Britain To Have Colour TV On Third Channel In 1964

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29867, 6 July 1962, Page 17

Britain To Have Colour TV On Third Channel In 1964

( N J 1 ut.-Reuter — Copyright) LONDON, July 4. Britain will adopt experimental colour television in 1964. The colour programmes will be screened on a new channel—Britain’s third—to lie operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The Government announced the plans today tn a comprehensive White Paper setting out its views on future trends in Britisr. broadcasting. Renier said the third channel was about the only practical measure the ttovemment was prepared to adopt at this sage from a controversial, in depended’, two-year inquiry into broadcasting. The inquiry’s much disputed findings were pubI.ihed in the Pilkington report last week. The new channel will be operated in such a way that :t transmits black-and-white programmes to standard sets at the same tune as colour j rc>grammes to special sets Experts believed a set to re-

ceive colour programmes would cost up to £BOO. The White Paper said commercial television would ave to wait before it got t- second channel but this might be in the not-too-distant future. "Enlightening Effect" The Government said commercial television had exercised an enlivening effect on television in general, but the Pilkington report had described it as "vapid, puerile, repetitive, cheaply -ensational, sordid and unsavoury.” London newspapers today interpreted the Government’s plans for future television services as a rebuke to the independent Pilkington committee of inquiry. The "Evening Standard" said it was clear any dismantling of the present Independent Television Authority which controls commercial television had been rejected. The newspaper said the gist of today’s White Paper was that the Government m ended a mild rebuke to the Pilkington Committee for its radical views. The National Broadcasting Development Committee—an influential independent group campaigning for more commercial television —said the White Paper was in improvement on the Pilkington report. Holding Fire The chairman of the controversial committee. Sir Harry Pilkington, commenied “I would prefer to hold my fire, if hold my fire is the phrase.” The 8.8. C. welcomed the Government’s plans. Transmitters alone for the second 8.8. C. channel, planned for

19&4 will cost about £30.000.000 and studio equipment another £4.000.000. Trie: e was considerable speculation today on oru point not discussed in the White Paper on how the 8.8. C. would finance its ex'ra responsibilities. The Pilkington Committee recommended the licence fee be raised from £4 to £6 for this purpose, but it is understood both Conservatives and Labour Party members are highly sceptical of such a step, which presum-

ably ’would bs highly unpopular with the public. Talks are expected to be held soon between the Government. the 8.8. C. and lommerciai television or those aspects of television criticised most harshly by the Pilking'.sn report. The White Paper recognised there was a wish foe improvement in the general standards cf all television programmes. The programmes should, in particular. include lees violence an: triviality, ft said. ,