Programme Policy

The Position under the Act

The Television Act 1954 defines the various functions in the programme field of the Authority and the programme companies. The programmes, says Section 2 (2), shall “be provided not by the Authority but by persons who, under contracts with the Authority have the right and the duty to provide programmes or parts of programmes to be broadcast by the Authority”.

The required standards of programmes are set out in Section 3:

  1. the programmes must not offend against good taste or decency, or be offensive to public feeling, or contain any offensive reference to a living person;
  2. programmes on controversial subjects must be impartial; and
  3. the programmes must maintain a proper balance in their subject-matter and a high general standard of quality.

    4. Other requirements relate to accuracy and impartiality of news, the use of British material and the inclusion of matters of special local interest.

    Section 6 (1) provides that the contracts between the Authority and the companies shall contain “all such provisions as the Authority think necessary or expedient for complying and securing compliance with the provisions of this Act and any restrictions or requirements imposed thereunder in relation to the programmes provided by the programme contractors”.

    The Practice of the Authority

    The Authority in its contracts with the programme companies has reserved to itself aU the formal powers of programme control required by the Act. It recognised, however, at a very early stage of its operations that the kind of relationship with the companies envisaged by the Act, that is to say one based primarily on the idea of retrospective correction, accompanied by the exaction of penalties in some cases, was impracticable and undesirable. First, it was clear that the observance of the programme standards of Section 3 of the Act could not be secured merely retrospectively. Television is an expensive and exacting medium where programmes must be planned well in advance. Once programme schedules have gone into operation, it is difficult to correct or change them to any great extent; influence over programme policy can be most effectively exercised in the formative phase. Secondly, the Authority realised that its substantial powers could form no part of its normal relationship with companies, the selection of which depended on their being willing and able to provide programmes which would comply with the requirements of the Act.

    The Authority has, therefore, sought to exercise influence with the companies not so much by its formal legal powers (though these remain ultimately exercisable) but rather by the development of the concept that Independent Television should operate on the basis that both the Authority and the companies have a common aim — that of producing good television which conforms with the Act. As a result, the Authority receives as a matter of routine full information about forthcoming programmes, on which consultation takes place as necessary between the Authority’s staff and the programme companies.

    The practice of informal consultation is based on the idea that the companies should establish within their own organisations the necessary routines and procedures for ensuring that the programmes which are provided satisfy the requirements of the Act. A necessary part of these routines and procedures is that the Authority’s staff, who are always available for this purpose, should be consulted whenever any point of doubt arises. The Authority for its part is able without undue formality to ask for further clarification about forthcoming programmes.

    Informal consultation is supplemented, as necessary, by consultation between the Authority and all the programme companies on the Standing Consultative Committee. While its field of responsibility covers all matters of common interest to the Authority and the programme companies, much of its work is concerned with programme matters. If, out of the day-to-day consultation between the Authority’s staff and the companies, matters of general application or interest arise they can be conveniently discussed by the Committee and an agreed procedure arrived at.

    It has become the practice of Independent Television for programme schedules to be drawn up on a seasonal basis four times a year; there are, therefore, the winter, spring, summer and autumn schedules to be considered each year. The Authority receives information about the schedules well in advance and is able to comment on them from the point of view of balance and quality as it wishes.

    Programme Balance

    The Act requires balance, but it does not define it in any way and it is left to the Authority to decide whether balance is being secured and, if in the Authority’s view it is not, to say in what ways the position can be rectified. In the first year or so of transmissions after the opening of programmes in September 1955, the Authority’s practice was largely to assess balance retrospectively, in accordance with the strict provisions of the Act. After about a year, however, the Authority came to an agreement with the programme companies as to the elements which must be present in programmes if the intentions of the Act were to be observed. In broad terms these elements were:

    (a) adequate daily news bulletins; (b) religious programmes; (c) political programmes; (d) social programmes; (e) documentary programmes; (f) cultural programmes (i.e. the arts, history and science); (g) school programmes.

    Some of the items in this list were already being presented; others, for example religious and school programmes, were proposed by the programme companies. Since 1957 all the above items have been, though not necessarily in all service areas at all times, essential elements in Independent Television programmes. An indication of the results achieved by this policy is given in the following sections.

    The Total Output of Programmes

    Each week the fifteen programme companies of Independent Television provide for the Authority’s transmissions a total of about 183 hours of separate programmes. Of these, about 60-65 hours will be seen in any single area.

    Of this total of 183 hours, the companies will have produced about 137 hours themselves, the remaining 46 hours consisting of about 30 hours of recorded programmes made in the United States, of which about 8 may be shown in any one service area, and about 16 hours of films made for television or the cinemas in Britain, or occasionally in British countries overseas, which they have acquired. These films will often have been made by subsidiaries of the companies or in association with them.

    The total of 183 hours of produced or acquired programmes consists of about 550 separate programmes, ranging from short news bulletins or epilogues of a few minutes up to the hour-long church services and documentaries and the even longer plays and feature films.

    The 60-65 hours of programmes seen in any one area, consisting of network programmes and local programmes for that area, are thus less than half the total output of Independent Television. The remaining 115-120 hours consist mostly of groups of programmes of specifically local appeal produced in other areas of the country, and seen only by their regional community.

    Some of these 550 programmes are the 150 or so network programmes, and these will be shown in all fourteen service areas or in most of them either simultaneously or at some other time (in all of which cases they are counted in these figures as only one programme). Others, the locally presented programmes, will generally be seen in only one area.

    The companies’ own production of 137 hours a week divides thus:

    Weekly Programme Production
    Hours Percentage of time
    News 15 11
    Talks, discussions, documentaries 40½ 30
    Religion 11½ 8
    School programmes (excluding repeats) 4½ 3
    Other children’s programmes:    
    (a) informative 4¾ 3
    (b) entertainment 3 2
    Plays and serials 12¼ 9
    Opera, ballet and music ¾ 1
    Variety and other entertainment 20 15
    Quizzes and panel games 3½ 2
    Sport 16 12
    Welsh language 5¼ 4
      137 100

    Growth of Serious Programmes

    Classification of television programmes into “informative” and “entertaining”, or “serious” and light”, presents its difficulties and the terms certainly cannot be taken to correspond with “valuable” and “worthless”. A play is “entertainment”, but it may have a purpose more serious and a value more significant than a poor political discussion. Indeed, it may take the form of a political statement in dramatic shape, or seek to illuminate a particular social problem, or human dilemma. But these refinements escape any statistical net, and it is best to make a simple separation of news and news magazines, programmes of information, discussion, debate, talks, practical instruction, religious and school programmes, and all programmes of fact as belonging to the “serious” side of television. As drama, however fine, is excluded from the tabulation of serious programmes, so also are opera, ballet, and serious music. Outside broadcasts are included according to their nature — sport as sport, spectacle as entertainment, informative as documentary.

    It is sometimes said that most people wish to be entertained by television, not informed or educated. This is a remark that can miss the point. People wish to be interested by television: or rather, if a programme of any kind excites their interest and holds their attention, they will watch it as undistractedly if it is a programme of fact as if it is a variety show. Analysers like to do their sums in terms of programme classes. The viewer divides programmes into two classes: the interesting and the boring.

    The following table measures the growth of serious programmes in Independent Television from 1956 to the half-way point of 1959 and then to 1962. In duration, it shows an increase of 74 per cent to the half-way point, and of a further 39 per cent when 1962 is compared with 1959. As a proportion of total running time, it shows similar increases of 37 per cent and of 35 per cent.

    The Growth of Serious Programmes

    London: weekly averages in 1956, 1959, 1962

    Duration Proportion
      1956 1959 1962 1956 1959 1962
      hrs. mins. hrs. mins. hrs. mins. % % %
    News 3 15 3 15 4 00 7 5 6
    Talks, discussions, documentaries 3 56 4 32 8 38 8 7 13
    Religion 1 05 2 22 3 07 2 4 5
    School programmes (including repeats)   None 4 35 5 15 – 7 8
    Other informative children’s programmes 1 08 1 40 1 45 2 3 3
    TOTAL 9 24 16 24 22 45 19 26 35

    Note – The above table shows the weekly average running times during the two weeks ended 20th October 1956, the two weeks ended 24th October 1959, and the two weeks ended 21st October 1962.

    Of a total of about 12 million homes able to watch both ITV and BBC, nearly 60 per cent (7 million homes) are already watching one service or the other between 6 and 7 p.m. Between 7 and 7.30 p.m. this figure rises to about 65 per cent (8 million homes). It rises again to about 80 per cent (9J million homes) between 7.30 and 8 p.m. At this point it remains more or less stable until 10 p.m. By 10.30 p.m. the proportion of homes viewing has fallen to 65 per cent, and by it p.m. to about 60 per cent. Thus the steady summit lies between 8 and 10 p.m., with well-populated slopes on either side.

    BBC television usually finishes at about ii p.m. The ITA transmissions continue usually for about another 45 minutes. It might be noted that programme analyses restricted to the period 7 to 10.30 p.m. are not only incomplete but also artificial, for this section of the evening does not tally with any known audience patterns.

    Viewing patterns change with the day’s weather and with the seasons. Tabulated for an average month, the proportion of television homes viewing is:

    6-8 p.m. (early evening) 65%
    8-10 p.m. (middle evening) 80%
    10-11 p.m. (late evening) 58%
    Duration and Proportion of Serious Programmes

    Evening hours in London averaged over the thirteen weeks ended 21st October 1962

    Period Duration Proportion
      hrs. mins. per cent
    6-8 p.m. 5 10 37
    8-10 p.m. 2 17 16
    10-close 4 36 36
      12 3 30

    The above table shows, in total duration and as a percentage of total time, the distribution of serious evening programmes in Independent Television. It should be noted that drama, opera, ballet and serious music are excluded.

    The Regional Programmes

    Of the 137 hours of different programmes, excluding acquired films, which the fifteen separate companies of Independent Television themselves produce each week, some 78 hours, or more than half, are produced by the eleven predominantly regional companies.

