quote Nuvistor: Possibly too much manufacturing capacity and market saturation in those areas with transmitter coverage. By the end of the 1950s there was too many manufactures in the UK making TV sets. At the end of 1960 Emerson, Portadyne, Masteradio, Peto-Scott and Cossor had all been taken over by much larger concerns or just simply gone out of business. EMI had gave up making TVs in 1957 and struck up a deal with Thorn the previous year to make and market home consumer electronics under the HMV and Marconi brands. Beethoven and Raymond gone by 1958, later products marketed as Emerson. In 1959 Pilot had gone to Ultra Electric which in turn was taken over in 1961 or 62 by Thorn. Not sure about Philco, the American company stopped making TVs at the end of 1960 and all later Philco products were made by Thorn. I think it was a similar arrangement like EMI where the Philco brand name was licenced to Thorn. In the late sixties Philco reappeared in the UK as Philco-Ford. Murphy taken over in 1961 by Rank-Bush. 1962 Ekco taken over by Pye which in turn was taken over by Philips. Kolster-Brandes continued until the seventies when the Footscray, Kent works simply assembled sets supplied from SEL Germany. Many others come to mind; Agosy, Regentone and RGD become brands used by STC. RGD brand gone in the early seventies, everything sold as KB. Decca kept on going up to the acquisition of the company in 1981 by Tatung. DFWB.