BRIEF TRANSMISSIONS

CBS Television Network is conducting tests of stock ticker and other financial data over TV signal's unused vertical blanking interval (VBI) capacity, says network vice president Albert Crane.

Crane declines to name partner in test, which he identifies only as "major financial services information organization." CBS is also "in dialogue with a number of people in the same category about data transmission," he says, all with eye on "more efficient ways to reach existing customers" and ways to reach the consumer or the broker in his home." Will CBS come up with parallel arrangement to data distribution deal between International Marketnet and Public Broadcasting Service? "Where there's a lot of smoke, there's bound to be some fire," says Crane.

First broadcast quote stream in Canada is likely result of pending joint venture involving U.S. quote vendor Bonneville Data Systems, Canadian broadcaster Selkirk Communications, and Canadian business publisher Southam Communications. FM sideband-based system is expected to enter market tests in Toronto, Edmonton, end/ or Vancouver within next few months. "We've offered the services of what we've al ready got put together so that that can be expanded immediately into Canada," says Bonneville president Ken Bentley. Bonneville distributes 2400 bits/second "Comstock" Ticker feed of Commodity Quotations, Inc.

Financial Information Services Division of Information Industry Association plans major study of data pricing policies at North American financial exchanges. Study should "lead to a better understanding of various exchange pricing policies and also provide a basis for recommending changes to the appropriate regulatory and governing organizations," says IIA. Market data execs at NYSE and AMEX say they haven't yet heard of study, which is being supervised by Morichik-Weber's Richard Chappetto.

Commodity Quotations, Inc. will add London market data to "Comstock" quote stream beginning November 1. Composite feed will include London Commodity Exchange, London International Financial Futures Exchange, Rudolf Wolff data from London Metal Exchange, Johnson Matthey bullion quotes, Chase Manhattan spot forward foreign exchange prices. Comstock subscribers desiring new data will pay monthly surcharge of $50-$100, including exchange fees, say's CQI president Phil Hogan. Feed will also be available to other vendors for resale.

Moving around: Robert Bartolotta, ex-Link Resources, joins Information Industry Association as director of Financial Information Services Division.....Brent Sylvester, ex-engineering director, Bonneville Data Systems, rejoins own consulting firm, Integrated Communication Technologies.

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. reports fourth quarter earnings of $26,173,000 ($.73/share) on revenues of $266,310,000 compared with net of $21,830,000 ($.62/share) on $233,195,000 sales in year-ago quarter. Earnings for fiscal 1985 were $87.85 million ($2.47/share) on revenues of $1.03 billion. Firm predicts increases if close to 20 per cent in earnings, 15 per cent in sales in fiscal 1986.

PC Quote, Inc. reports second quarter loss of $401,570 on revenues of $474,707, compared with loss of $143,057 on sales of $74, 184 in year-ago quarter.