    These regional programmes, produced in Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, Bristol, Southampton, Dover, Newcastle, Carlisle, Aberdeen, Norwich, Plymouth and the Channel Islands, arise from the individual character of the separate regions, concern themselves with regional affairs or give expression to local talents, and are designed specially to appeal to local interests and add to the significance of local life. They may fairly be said to represent one of the distinctive contributions of Independent Television to British broadcasting. They spring from an act of policy: the decision that the shape of Independent Television should be not unitary but plural, as little as possible centralised, as much as possible dispersed and varied. They reflect in programmes the marked institutional change that while throughout the first 12 years of British television (1936-39 and 1946-55) there was only one organisation producing programmes, there were in 1956 five, in 1957 six, in 1958 eight, in 1959 eleven, in i960 twelve, in 1961 fourteen, and by the end of 1962 sixteen. These range in size from the BBC, by far the biggest single television producer, down to Channel Television in St. Helier, the smallest.

    It is not easy further to summarise the aggregate of these 78 hours of local programmes, for they tend to vary in accordance with the personality of the company and the interests, tastes, and talents of the region. But in every ITV region there are local news bulletins daily from Monday to Friday, and in every region there are regular news magazines. These vary in length from 15 minutes to 40 minutes, and they vary in frequency from two days a week to five. Local news and local news magazines together account for about 36 per cent (28 hours) of the aggregate of local programmes. Talks, discussion and documentary programmes account for a further 18 per cent (14 hours) and religious programmes for 10 per cent (8 hours). The remaining 36 per cent (28 hours) consists mostly of local entertainment programmes.

    Although the distinction of main productive function between the four major companies of Independent Television and the eleven regional companies is important to its operation, programmes of regional interest are also produced in the North, the Midlands, and London, where the four major companies operate. These consist largely of news, news magazines, talks, discussions and documentaries. Their weekly running time is about 15 hours, and this output, added to the 78 hours from the eleven regional companies, produces a figure of over 93 hours of local programmes out of the total weekly production of 137 hours. Including network programmes produced in Manchester and Birmingham, Independent Television produces outside London well over 100 hours of programmes a week.

    The Effects of Competition

    Among developments which have taken place in British television since the start of Independent Television in 1955 are:

    • Religion. Before the commencement of Independent Television about 30 minutes a week were devoted to religious programmes. Today there are 5 hours of regular programmes in the two services, nearly a tenfold increase.
    • Schools Television. Programmes for schools were first broadcast in Independent Television’s second year. Today more than 20 series are shown each school week, with a total running time, including repeats, of about 15 hours.
    • The News. In 1955 the news consisted of a single “news and newsreel” each evening. Today in the two services there are four main bulletins. Together with shorter bulletins, but excluding the regional bulletins, they provide six and a half hours of news a week.
    • Talks, Discussions, Documentaries. In 1955 there were twelve to fifteen programmes a week covering the arts, science and nature, social life, and current affairs. Today there are in the two services over fifty such programmes, with a duration of about 18 hours.
    • Regional Programmes. In 1955 total production outside London came to about five hours a week. Today the regional programmes amount to over one hundred hours a week.
    London Programmes: Thirteen Weeks ended 21st October 1962

    Weekly Average

    Duration Proportion
      hrs. mins. per cent
    News 4 07 7
    Talks, discussions, documentaries 8 41 14
    Religion 2 59 5
    School programmes (including repeats) 2 05 3
    Other children’s programmes:      
    (a) informative 1 47 3
    (b) entertainment 5 16 8
    Plays and serials 10 23 16
    Opera, ballet and music   05 –
    Variety and other entertainment 4 38 7
    Entertainment films 12 32 20
    Quizzes and panel games 2 02 3
    Sport 8 47 14
    Afternoon programmes – – –
    Welsh language – – –
    Ceremonial occasions   12 –
      63 34 100

    Note – The duration of programmes is transcribed from the programme journals. The times shown thus include programme announcements. An average of about 35 minutes of spot advertising each day is included, a more than proportionate part of it with the entertainment programmes. Excluded from the table are about 45 minutes of advertising magazines a week. School programmes were not shown during school holiday period. The normal duration of school programmes is 5 hours 15 minutes (excluding repeats: 3 hours 39 minutes). ITA’s Welsh programmes are not shown in London. These factors could have a marginal effect on the percentages.

    Hours of Broadcasting

    The permitted hours of television broadcasting are determined by the Postmaster-

    General. The present rules are:

    1. Broadcasting hours shall not exceed:
      1. 50 hours a week;
      2. 8 hours on any one day.
    2. The following broadcasts shall not be taken into account for the purposes of rule 1:
      1. Religious programmes (i.e. acts of worship from a church or studio* and other programmes which the Authority, with the advice of the Central Religious Advisory Committee, approves for broadcasting under the terms of Section 3 (4)(a) of the Television Act 1954);
      2. Ministerial and party political broadcasts;
      3. Outside broadcasts, up to a maximum of 350 hours in any one calendar year, of events which are neither devised nor promoted by the Authority or its programme contractors;
      4. Any broadcasting in excess of 8 hours on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day;
      5. School Broadcasts;
      6. Repeats of School Broadcasts during school holidays of up to one hour daily for a total of ten days;
      7. Broadcasts in the Welsh language;
      8. Broadcasts of a “parade” of new advertisements, made before 12 noon on one day a week (other than a Sunday).
    3. On Sundays:
      1. There shall be no broadcasting between 6.15 p.m. and 7.25 p.m.; but this paragraph does not apply to religious programmes as defined in rule 2 (i); or to outside broadcasts of events which are neither devised nor promoted by the Authority or its programme contractors, or to programmes in the Welsh language;
      2. Any programmes between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. are to be designed for adults.
      3. The Postmaster-General has granted an additional hour of broadcasting on Sundays between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. for an experimental period of three months for the transmission of adult educational programmes.

    Party Political Broadcasts

    The allocation of television broadcasting time for Party Political Broadcasts is agreed each year by the major political parties and the broadcasting authorities. The current series of Party Political Broadcasts cover the period from 1st July 1962 to 20th June 1963.

      { 1 of 25 minutes }  
    four 1 of 20 minutes broadcasts by the Conservative Party
      2 of 15 minutes  
     
      { 1 of 25 minutes }  
    four 1 of 20 minutes broadcasts by the Labour Party
      2 of 15 minutes  
     
    two   25 minutes   broadcasts by the Liberal Party

    All parties have the option of splitting their 25 minute broadcast into two; that is, one of 15 minutes and one of 10 minutes

News and News Magazines

A cameraman rushes his film from plane to studios for transmission. Southern.
A cameraman rushes his film from plane to studios for transmission. Southern.

The daily programmes of national and international news are provided throughout Independent Television by a special news company, Independent Television News Limited (ITN). Regional news programmes and news magazines are produced and presented by the individual programme companies.

The importance with which Independent Television regards news may be judged by the fact that of the 137 hours of programmes produced by the programme companies each week 35 hours, or 26 per cent, consist of news and news magazines. This total is made up of 3½ hours of national and international news, 11½ hours of regional news, and 20 hours of news magazines. In any single ITV area the programmes each week include over 3 hours of national and international news, and usually 2-3 hours of regional news and news magazines.

National and Foreign News

When Independent Television was in its formative stage it was decided that the specialised task of gathering and presenting the national and international news could best be done by a single company, with its own staff, premises, studios and equipment.

ITN was established in May 1955, by agreement between the ITA and the first four programme companies, as a non-profit-making company. The shares were entirely owned by the four programme companies — A-R, ATV, Granada and ABC — and subsequently Scottish Television and TWW joined the board as additional shareholders. The other programme companies all agreed, as each came on the air, to take their national and foreign news from ITN.

ITN transmits three main news bulletins each day. On Mondays to Fridays inclusive these are at 5.55 p.m. (11 minutes), 9 p.m. (15 minutes) and after 11 p.m. (2 minutes). On Saturdays there is an additional bulletin at 1.15 p.m. (5 minutes) and on Sundays there are three bulletins. All Monday-Friday bulletins are fully networked, as are the first three on Saturdays; the remainder are taken by the majority of companies.

ITN also produces each weekday a 10-minute news magazine Dateline, which is partially networked. From time to time ITN produces special programmes to deal with news of particular significance. Recent examples are those on the American astronauts and the Cuba crisis of November 1962. ITN, together with several of the programme companies, has collaborated with the GPO and the BBC in bringing Telstar transmissions to British viewers and in taking programmes to overseas viewers via Telstar.

It is the editorial policy of ITN to try to present the day’s news in a manner which is not only responsible, accurate and impartial, but which will arouse and stimulate interest in news among viewers. With this end in view, ITN has sought to exploit a particular strength of television as a news medium — its ability to let people see events for themselves rather than have them reported at second hand. By the use of news film cameras (and on occasions outside broadcast cameras) television can give people a direct picture of events as they happen. It is also possible, by interviews, to present in a very clear way the people whose actions have made news. An effect of this, incidentally, has been to make the leading men and women of our day much more directly known to the public than was possible in the past.

With that part of the news which cannot be filmed but must be read, ITN has sought to stimulate and hold interest by having the bulletins presented by men of personality. Newscasters in ITN have from the beginning not only read the news in the studio but have assisted in the editing and preparation of it. They are themselves also reporters-and interviewers. Among television figures who began their careers as ITN newscasters are Christopher Chataway, M.P., Ian Trethowan, Robin Day, Ludovic Kennedy and Huw Thomas.

Regional News Services

The rapid and widespread growth of truly regional news services has been one of Independent Television’s most important contributions to the development of television services in Britain. Every regional company has considered one of its first tasks to be the establishment of a news department to supply local news services for its own area.

Although the arrangements and plans vary according to the particular circumstances, there are many features common to all the companies’ news departments. In the first instance the emphasis is always upon news, provided by journalists working through the medium of television. Tremendous efforts, however, are made to make the journalism good television, with a widespread use of both staff and free-lance newsfilm cameramen to provide the up-to-the-minute filmed reports which are a feature of the news bulletins.

Secondly, the news is local or regional in content and interest, and to ensure this a whole army of local correspondents (or “stringers”), generally local journalists themselves, are used. Items of news are frequently “fed” into the national bulletins from regional centres if they are at the same time of wider interest, whether it be a Royal visit to Cardiff or a fire in Newcastle.

At the present time an average total of 11½ hours of local news a week is produced in studio centres in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, Southampton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Norwich, Dover, Bristol, Belfast, Plymouth, Carlisle, Aberdeen and St. Helier. The general practice is to broadcast the regional news immediately after the national news at 6.06 p.m., but there are a number of variations. Anglia Television, for example, incorporates its news within the magazine programme About Anglia and follows up with a regional news summary at close down; TWW provides its news in Welsh at 4.25 and in English at 6.06 while Wales (West and North) Television has its news at 6.06 in Welsh and at 6.40 in English; Channel Television concludes the day’s programmes with the news in French; Granada has reversed the usual process by having the regional headlines in its regional news magazine and the main regional bulletin shortly after 11 p.m. Southern Television opens its Day by Day magazine programme with the regional news, followed by its own meteorological report for the region.

