RIGHT TO TELEVISE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 76, 31 March 1939, Page 4

RIGHT TO TELEVISE

THEATRE AND 8.8.C.

A dispute arose between Mr. Jack. Davis, managing director of the new Monseigneur News Theatre, Marble Arch, and the 8.8.C. over the right to televise the Boon-Danahar British lightweight championship fight, states the "Daily Telegraph."

Mr. Davis claimed that the new Monseigneur was the first cinema' to be specially designed for television. The Scophony system had been installed, with a screen Bft square, and Mr. Davis, had planned to offer the Boon-Danahar fight, at the usual prices, from 6d to 2s, as the opening attraction.

This, he found, was not permitted byvthe 8.8.C. The fight was shown by television at the Tatler News Theatre and the Marble Arch Pavilion, at prices ranging up to £1 ls.

The following letter to Mr. Davis from Mr. Gerald Cock, Director of Television, explained the 8.8.C.'s attitude:

"We regret being unable to grant you facilities for the large screen reproduction of th,e Boon-Danahar fight on February 23, for the following reasons:

"Permission for such rediffusion before, a paying audience can only be given after agreement between the promoters of the event concerned (in this case Messrs. Syd Hulls and John Harding) and the 8.8.C.

"In the particular case referred to, agreement having been reached, the promoters, we believe, disposed of their rights to a third party, Messrs. Gau-mont-British, who, incidentally as you are no doubt aware, control the Baird Television Co., which is experimenting in large-screen reproduction.

"It is presumed that the promoters sold the exclusive rights to Messrs. Gaumont-British, but no doubt you could ascertain the position from them.

"It is not possible to define exactly the nature pf the items for which permission to rediffuse before a paying audience would be given by us, other than that they would be outside broadcasts, and then only in cases when the organisers or promoters of the event desired to co-operate on these lines. Failing this, vve should certainly be unable to give permission."

Mr. Davis urged that the use of a Government monopoly like the 8.8.C. in the interests of one group in the entertainment industry, practically amounted to acceptance of the American system of sponsored programmes.

- Mr. John Harding, one of the promoters of Boon-Danahar contest, stated that" Mr. Cock was in error in supposing that the Gaumont-British Corporation had acquired any exclusive rights.

These were open to anybody with whom the promoters could reach agreement.

Captain West, on behalf of the Baird Television Co., said the GaumontBritish Company had no desire to establish a monopoly. He pointed out that but for the willingness of the Gaumont-_iritish Corporation to pay a considerable sum for the rights, the fight could not have been made available to the television public by the 8.8.C.

This suggested interesting possibilities of co-operation between the 8.8.C. and cinemas to improve the quality of entertainment.