AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29818, 10 May 1962, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION

8.8. C. Official Not Impressed Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, May 9. Alter a visit to Australia snd New Zealand. the director of British Broadcasting" Corporation television. Mr ILenneth Adam, yesterday said: ■ the state of- television in Ausiralia “makes a melancholy story." He said his impression was Australia was being Americanised at an alarming rate and that the main instrument was commercial television, the “Guardian” reported. The result of placing a State system against two commercial systems was disturbing. Mr Adam admired the work of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, but said it was severely hampered by lack of funds.

The two commercial systems in the five metropolitan cities, he said, relied to a large extent on American filmed material and much of it was of poor quality. The commercial stations used 60 to 70 per cent, of American material, and in the five main cities only one of the 10 most popular programmes was other than American. Mr Adam said he was encouraged by the New Zealand television service. While he was in New Zealand, he said, a public corporation on the lines of the 8.8. C. had been inaugurated to run the broadcasting services.

There was only one television service, which carried advertisements on some days and none on others. This system worked .well, he said.