One feature of the local news services demands special note, namely the development of detailed and up-to-the-minute weather and road reports. A number of companies have devoted much energy and expense to improving this service, which is undoubtedly of considerable value, particularly in those areas where agriculture and horticulture form an important part of the economy.

Regional Magazine Programmes

It is a matter of some debate within Independent Television as to where the regional magazine programmes actually began. From the earliest days, weekly or more frequent news magazine programmes have been provided by several programme companies. However, the first regular daily programme, in the early evening, was produced by Ulster Television, whose Roundabout began in October 1959 when the company first began its transmissions and continued its run until December 1962 when its successor, Newsview, took over. The formula has had remarkable success over the entire country, and every region now has its own magazine programme.

Dateline — which was mentioned above — and On the Braden Beat, a new type of magazine with a gently satirical twist, are the only two news magazines to be networked and neither is taken by all the companies. The majority are transmitted in the early part of the evening; they vary in length between 5 and 45 minutes. But all have in common the fact that they are concerned with news of local interest.

National News
Programme Description Company Mins. Time & Day Distribution
Weekdays Evening news ITN 11 5.55 Mon-Fri Network
Main news ITN 15 9.00 Mon-Fri Network
Late news ITN 02 Late Mon-Fri Network
Saturdays Four bulletins ITN 05 1.15, 5.45 Sat Network
10 9.00 Sat Network
05 11.50 Sat Part Network
Sundays Three bulletins ITN 10 6.05, 9.25 Sun Network
03 7.25 Sun Network
Local News
Programme Description Company Mins. Time & Day Distribution
London Weekend Local news ITN/A-R 7 6.08 Fri Local
Midlands News Local news ATV 6-15 6.05 Mon-Fri Local
Northern Newscast Local news Granada 8 Late Mon-Fri Local
Scottish News Local news Scottish 5 1.30 Mon-Fri Local
North-East News Local news Tyne Tees 5 1.42 Tues-Fri Local
Ulster News Local news Ulster 5 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
TWW Reports Local news TWW 7 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
Southern News Local news Southern 8 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
North-East News Local news Tyne Tees 9 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
Ulster News Local news Ulster 1 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
Westward News Local news Westward 9 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
Border News Local news Border 9-14 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
Grampian News Local news Grampian 4 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
Local News Inclg. weather Channel 9 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
News of Wales Inclg. weather Wales (W. & N.) 10 6.40 Mon-Fri Local
Anglia News Headlines and weather Anglia 3 Late Mon-Fri Local
Local News Local news Wales (W. & N.) 10 8.50 Wed, Fri Local
Local News Inclg. weather Channel 5 Late Sat, Sun Local
French News News in French Channel 5 Pre-close, daily Local
Border News Summary Local news and weather Border 3 Pre-close, Mon-Fri Local
Weather A-R 2 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
Weather ATV 1 Late, all week Local
Weather Anglia 1-3 Evening & late Local
Grampian Weather and Road Report Weather and road report Grampian 1-2 5.54 and pre-close Local
Weather TWW 1 Pre-close Local
Weather Channel 1 Pre-close Local
Farming Prices Border 5 Mon-Fri Local
News Magazines
Programme Description Company Mins. Time & Day Distribution
Midland Montage News magazine ATV 25 6.30 Tues Local
Dateline News magazine ITN/A-R 10 Late evening Part Network
On the Braden Beat News magazine ATV 20 10.55 Sat Part Network
30 11.00 Sat Local
Scene at 6.30 News magazine Granada 30 6.30 Mon-Fri Local
Here and Now Including local news Scottish 25 6.06 Mon-Wed, Fri Local
About Anglia Including local news Anglia 40-55 6.06 Mon-Fri Local
Day by Day News magazine Southern 26-31 6.14 Mon-Fri Local
North-East Roundabout News magazine Tyne Tees 15 6.15 Mon-Fri Local
Westward Diary News magazine Westward 30-45 6.15 Mon, Wed, Fri Local
Newsview News magazine Ulster 35 6.25 Mon, Fri Local
Here Today News magazine TWW 17 6.43 Mon-Fri Local
Focus News magazine Border 30 6.15 Tues, Thurs Local
Studio Tuesday News magazine Channel 30 10.45 Tues Local
Border Diary News magazine Border 5 8.55 Wed Local
Town and Country Review News magazine Anglia 30 10.45 Wed Local
ABC at Large Inclg. news ABC 50 11.00 Sat Local
Dateline Scotland News magazine Scottish 30 6.30 Fri Local
Eye on Wales News magazine Wales (W. & N.) 30 5.00 alt Sun Local
Postscript News magazine Westward 20 5.20 Sun Local
Grampian Week News magazine Grampian 35 6.10 Fri Local
Studio Friday News magazine Channel 30 8.00 Fri Local
Flashback News review Ulster 30 10.15 Fri Local
In the News News review TWW 30 10.15 Fri Local

Talks, Discussions, Documentaries

THE BEATING HEART. An outside broadcast unit was allowed into the operatibng theatre for part of this one-hour documentary. Southern
THE BEATING HEART. An outside broadcast unit was allowed into the operatibng theatre for part of this one-hour documentary. Southern

These headings cover a wide range of subjects and a variety of methods of presentation. Whatever the subject or approach, the broad result is likely to be television which is informative or, in the best sense, educative. The importance with which this range of programming is regarded is reflected in the fact that each week Independent Television presents about 25 hours of talks, discussion and documentary programmes, representing about 14 per cent of the total output of separate programmes. On average, viewers in any one ITV area see about 5 hours a week of programmes in these categories. This output is additional to the presentation of news and news magazines, religion, school and adult education programmes.

Current Affairs

A regular flow of information and comment on a wide range of subjects is provided by Independent Television’s many current affairs series. The firmly-established weekly half-hour programme This Week (A-R) seeks to interpret and bring into focus some of the major events of the previous seven days, with specially shot film reports and studio interviews presented by Brian Connell. Roving Report (ITN) is another regular weekly programme, presenting reports on the current situation in overseas countries.

Other current affairs series transmitted over a number of Independent Television areas include What The Papers Say (Granada), a review of the treatment given by the Press to the week’s news; World in Action (Granada), giving the background to the news of the week; and Decision (A-R), a fortnightly survey of current political topics which is a sequel to Questions in the House (A-R). A weekly series which ran until October 1962 was Dinner Party (ATV), in which Lord Boothby was host to groups of distinguished people. Another weekly series which ran until the middle of the year was The Warning Voice (ATV), each programme dealing with a current social problem.

Most of the programme companies produce regular current affairs series for transmission in their own areas. There is a very wide range of subject matter and treatment, but there is a general emphasis on. local participation or topics of particular interest to local viewers.

Features

On alternate Wednesdays, in peak viewing time. Independent Television presents a full-length documentary feature programme. These are generally major studies on a topic of world or national importance, and a great deal of time and effort goes into their production.

Personal Interviews

Series of interview programmes are produced in a number of ITV areas. Many bring into the studios local personalities or distinguished visitors; such programmes are primarily of local interest. A few series are of wider appeal. These include such series as I Believe (Granada), in which eminent upholders of various faiths expressed the reasons for their beliefs; Appointment With … (Granada), when Malcolm Muggeridge interviewed, in the main, leading political figures; and Dan Farson Meets … (A-R), – interviews with popular singers and musicians, a programme which had its sequel in Kingsley Amis Goes Pop. Also of wide interest was the series Meeting of Minds (ATV), in which two well-known people discussed an important, but not necessarily topical, subject; for example, J. B. Priestley and Colin Wilson discussed “The Critic and the Artist”.

Practical and Outdoor

Nearly all the programme companies produce one or more regular weekly series of practical and outdoor magazine programmes. Two series are partly networked: The Other Man’s Farm (ABC) and I am going to be (ATV), a series on careers. The rest, more than thirty series in all, are mostly shown in the areas of the producing companies. A major group is that of the farming magazines, which, while catering specifically for the interests and needs of the local farming community, often gain a wider viewing public. There are a few general country series and some gardening programmes. Several series deal with the care of animals and pets. Other series deal with various aspects of the home, child welfare and cookery.

The most popular times for the presentation of such programmes are during the evening or the early afternoon.

History

Recent history often figures in individual feature programmes or short series. A regular weekly series dealing with the events of twenty-five years ago is All Our Yesterdays (Granada), which makes fascinating use of newsreel film of the period. The history of local regiments is the subject of Soldiers of the Queen (Southern) and The Fighting Midlands (ATV). The history of Southern England was dealt with in Southern Heritage (Southern); while Once a Kingdom (Anglia) dealt with the history of East Anglia, with an emphasis on the archaeological aspects.

Science and Natural History

Series on science or natural history have become established as familiar features of Independent Television. They are usually presented as regular weekly programmes over a period of several months at a time. During the past six months there have been Breakthrough (Granada), a detailed study of the latest discoveries in natural history; The Origins of Man (ATV); the newest scientific developments examined in Threshold (ATV); and scientific research in Insight (A-R).

Miscellaneous

Each week a selection of outstanding documentary films is presented by John Grierson in This Wonderful World (Scottish). Another general documentary series is Here and Now (A-R) which four nights a week presents an on-the-spot report about some aspect of the world in which we live. Other series seen in several ITV areas have included Sing a Song for Sixpence (ATV), in which John Betjeman considers the English music hall; Salute to the Shorts (ATV), a series on British film documentaries; Command (ATV), a notable documentary study of the R.A.F.; Farson in Australia (A-R), a study of life in Australia; and The ABC of Democracy (A-R), dealing with various forms of democracy. In addition, there have been a number of local documentary series and individual programmes.

CALLER HERRING. A dramatic documentary. Tyne Tees
CALLER HERRING. A dramatic documentary. Tyne Tees
DINNER PARTY. Lord Boothby Yehudi Menuhin Sir John Wolfenden and Sir Basil Spence sitting around the dinner table in informal discussion. ATV
DINNER PARTY. Lord Boothby Yehudi Menuhin Sir John Wolfenden and Sir Basil Spence sitting around the dinner table in informal discussion. ATV
SCOTLAND FOR ME. Eric Linklater was one of the famous Scots interviewed in this weekly series. Grampian
SCOTLAND FOR ME. Eric Linklater was one of the famous Scots interviewed in this weekly series. Grampian
BREAKTHROUGH. This programme in the series examined the facial expression of animals and explained that they do not always mean what we think they mean. Granada
BREAKTHROUGH. This programme in the series examined the facial expression of animals and explained that they do not always mean what we think they mean. Granada
FARMING DIARY. A local weekly magazine programme covering every aspect of work on the land. Anglia
FARMING DIARY. A local weekly magazine programme covering every aspect of work on the land. Anglia

Current Affairs

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & day Distribution
World in Action International problems Granada 30 10.30 Monday Part Network
Sense and Nonsense Topical discussion Scottish 30 10.30 Monday Local
Midland Montage Documentary magazine ATV 30 6.30 Tuesday Local
Decision Current political topics A-R 30 10.45 Tuesday (alternate) Part Network
Points North Topical discussion Grampian 30 10.45 Tuesday Local
Background Report and discussion Southern 30 10.45 Tuesday Part Network
Conflict of Opinion Topical discussion Westward 30 10.45 Tuesday Local
What the Papers Say Review of the Press Granada 15 10.30 Wed. Part Network
Roving Report Reports from abroad ITN 30 6.15 Thursday Part Network
This Week Study of current issues A-R 30 9.15 Thursday Network
Look Around Current Midland topics ATV 25 6.30 Friday (alternate) Local
Arena Topical discussion Anglia 15 6.45 Friday Local
Editorial Review of local press Border 5 8.55 Friday Local
Tavern Talk Popular opinion Anglia 30 10.35 Monday Jan-April 1962 Local
Enquiry Into Topical discussion Border 20 6.15 Monday Jan.-May 1962 Local
Look Here Topical discussion Ulster 30 10.35 Monday Jan-June 1962 Local
The Warning Voice Social and everyday problems ATV 25 6.20 Friday Jan.-June 1962 Part Network
Report Documentary series Scottish 30 6.30 Friday Jan.-Aug. 1962 Local
Questions in the House Current political issues A-R 30 10.40 Friday (alt.) Feb.-August 1962 Part Network
Challenge An expert is questioned TWW 30 10.40 Monday Mar.-May 1962 Local
What Say They Topical discussion Border 30 10.40 Friday March-Sept. 1962 Local
For Richer, For Poorer Study of the affluent society Granada 30 10.35 Monday April-May 1962 Part Network
Meeting of Minds Discussion ATV 20 2.25 Sunday May-Sept. 1962 Local
Dinner Party After-dinner conversation ATV 30 10.40 Monday June-Oct. 1962 Part Network
Looking Abroad Current events abroad A-R 7 6.08 Monday July-Nov. 1962 Local
Bridgehead Foreign communities in Britain A-R 30 10.45 Friday Aug.-Sept. 1962 Part Network
Look to Tomorrow Study of current problems Anglia 30 10.40 Monday (monthly) Aug.-Dec. 1962 Local
Your Point of View Viewers’ questions TWW 30 10.40 Monday Oct.-Dec. 1962 Local
We Submit Review of Royal Commissions ATV 25 5.40 Sunday Nov.-Dec. 1962 Part Network

Personal

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & day Distribution
Personal Scrapbook Eminent people TWW 30 10.25 Monday Local
Looking Back Ulster personalities Ulster 30 10.40 Monday (monthly) Local
Visitors’ Book Distinguished visitors to the Channel Isles Channel 15 6.45 Wednesday (monthly) Local
Borderline Personalities from the Borders Border 30 8.00 Thursday (monthly Part Network
Midland Profile Midland personalities ATV 25 6.30 Friday (alternate) Local
Viewfinder Various Grampian 30 10.15 Friday Local

Practical and Outdoor

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & day Distribution
Animal Care Welfare of pets A-R 7 6.08 Monday Local
Come into the Garden Gardening magazine ATV 20 6.10 Monday Local
Around the House Home magazine Westward 30 6.15 Monday (alternate) Local
Island Farmer Farming magazine Channel 15 6.45 Monday Local
Country Focus Country magazine Grampian 25 6.20 Tuesday Local
I am going to be Careers feature ATV 30 6.15 Wednesday Part Network
Midland Farming Farming magazine ATV 15 6.45 Wednesday Local
Babytime Child welfare WWN 15 11.00 Thursday (alternate) Local
Focus about the Home Home magazine Border 25 6.35 Friday Local
Out of Town Outdoor magazine Southern 20 6.40 Friday Local
Farming Bulletin Farming news Westward 5 8.55 Friday Local
North East Farming Diary Farming magazine Tyne Tees 5 2.15 Sunday Local
Farming Diary Farming magazine Anglia 40 2.15 Sunday Local
Farm in the South Farming magazine Southern 30 2.20 Sunday Local
For Border Farmers Farming magazine Border 15 2.35 Sunday (alternate) Local
ABC Farming Comment Farming news ABC 5 2.45 Sunday Local
Come Gardening Gardening magazine Southern 20 5.20 Sunday Local

History

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & day Distribution
Soldiers of the Queen Regimental history Southern 20 6.40 Monday Local
All Our Yesterdays Events of 25 years ago Granada 30 7.00 Monday Part Network
The Fighting Midlands Regimental history ATV 25 6.15 Tuesday January 1962 Local
Southern Heritage History of Southern England Southern 15 6.45 Monday Jan.-June 1962 Local
Once a Kingdom East Anglian history Anglia 30 7.00 Wednesday Oct.-Nov. 1962 Local

Science and Natural History

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & day Distribution
Animal Story Natural history Granada 30 10.35 Monday Feb-March 1962 Part Network
You’d Never Believe It Science behind show business ABC 30 4.50 Sunday April-Sept. 1962 Part Network
Breakthrough Natural history Granada 30 10.40 Friday (alt.) June-Aug. 1962 10.45 Tuesday (alt.) Sept.-Dec. 1962 Part Network
The Origins of Man History of man ATV 20 5.45 Sunday June-Aug. 1952 Part Network
Threshold Scientific developments ATV 25 5.40 Sunday Sept.-Nov. 1962 Network
Insight Scientific research A-R 7 6.08 Tuesday Dec. 1962-Jan. 1963 Local

Miscellaneous

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & day Distribution
Here and Now Magazine programme A-R 15 6.45 Tue.-Thur. Part Network
Anglia 6.45 Monday
This Wonderful World Film anthology Scottish 30 6.30 Tuesday Part Network
Sing a Song for Sixpence John Betjeman series on the English Music Hall ATV 30 10.45 Tuesday (alt.) Jan.-Feb. 1963 Part Network
Salute to the “Shorts” Series on British film documentaries ATV 20 5.20 Sunday January 1963 Part Network

Features

Programme Description Company Date
Postscript to Empire Britain in transition A-R 10th January
South America A study of the continent ATV 7th February
Living with a Giant Canada and the United States A-R 21st February
Head On—The Red Dean Dr. Hewlett Johnson Granada 7th March
40 Million Shoes A report on Brazil A-R 21st March
Algeria The story of the Algerian war A-R 4th April
The Young Offenders Juvenile delinquency ATV 2nd May
America Abroad Americans working abroad A-R 30th May
The State of the Union Development of the United States of America ATV 4th July
Birth A study of childbirth A-R 25th July
Watch on the Mekong Report on Thailand and Laos A-R 8th August
Challenge in the Skies British civil aviation ATV 5th September
Unfinished Revolution The emergence of Mexico A-R 19th September
A Roof over our Heads The housing problem Granada 3rd October
Oxford A study of the city ATV 24th October
Article 237 The Common Market A-R 31st October
Dangerous Medicine Pharmaceutical research Granada 14th November
The Fanatics The suffragette movement Granada 12th December

The Arts

THE FOUR BROTHERS. Performance by the Brussels Twentieth Century Ballet. Granada
THE FOUR BROTHERS. Performance by the Brussels Twentieth Century Ballet. Granada

Television may itself be regarded as an art-form and in a very real sense everything produced for television may be described as belonging to the Arts. Certainly a wide range of specialised artistic and technical skills enter into every programme of whatever kind. Television is a creative activity, and effective television calls for a high degree of artistic judgment.

Drama

In terms of the volume of production, television’s main contribution to the Arts in a narrower sense is the whole range of drama. A single good drama production on television is seen by an audience large enough to fill a theatre for a decade. Independent Television’s contributions in this field are considered in a separate chapter.

Opera and Ballet

In dealing with many fields of human activity, television can add a new dimension or a new understanding. The attractions of certain of the performing arts, however, depend upon elements which television cannot always capture. Conventional opera and ballet often do not readily lend themselves to presentation on television. It is difficult for the camera to provide the necessary balance of detail and spectacle, and colour is often an important part of the whole. However, full-scale operas and ballets have been successfully presented from time to time on Independent Television, for example in Granada’s television presentation of the Sadler’s Wells production of Orpheus in the Underworld and The Four Brothers, a modern mime and ballet production by the Brussels Twentieth Century Ballet.

Excerpts from ballet and opera by small groups of performers are presented quite frequently as items in general programme series, and a few programmes or series have dealt specifically with opera or ballet. It is by no means unusual for artistes of the calibre of Nureyev and Nadia Nerina to appear in light entertainment programmes seen by up to twenty million viewers. A regular series of programmes dealing with the history and performance of ballet was presented by Anton Dolin for Tyne Tees Television.

Music

Television producers have devoted much attention to the development of techniques for presenting orchestral concerts. This is a difficult task: visual interest soon wavers if the whole orchestra is shown on the screen; on the other hand, the constant movement of cameras from section to section of the orchestra or about the concert hall is found distracting by many music-lovers. The major advantage which television has over sound broadcasting is the visual interest to be gained from close-ups of the hands of a pianist, conductor, or string-player. For this reason the more successful presentations of classical music on television tend to be in concertos, recitals or programmes of musical instruction.

Art

Despite the disadvantage of being confined to monochrome, a number of successful art programmes have been presented on television. Sir Kenneth Clark has continued his lectures, the most recent series dealing with the works of Rembrandt (ATV). John Betjeman has taken part in a number of programmes, including a series on Victorian

design entitled Steam and Stained Glass (ATV). Outlines is the title of a series on design presented by Associated-Rediffusion. A novel approach to the problem of presenting art on television was taken by John Berger, who in each of a series Drawn from Life (Granada) discussed with a layman his reactions to selected paintings. Programmes such as Collectors’ Piece are included with miscellaneous documentary programmes.

Reviews

The weekly literary review, The Bookman (ABC), discusses recently-published books, literary trends and presents interviews with authors. A number of general local magazine series include book reviews and discussions with local authors.

General Series

The regular weekly programme Tempo (ABC) is entirely devoted to the arts. Its range is wide. In a typical programme, Lord Harewood interviewed Sir Laurence Olivier about the Chichester Festival Theatre; in another Vicky spoke about the history of political cartoons; a group of actors and writers discussed the artist’s place in politics; the cast of “Beyond the Fringe” presented their own version of a Tempo-type programme; and a series of special features considered, among other subjects, the contribution of Ireland to the arts, contemporary British architecture, and The Arts and War. The series Canvas (Westward) dealt with various aspects of the arts in the South-West of England.

Festival of London

Substantial coverage was given to the City of London Festival (Associated-Rediffusion). Nine events were shown, including five concerts, an exhibition of cartoons, an “entertainment”, and a special performance of Handel’s “Water Music” from the Thames.

The Bath Festival

Each year a series of programmes covers the Bath Festival (TWW). There are also a number of programmes from the National Eisteddfod.

Series Description Company Mins. Time & day Distribution
Tempo Review of the arts ABC 25 5.40 Sunday Part Network
Drawn from Life Discussion of paintings Granada 30 10.30 Friday January 1962 Part Network
Plectrum Guitar instruction Scottish 10 1.30 Wednesday Jan.-Feb. 1962 Local
Outlines Talks on design A-R 7 6.08 Monday Jan.-Mar. 1962 Local
Canvas The arts in the South-West Westward 30 6.15 Monday Monthly Jan.-Mar. 1962 Local
Breakthrough Musical appreciation Scottish 10 1.30 Wednesday Feb.-July 1962 Local
Steam and Stained Glass Victorian design ATV 30 10.35 Monday April 1962 Part Network
Rembrandt Sir Kenneth Clark lectures ATV 30 10.40 Monday May-June 1962 Part Network
Highland Air Gaelic ceilidh Scottish 10 1.40 Wednesday May-August 1962 Local
Up and Coming Young musicians Border 30 10.45 Tues. Oct.-Nov. 1962 Part Network
The Bookman Literary review ABC 25 2.35 Sunday July-Sept. 1962 Part Network
Keyboard Piano recitals Granada 15 11.35 Thursday Jan.-April 1962 Local
Music for Guitar Classical recitals Granada 15 10.55 Thursday May-June 1962 Local
Stories of the Ballet History and performance Tyne Tees 10 5.45 Sunday May-Sept. 1962 Local

Religion

A service from Westminster Abbey. ATV
A service from Westminster Abbey. ATV

Independent Television presents about three hours of religious programmes each week. Though the detailed pattern varies from region to region, a typical schedule is made up as follows:

Church Service 1hr. 15 mins.
A Box of Birds 30 mins.
The Sunday Break 45 mins.
About Religion/Living Your Life 25 mins.
Epilogue (nightly) total 35 mins.

Over the years the pattern which has been established in most areas has its firm basis in the Sunday Morning Service, the nightly Epilogue immediately before close-down, and the two consecutive Sunday evening programmes at 6.15 and 7 p.m. Before the start of Independent Television in 1955 there was very little religious television. Today, in both services taken together, there are more than five hours weekly.

Religious Advisers

The Television Act did not oblige Independent Television to transmit any religious programmes; it provided, however, that if religious programmes were transmitted they must have the ITA’s prior approval, and that the ITA in turn should have the assistance and advice of a committee representative of the main streams of religious thought in Britain. Such a committee, the Central Religious Advisory Committee (C.R.A.C.), already existed as one of the BBC’s committees. The Authority arranged for C.R.A.C. to serve it also, an arrangement which has been entirely successful

C.R.A.C. is a large committee and its chief concern is with major matters of policy. The Authority therefore felt the need for a small group of advisers in day-to-day matters. This need was met by the appointment of the Panel of Religious Advisers, which meets each month to consider and approve the plans of the programme companies. The six members of the Panel are representative of the Church of England, the Free Churches, the Roman Catholic Church and the religious organisations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The programme companies themselves have their own advisers on religious programmes. This system has worked smoothly and ITV’s religious output has steadily increased both in quality and in quantity.

Liaison with Clergy

The ITA and individual programme companies have arranged or participated in many consultations and conferences with clergy and religious groups. There are contacts with national and international religious organisations. Some programme companies arrange training courses for clergy. Special transmissions of religious programmes have been arranged so that clergy may view them at a convenient time.

A consultation arranged by the Authority at Mansfield College was attended by clergy and producers concerned with television. The theme of the conference was expressed by the Reverend Eric Heaton (a member of the Authority’s Panel), who said that religious programmes on television were “probably the only contact with Christianity for a vast number of non-churchgoers of all ages”. The Authority plans to call another consultation in Cambridge during September this year, when it is hoped that overseas clergy and broadcasters will be observers.

Church Services

Sunday morning services have since 1955 been a regular feature in most areas of Independent Television. Denominational “ratios” were early established which provided that services should be transmitted in an agreed proportion between the different denominations; the same ratios apply to transmissions at the great Christian festivals.

Epilogues

The Epilogue is a short programme of a generally devotional, non-denominational character, which is transmitted immediately before close-down. It is almost invariably given by a priest or minister. The Epilogue first came on to the air early in 1956 and today almost all the programme companies produce their nightly Epilogues.

The Sunday Evening Programmes

The period between 7 and 7.25 p.m. each Sunday and from 6.15 to 7 p.m. on three Sundays out of four is devoted to religion. These programmes have provided much imaginative experiment.

The Sunday Break (ABC), now five years old, is presented on three Sundays out of four. From the very first it has attracted much comment and interest. Described as “a magazine programme for young people”, it was originally set in a youth club and included jazz, dancing, discussions and competitions in such a way as to affirm as good in themselves the activities which young people normally enjoy. In 1960 the format was brought nearer to that of a magazine programme, and discussions and documentary films on the problems of young people began to play a larger part in the programme. Among the subjects considered have been Love, Sex, and Marriage; The Colour-Bar; Christianity and Communism; The Problems of Prisons; Christian Unity; Unemployment; Gambling; and The Teenage Bulge. One notable programme was devoted to A Man Dies, a Passion Play written for and produced by teenagers in a wholly contemporary idiom, making use of jive and rock-’n’-roll music.

About Religion (ATV) was established in January 1956 and has been transmitted without interruption ever since. It is presented on three Sundays out of four. Its aim is to make known the teachings and views of the Christian faith by any means at its disposal—whether by interviews, discussions, plays, films, documentaries or outside broadcasts. Among those interviewed have been Lord Fisher and the present Archbishop of Canterbury; those who have taken part in discussions have included Sir John Wolfenden, Cardinal Bea, Kurt Hahn and Rabbi Isaac Levy; subjects covered in a variety of ways have included: Sin and Crime; Loving Thy Neighbour; The Christian in the Forces, in Politics, and in the City; Anti-Semitism; The Vatican Council; Road Safety; and Refugee Camps. Special programmes within About Religion have included three plays: Christmas Night, Christ in Jeans, and This is the End, the first of the new Coventry Cathedral moralities. There has also been a number of series within the overall title, of which the most notable have been Eye Level, a magazine programme, and I Want to Know, in which a panel answered viewers’ enquiries.

Living Your Life (ABC) is presented on one Sunday out of four. It is generally devoted to the discussion of a Christian topic, but from time to time reports on a particular event; for instance, Archbishop Fisher’s visit to Istanbul and Athens.

A Box of Birds

The pattern of Sunday Service, Sunday evening programmes and daily Epilogues remained constant until October 1962 when an entirely new programme was introduced at 12.15 on Sunday mornings. This was A Box of Birds, a programme designed to encourage young people “to look at the world in a Christian way”. This phrase describes the programme well, for it is neither narrowly “religious” nor is it a Sunday School programme. Rather it aims at encouraging the Christian virtues by example. Its methods are various. For example, it has shown a documentary film about an orphanage in South Korea; it has mounted a short dramatic episode illustrating honesty and charitableness; and it has looked at the Crown Jewels and touched upon the subject of Church and State.

Local Programmes

There is considerable regional enterprise in the presentation of religious programmes. Sunday Services are transmitted from time to time by Scottish Television, Tyne Tees and Anglia TV; Grampian Television has its fortnightly Evening Worship; TWW and WWN have services in Welsh. Religious discussion programmes are produced by TWW, Ulster, Scottish Television and Channel, while Westward provides religious feature programmes and a monthly magazine programme.

Over and above all this are the special transmissions, by any or all of the fifteen companies, recording the great Christian Festivals and such events as the enthronement of an archbishop or bishop, or the wedding of a member of the Royal Family.

THE CENTRAL RELIGIOUS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Rt Rev W D L Greer, Bishop of Manchester (Chairman)
Miss M Batten, OBE Mrs Margaret Jones
The Rt Rev L M Charles-Edwards, Bishop of Worcester The Rt Rev G E Reindorp, Bishop of Guildford
The Rev C F Davey The Rev Dr W R Sanderson
The Rev Dr Maldwyn Edwards The Rev Dr Donald Soper
The Rt Rev G A Ellison, Bishop of Chester The Rev H S Stanley
The Very Rev Austin A Fulton The Rev F S Temple
The Rt Rev W A Hart, R C Bishop of Dunkeld The Rt Rev W A E Westall, Bishop of Crediton
The Rt Rev T Holland, R C Coadjutor Bishop of Portsmouth The Rev Dr H Williams
  Mr B W M Young

Regular Religious Programmes

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & day Distribution
Church Service Morning service ATV/ABC/Southern 75 11.00 Sunday (weekly) Part Network
    Scottish 75 11.00 Sunday (Occasional) Local
    Tyne Tees 75 11.00 Sunday (Occasional) Part Network
    Anglia 75 11.00 Sunday (Occasional) Local
  Welsh language TWW 75 11.00 Sunday (Occasional) Local
Evening Worship Studio service Grampian 25 7.00 Sunday (2 per month) Local
Box of Birds Children’s programme ATV 30 12.15 Sunday (Weekly) Part Network
Sunday Break Magazine for young people ABC 45 6.15 Sunday (3 weeks in 4) Network
Living Your Life Discussion, report ABC 25 7.00 Sunday (1 week in 4) Network
About Religion Discussion, drama ATV 25 7.00 Sunday (3 weeks in 4) Network
Journey of a Lifetime Film series of visits to Holy Land ABC 15 6.15 Sunday Jan.-June 1962 Network
Seek the Truth Discussion Scottish 30 1.30 Sunday Local
Discussion Series Discussion TWW 20 2.00 Sunday 11.30 Thursday (repeat) Local
Trend Magazine Westward 45 1.15 Sunday (Monthly) Local
The Church in View Discussion programme Channel 30 10.45 Wed. (Monthly) Local
Thought For The Day Prologue ATV 2 12.45 Tue.-Fri. Local
Epilogue Epilogue A-R 5 Close. Mon.-Fri. (Weekdays) Local
Epilogue Epilogue ATV 5 Close. All week Local
Epilogue Epilogue ABC 5 Close. Sat., Sun. Local
Late Call Epilogue Scottish 5 Close. All week Local
The Summary Epilogue TWW 5 Close. Sunday Local
The Living Word Epilogue Southern 5 Close. Mon.-Sat. (6 days) Local
Sunday Lantern Epilogue Southern 5 Close. Sunday Local
Epilogue Epilogue Tyne Tees 5 Close. All week  
Epilogue Epilogue Anglia 5 Close. Mon.-Sat. (6 days) Local
Postscript Epilogue Anglia 5 Close. Sunday Local
End the Day Epilogue Ulster 5 Close. All week Local
Faith for Life Epilogue Westward 5 Close. Sat., Sun. Local
The Unsleeping Sword Bible readings Westward 5 Close. Mon.-Fri. (Weekdays) Local
Evening Prayers Epilogue Grampian 5 Close. All week Local
Epilogue Epilogue Channel 5 Close. All week Local

Children and Television

ON THE TRAIL. Graham Dangerfield. Associated-Rediffusion
ON THE TRAIL. Graham Dangerfield. Associated-Rediffusion

From the beginning of its transmissions Independent Television has catered for children. Specially produced and selected programmes are transmitted daily, of a type considered suitable to the taste of the young viewers. For his part the child has not been slow to declare his preference, and the correspondence files filled by forthright young viewers, of the lower age group in particular, make instructive reading. Instruct is precisely what these letters do, since they play their part in guiding the planners of the programmes, in this case the responsible directors of children’s productions in the individual companies.

Whereas eight years ago most children came fresh to television and naturally found it an enormous novelty, and therefore a magnet of tremendous power, they are now, many of them, born to it, and see it from their mothers’ arms as just one more piece in the jigsaw of their environment. There is a sense, therefore, in which the novelty has gone for ever, though the magnet undoubtedly remains. We may come to know some day, when research has determined the answer for us, precisely how, and at what age, and in what sense, the picture on the screen comes to have meaning for a child. In the meantime it would be an altogether delightful thing if we could claim that a child’s first experience of television was by way of the programmes specially designed for him. Failing this assurance, we can only hope that the picture on the screen which first makes itself intelligible to a child in terms which, within his experience, he can begin to comprehend, is the television of children’s programmes.

If this gradual and intelligible introduction to television on behalf of children could be achieved, no better start could be made than with Small Time, a short programme appearing from Monday to Friday between 4.45 p.m. and 5 p.m. on most stations of Independent Television. Here, daily, is projected the magic of make-believe in a world inhabited by the Innocents — puppets and cartoon characters and dolls in the eyes of the adult who looks in, but by a host of children called by name Pussy Cat Willum, Oily Owl, Joe Crow, Simon Scarecrow and Hoppitty and their adventurous friends. These characters are of the same family as Alice in Wonderland, and they are created and displayed on the screen by artists who have Lewis Carroll’s rare understanding of the fleeting innocence of the child’s environment, and his ability to paint it again and again for the children in colours both intelligible and intangible.

From 5 until 5.55 p.m., the first evening News time, from Monday to Friday the programme for children is roughly divided into two halves. The first half is given over to more instructive items, hobbies, sport, general knowledge games and animal care. These programmes are provided, in turn, by three of the main networking companies, Associated-Rediffusion (which is also responsible for Small Time), Associated Television and Granada. For the second part of the programme a story occupies the screen. This policy of providing a story as part of the plan for children’s television is maintained since it caters for the older child’s desire for make-believe of a more realistic kind than Small Time. This story time may feature a home-produced serial or one of the American homespuns built around children’s adventures in the countryside.

An exception to this general pattern has been made in these last eighteen months on every Tuesday, when Associated-Rediffusion have taken the whole of the period between 5 p.m. and the News for an instructional programme, with some approval from perhaps a minority of young viewers, many of whom take part in the competitions set. The lack of a story time on Tuesday tends, however, to be made up for on Saturday and Sunday, when ABC joins Associated Television in providing week-end fare. Stories on Saturdays and Sundays, which may include cartoons, incline to simple fiction which is aimed to entertain the family viewing together, and by way of more serious diversion a mildly instructive programme also appears from time to time.

The other programme companies offer variations to the networked pattern, and in some cases produce their own programmes which are in every case very popular.

The Television Act 1954 required the Authority to appoint a committee responsible to the Authority for the overall surveillance of programmes intended for children and young persons. Since 1956 the Children’s Advisory Committee has met regularly to fulfil this responsibility.

THE CHILDREN’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sir John Wolfenden, CBE (Chairman)
Mr B S Braithwaite Mrs E Jarvis
Mrs R Collick Dr H Stewart Macintosh, CBE
Miss D S Gilbert Mr J L Mourton
The Rev Arthur H Gray Mr H Oldman
Mrs H Halpin Mrs G Seth
Miss Norah Isaac
Programme Description Company Mins. Time & Day Distribution
Birthday Club Birthdays WWN 5 4.40 Mon.-Fri. Local
Small Time For young children A-R 15 4.45 Mon.-Fri. Part Network
Seeing Sport Sport instruction ATV 25 5.00 Monday Network
Just the Job Careers feature Anglia 30 5.25 Monday Local
Animal Parade Natural history Granada 15 5.40 Monday Local
Tuesday Rendezvous Magazine programme A-R 55 5.00 Tuesday Part Network
Round-Up Magazine programme Scottish 55 5.00 Tuesday Local
Zoo Time Visits to the zoo Granada 25 5.00 Wednesday Network
Happy-Go-Lucky Entertainment Tyne Tees 30 5.25 Wednesday Local
Criss Cross Quiz Quiz programme Granada 25 5.00 Thursday Part Network
Full Marks Inter-schools quiz Southern 30 5.25 Thursday Local
Badger’s Bend Country life series A-R 25 5.00 Friday Network
Super car Puppet series ATV 30 5.25 Friday Part Network
The Junior Angle Children’s magazine Anglia 30 5.25 Friday Local
Lets See Magazine Border 15 5.40 Friday Local
Many Happy Returns Birthdays Border 15 5.00 Saturday Local
What Do I See Sketching instruction Southern 15 5.00 Saturday Local
Secret Beneath the Sea Adventure serial ABC 30 5.15 Saturday Part Network
Fireball XL5 Puppet series AT V 15 4.50 Sunday Part Network
Snip and Snap Cartoon series ABC 15 5.05 Sunday Local
Living with Animals Animal care Anglia 20 5.20 Sunday Local
Men of Action Adventurous careers A-R 25 5.00 Friday Jan.-Mar. 1962 Network
Young Outlook Young people’s magazine Tyne Tees 30 5.30 Sunday Jan.-April 1962 Local
For the Very Young Entertainment Ulster 15 5.50 Sunday Jan.-April 1962 Local
It’s a Model World Model-making instruction Southern 15 5.00 Saturday Jan.-Dee. 1962 Local
Afternoon Club For young children Anglia 5 4.40 Mon.-Fri. Jan.-Dec. 1962 Local
On the Trail Nature study A-R 25 5.00 Friday May-June 1962 Network
Tales from Dickens Dramatisation of Dickens ABC 30 5.05 Sunday May-July 1962 Part Network
Stop, Look and Listen Musical quiz A-R 25 5.00 Friday June-Aug. 1962 Network
Top of the Class Quiz programme Anglia 30 5.25 Monday June-Oct. 1962 Local
Live and Learn General knowledge quiz TWW 30 5.25 Friday July-Sept. 1962 Local
Holiday Music Light entertainment A-R 25 5.25 Friday Aug.-Sept. 1962 Network
Once Upon a Time Story programme ABC 15 5.00 Saturday Sept.-Nov. 1962 Part Network
Strange Concealments Adventure serial ATV 30 5.15 Saturday Sept.-Nov. 1962 Part Network
Street of Adventure Series on Fleet Street A-R 25 5.00 Friday Oct.-Dec. 1962 Network

School Programmes

DISCOVERY. Professor Dame Kathleen Lonsdale in the Science series for sixth forms. Granada
DISCOVERY. Professor Dame Kathleen Lonsdale in the Science series for sixth forms. Granada

The first Independent Television programmes for schools in the United Kingdom were introduced in May 1957 by Associated-Rediffusion in London. From the same date, the programmes were transmitted by Associated Television in the Midlands region. At the time, this service to schools was very much an act of faith, since fewer than one hundred schools in these areas were equipped to receive television. Six years later, Independent Television’s thirteen series are seen virtually throughout the country and over 4,000 schools are registered with the Programme Companies.

Producing Companies

Although thirteen Programme Companies transmit programmes for schools, the bulk of the programmes are produced by Associated-Rediffusion, Associated Television and Granada TV Network. In addition, Scottish Television produces some programmes for Scottish schools only, and makes occasional contributions to Associated-Rediffusion’s output.

These programmes are financed from the normal revenues of the Programme Companies and there is no advertising during school broadcasting hours.

The BBC also operates its own regular television service for schools, in addition to its long-established sound service. In the interests of the schools, great care has always been taken by both sides to avoid duplication and overlapping.

Educational Supervision

The Authority, on the advice of its Children’s Advisory Committee, laid down that the production and presentation of school programmes should have responsible educational approval.

The Children’s Advisory Committee drew the Authority’s attention to three stages at which educational advice was essential. The first was in the actual devising of programmes, in order to ensure that they were educationally reliable. The second was in the planning of the syllabus of television lessons so that too much time should not be devoted to particular subjects or classes of subjects, or to particular types of schools or age groups of pupils, and so that there would be no clash of timing either between companies or with the BBC. The third was in the provision of adequate advance information and teachers’ notes and the establishment of a sound “feed-back” of information so that on the one hand schools would be able to make the fullest use of programmes both in regard to preparation and follow-up and on the other hand producers would be made aware of the views of teachers about their products.

Each of the four producing companies therefore appointed a Schools Broadcasting Committee under an independent Chairman containing, besides members chosen for their individual contributions, a majority consisting of nominees of the following bodies:

  • The County Councils’ Association
  • The Association of Municipal Corporations
  • The Association of Education Committees
  • The National Union of Teachers
  • The Joint Committee of the Four Secondary Associations
  • The Association of Teachers in Technical Institutes

All the companies producing school programmes (A-R, ATV, Granada and Scottish Television) have Committees fulfilling these conditions. Chaired by leading educationists, these advisory bodies include among their members practising teachers with first-hand knowledge of the use of television and other visual aids in the classroom, as well as representatives of all the major educational interests, including the Ministry of Education and the Scottish Education Department. The separate advisory bodies of the four producing companies determine the general educational policy which is to be reflected in the programmes. Moreover, it is agreed policy that no producing company will offer a programme for networking unless its general scope and purpose has been considered and approved by each of the other advisory bodies.

In the case of companies presenting but not producing school programmes the Children’s Advisory Committee thought that educational needs would be met if these companies appointed small Schools Broadcasting Committees or experienced education officers to ensure that account was taken of local educational opinion in the selection of a balanced syllabus for the area.

Programme Production

The main emphasis of all programme series now shown is in the direction of supplementing and enriching the teachers’ own work in the classroom. Once an advisory body has recommended the subject, educational purpose and age range of a programme series, a detailed programme proposal is drawn up by the respective company’s Schools Broadcasting Department. When this has been approved or amended by all the advisory bodies concerned it is passed back to the originating company’s production team. These teams normally consist of a producer who is an experienced educationist, a programme director who is a television expert, a script writer, and, if necessary, a consultant who is a specialist in the subject of the series and who is contracted to advise on that particular series only.

Networking

Each year twelve months in advance, the companies producing school broadcasts put forward proposals for the series which they wish to provide in the following year. Proposals which are accepted by all the four educational advisory bodies are then incorporated in a national network timetable for regular transmission simultaneously throughout Britain. Over and above this, the producing companies, on the recommendation of their advisory bodies, may add to the networked pattern by providing additional transmissions specially for their own regions. These additions may be either repeats of networked programmes or additional series selected from among those proposed but not chosen for the national network. The remaining independent companies, acting on appropriate educational advice, have the choice of transmitting any or all of these additional programmes according to the requirements of the schools within their own regions.

Liaison with Schools

Close liaison with schools is carried out by Company Education and Schools Liaison Officers, who visit schools and maintain a two-way flow of information about the programmes between teachers and producers and who also watch the programmes in use in the classroom and report back on them. In addition, panels of viewing teachers report regularly on pupil and teacher reactions to the programmes, and comment upon their educational effectiveness. Meetings of both teachers and schools broadcasting staff are regularly organised to discuss the programmes. All this information is passed back to the advisory bodies as a basis for future planning.

Programme Literature

An outline of the programmes for the following school year is published each May so that schools may have adequate time to register as television viewers and make the timetable arrangements necessary to accommodate the programmes. Programme Notes for individual series are then sent, free, to the registered viewing schools before the beginning of each term, additional copies being available at a small charge.

Some special publications are also prepared, such as complete dialogues from some language programmes, and diagrams related to science programmes for younger children.

The Independent Television Schools Broadcasting Secretariat

Although the selection of the programme pattern transmitted by any one company is comparatively simple, the co-ordination of programmes between many companies, regions, schools and education authorities is inevitably a complicated matter. It is for this reason that the Secretariat has been established as a central co-ordinating office, whose responsibilities embrace:

  • Advising all the Companies of the programmes that are to be networked nationally, and offering them the choice of additional programmes for transmission in their respective regions, collating their replies and placing their orders for programme literature. Coordination between the Producing Companies, Regional Companies and Printers about annual programmes, timetables, programme notes and all ancillary literature.
  • Co-ordinating the despatch of programme literature to the various regions so that teachers are in no doubt which programmes they can receive.
  • The maintenance of a record of all registered viewing schools and the compilation of up-to-date statistics.
  • Provision of an information service, both national and international, about activities and developments in all fields of educational television.
  • Maintenance of a reference library including films and telerecordings for demonstration purposes.
  • Co-ordinating research into the reactions of schools to programmes.
  • Finally, acting as a general clearing house on any subject dealing with Independent Television schools broadcasting.

Chairmen of Advisory Committees

  • Sir John Wolfenden, Vice-Chancellor, The University, Reading, Berks. (Chairman of the Independent Television Authority’s Children’s Advisory Committee.)
  • Sir Ifor Evans, Provost, University College, London. (Chairman of Associated-Rediffusion’s Educational Advisory Council.)
  • Sir John Masterman, Sometime Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. (Chairman of Associated Television’s Education Advisory Committee.)
  • Professor W. Mansfield Cooper, Vice-Chancellor, The University, Manchester. (Chairman of Granada TV Network’s Educational Advisory Committee.)
  • Dr. H. Stewart Mackintosh, Director of Education, Glasgow. (Chairman of Scottish Television’s Educational Advisory Committee.)

Schools Liaison Officers

London: John Mackay, Schools Liaison Officer, Associated-Rediffusion Ltd., Television House, Kingsway, London W.C.2. The Midlands: William Hemingway, Education Liaison Officer, Associated Television Ltd., 150, Edmund Street, Birmingham 3. The North: Peter Ash, Schools Liaison Officer, The Granada TV Network Ltd., Manchester 3, and Frank A. Harris, Schools Liaison Officer, The Granada TV Network Ltd., Headrow House, Leeds 1. Central Scotland: Peter Whiteford, Schools Liaison Officer, Scottish Television Ltd., Theatre Royal, Glasgow. South Wales and the West of England: The Education Officer, T.W.W. Ltd., Pontcanna Studios, Cardiff, or Schools Liaison Officer, T.W.W. Ltd., Television Centre, Bristol. Central, Southern and South-East England: Charles Cross, Education Officer, Southern Television Ltd., Northam, Southampton. North-East England: Brian Shallcross, Schools Liaison Officer, Tyne Tees Television Ltd., The Television Centre, City Road, Newcastle upon Tyne. East Anglia: Paul Johnson, Schools and Children’s Programme Officer, Anglia Television Ltd., Anglia House, Norwich. Northern Ireland: S. Gordon Duffield, Executive i/c School Programmes, Ulster Television Ltd., Havelock House, Ormeau Road, Belfast. South-West England: Dr. Charles F. Jones, Education Officer, Westward Television Ltd., Derry’s Cross, Plymouth. North-East Scotland: The Education Officer, Grampian Television Ltd., Queen’s Cross, Aberdeen. Channel Islands: The Education Officer, Channel Television, Television Centre, St. Helier, Jersey, C.I. Wales (West and North) Region: The Education Officer, Wales (West and North) Television Ltd., Wales Television Centre, Cardiff.

Independent Television Schools Broadcasting Secretariat: Denis Fox, I.T.V. Schools Broadcasting Secretariat, 4 and 5 Grosvenor Street, London W.1.

 

STORY BOX
(Spring Term 1963)
For primary schools – Age range 8-10
WEEK WEEK
1 Books to Enjoy. “The Hartwarp Light Railway” by John Pudney. 7 Half-term repeat of programme broadcast in Week 6.
2 Adventures of Today. Journey to the Lost World. (Expedition to a strange mountain in South America.) 8 Books to Enjoy. Theseus and the Minotaur. (Stories from Greek myth and legend.)
3 Life in Other Lands. Indians of the Amazon. 9 Nature Study. Looking at Fish.
4 Life in Other Lands. Indians of the Andes. 10 Nature Study. How Animals Move.
5 Story of Everyday Things. Coins. 11 Adventures of Today. The Barbican.
 6 Story of Everyday Things. Meals.

 

AUF DEUTSCH
(Spring Term 1963)
Intermediate German – Age range 14-16
WEEK WEEK
1 Zu Hause in Deutschland. An interview with a German housewife about her home and housekeeping in Hamburg. 6 Schmuggler und Grenzen. A Customs Officer at Hamburg Airport describes his experiences.
2 Besuch aus dem Wald. A forester from the Black Forest talks about his life and work. 7 Half-term repeat of programme broadcast in Week 6.
3 Ein Anzug aus Samt. An interview with a carpenter who belongs to a medieval Guild which still dictates to its members their conditions of training and ceremonial dress. 8 Aschenputtel kommt zu Besuch. A drama student tells, with mime, the end of the Cinderella story.
4 Mit Rucksack und Wanderkarte. Hiking and youth hostels in Germany. 9 Das Rote Kreuz im Edelweiss. A young man who is a member of a mountain rescue team demonstrates the equipment.
5 Marzipan aus Liibeck. A waitress from a Liibeck restaurant, which specialises in making marzipan, discusses her work. 10 Jeden Tag etwas Neues. A young woman reporter from a Liibeck paper talks about her work.
11 Silber, Gold und Stahl. Introducing an industrial designer who first trained as a goldsmith.

 

WORD AND IMAGE
(Spring Term 1963)
Age range 15-18
A series about the images in literature, introduced by Dr. W. M. Merchant, Professor of English in the University of Exeter.
WEEK WEEK
1 Paradise Lost. Milton’s image of man’s fall. 6 Portraits of People. Chaucer’s Canterbury Pilgrims.
2 Landscape in Art. Eighteenth century “Picturesque”. 7 Half-term repeat of programme broadcast in Week 6.
3 Natural Landscape. Wordsworth’s “rocks and stones and trees.” 8 Sea Imagery. Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner.
4 Desert and Storm. The heath and storm scenes in Shakespeare’s King Lear and Macbeth. 9 Light and Dark. Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into the good night”.
5 Island and Forest. Human and fairy worlds in The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 10 The Journey of the Magi. T. S. Eliot’s poem of Memory.
11 Isolated Man. Islands from Robinson Crusoe to Lord of the Flies.

 

School Programmes 1962-63

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & day
Science and Understanding Present-day biology and physics. Age range 14 and over A-R 20 3.11 Monday
3.26 Wednesday
The World Around Us Science and History. Age range 10-12 A-R 18 2.35 Tuesday
2.54 Thursday
Drama or Social Studies Romeo and Juliet; Theatres and Temples; Everyday Economics. Age range 13 and over A-R 25 3.26 Tuesday
3.16 Thursday
Story Box Informative miscellany. Age range 8-10 A-R 18 2.35 Wednesday
3.04 Friday
Notre Ville Elementary French — for 2nd and 3rd years A-R 15 2.35 Thursday
3.26 Friday
lci la France French for Sixth Forms ATV 20 12.20 Monday
3.16 Thursday
Auf Deutsch Intermediate German. Age range 14-16 ATV 15 2.35 Monday
12.20 Tuesday
3.26 Wednesday
Summing It Up Primary mathematics Age range about 10 ATV 13 2.54 Monday
2.35 Tuesday
Chemistry for Sixth Forms Advanced level chemistry ATV 20 3.35 Monday
12.20 Wednesday
3.40 Thursday
French from France Intermediate French—for 3rd and 4th years ATV 20 2.35 Wednesday
12.20 Thursday
3.26 Friday
The Art of Music Musical composition. Age range 13 and over Granada 25 1.00 Monday
11.40 Tuesday
2.35 Friday
Discovery Science for Sixth Forms Granada 25 2.57 Tuesday
11.40 Thursday
1.00 Friday
Art in the Making/Word and Image Artistic creation examined. Imagery in literature Age range 15-18 Granada 25 11.40 Wednesday
2.57 Wednesday
1.00 Thursday

Note: The programme series listed above are not all seen in every Independent Television transmission area and there are variations from area to area in the number of times the various programmes are repeated during the week. Scottish Television contributes individual programmes for the Associated-Rediffusion series and produces occasional programmes for Scottish schools only.

Adult Education

MIDNIGHT OIL. Philip Cranmer, Professor of Music at Queen's University, Belfast, in "All that Music!". Ulster
MIDNIGHT OIL. Philip Cranmer, Professor of Music at Queen’s University, Belfast, in “All that Music!”. Ulster

This year sees the beginning of the systematic use of television for adult education. The potentialities of the medium in this field continue to be widely discussed, but up to the present little has been done by way of practical exploration. The difficulty of defining adult education is one of the reasons why educationists in particular have in some cases been slow to take up the opportunities offered by television. It is argued that it is difficult to draw a firm line between what is strictly educational and what may be regarded as more generally “educative”. There has been a fear that if educational programmes are given a special place in the programme schedules this might have the result of reducing the attention and time devoted to the educative element in the general programmes. There has also been an element of nervousness that to term programmes as educational may deter from viewing the very people for whom the programmes are intended.

Yet adult education must proceed on the assumption that most people have interests and abilities which can be stimulated and developed. There is evidence to suggest that the strides made since the war in the provision of education for the population as a whole have led to a greatly increased familiarity with, and appreciation of, education in all its forms.

With this in mind, the Authority has consistently encouraged the programme companies to develop both the educative aspects of the general programme service and the provision of more specifically educational programmes. A substantial part of the output of Independent Television consists of programmes which in one way or another are informative or contain strong informative or educative elements. These programmes are described in other sections of the book. The limitation of the permitted hours of broadcasting, however, has stood in the way of the systematic use of television for more specialised adult education.

First Experiments

The restrictions on the hours of broadcasting inhibited developments for two years. Nonetheless, several companies experimented in different ways within the permitted output. In the winter of 1960-61, Associated-Rediffusion transmitted a French language series Chez les Dupré in the early evening and found an immediate and substantial response among viewers in the London area. It was followed by a similar series, Try Out Your French. In the summer of 1962, Ulster Television, in association with Queen’s University, Belfast, conducted a series of late-night lectures on medicine, science, literature, law, history, music and economics. Here again, the response of viewers was unexpectedly large and enthusiastic.

Time for Adult Education

The Committee on Broadcasting recommended that adult education programmes should be developed as part of the output of general programme services. As a result, the Government in their White Paper of July 1962 expressed anxieties that an early start should be made in providing more educational programmes for adults. It recognised that this was a comparatively new field and that the potential value to viewers was great. It therefore agreed to additional hours for both television services, provided these were used for programmes for the education of adults. The Authority and the BBC were asked to produce, in consultation with appropriate educational bodies, a formula by which such programmes could be defined. In the event, the following formula was agreed and approved by the Postmaster-General:

Educational television programmes for adults are programmes (other than school broadcasts) arranged in series and planned in consultation with appropriate educational bodies to help viewers towards a progressive mastery or understanding of some skill or body of knowledge.

This definition shall be held to include programmes primarily designed for class use (e.g. in technical colleges or in centres for adult education) and also programmes primarily designed for the home viewer.

The New Programmes

In the meantime, encouraged by the terms of the White Paper, two other companies, ABC Television and Associated Television which had for some time been interested in the development of education programmes for adults particularly at weekends, began to put their plans into practical shape. At the end of 1962 they were able to submit first proposals for a group of programmes directed to home audiences and to be broadcast on Sunday mornings. The Postmaster-General agreed to the transmission of these programmes on an experimental basis and a series began in January of this year.

The Sunday morning adult education series consist of three groups of programmes of twenty minutes each, which are transmitted between 10 and 11 a.m. The first two are addressed mainly to young adults who may have left school at 15 and begun to realise a few years later the gaps in their basic equipment for self-expression. They are:

(1) You Don’t Say. A series on spoken English, prepared by Professor P. D. Strevens, Professor of Contemporary Education at Leeds University.

(2) Pen to Paper. A similar programme series on written English prepared by Mr. S. P. Corder, Lecturer in Contemporary Education at Leeds University.

The third series is intended for adults who learnt French at school but have never been able to put it to practical use and would now like to do so:

Mesdames, Messieurs… A series of French programmes, addressed to those who have not had occasion to use the language since leaving school.

 
Following on this experimental series, the Authority hopes that during the session 1963-64 a more extensive and diverse set of courses may be transmitted. Various programme companies are at present formulating their proposals.

Adult Education Advisory Committee

In order to ensure the orderly and coordinated development of adult education programmes as well as to advise it about the application of the formula to proposals made by individual companies, the Authority has called together an Adult Education Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. J. S. Fulton, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex.

The Committee is representative both of organisations concerned with liberal adult education and those concerned with further education and technical education. It is likely that there will be substantial developments in the latter field, although a number of problems remain to be solved. The transmission of programmes intended for in-college audiences is at the same time easier and more difficult than for home audiences. Easier because it is possible to define and to measure the audience more closely. More difficult because time-tabling problems, particularly in institutions of further education, make it difficult to schedule programmes at times suitable to a wide variety of institutions in different parts of the country.

If, as appears to be increasingly the case, television comes to be accepted as an important auxiliary instrument in the total national educational provision, it is likely that these difficulties will be overcome and that the next few years will see substantial developments in this field.

Drama

0
ARMCHAIR THEATRE. “Afternoon of a Nymph”. ABC

The play should speak to the condition of a television service. In so far as it does so, in the case of Independent Television, it reveals it to be in good heart. Each of the four largest companies (A-R, ATV, Granada and ABC) has made, and continues to make, serious contributions to television drama; and, in addition, one or two of the smaller companies, notably Anglia, have undertaken plays for the whole network, whilst others have provided short plays which have been networked. These latter have been important features of the service, and may increasingly be so in the future.

Three times a week regularly, and frequently four times a week, important drama may be seen on Independent Television; important, that is to say, in so far as it is representative of some of the best writers of the day. The Sunday night play has been provided by ABC Television (its hallmark: Armchair Theatre) and by Associated Television (Drama ’63). Play of the Week on Tuesday, and Television Playhouse on Thursday or Friday, are provided in turn by Associated-Rediffusion, Granada, and Associated Television, with some regular contributions from Anglia. Since there have been, in seven years, extremely few repeats, this output of plays has been a formidable achievement.

Within or additional to the regular drama series are short seasons of plays. These have included works of Maugham, Shaw, Saki, Sapper and Algernon Blackwood, as well as a series of science-fiction plays.

Timing and Plays

Plays normally run for an hour, with the important exception of Play of the Week, which gives an hour and a half of drama. This accepted timing seems to have much to commend it for television, though it is shorter than any stage-play or major film. In a recent experiment Associated-Rediffusion divided a very long, controversial play into two, showing one-and-a-half hours of it on Tuesday and the last hour on Friday, without apparent loss of interest on the part of viewers; and, also recently, the time of a play has been extended to a full two hours. Timing, therefore, is not inflexible, though there are obvious advantages to the viewer in keeping it fairly well to pattern.

Another advantage, this time to the producer of plays as well as to his audience, is to transmit the play after the nine o’clock news, at a time of night which is recognisably adult viewing time. This gives the producer, whilst it does not force him to exclude plays of entertainment appeal to the whole family, an infinitely wider field from which to select his plays; indeed, it should give him the whole range of the playwright’s art, subject only to some restrictions which his own conscience and sense of social responsibility may suggest to him. It has become Authority policy to encourage in every sense a mature approach to serious drama on Independent Television.

Character of Television Drama

Appraisal of drama on television must begin by accepting that it is, per se, television drama and not a film or a stage play. Both these other media may offer material which is suitable, when adapted, to television, both from the point of view of story and characterisation; but the television play should not be judged with some kind of preliminary nostalgic glance in another direction. There are important similarities in presentation, but there are equally important and fascinating differences, not the least of these latter being mobility and the use of close-up. There is a sense in which the producer (or the director, as he may be called) of the television play can come much nearer to his audience to say what he has to say; to fashion for the viewer a pattern in this world of shadows which conveys some beauty or some truth.

Reflections in the mirror tend to produce vogues in plays. One of these has, for some time, been the vogue in kitchen-sink drama. Among other things, this is about some materialistic aspects of the present age. But in this kind of drama, as in any other, if some quality of thought which has no dependence upon the actual setting is not apparent the play will fail. Thus the public may well be weary of kitchen-sink drama when it is only about a kitchen sink, and plays itself out as a mere charade. The touchstone of quality which marks the good play is its ability to suspend time itself, and, whilst it tells its tale, to spellbind the viewer with its glittering eye. Producers, and all the many other people in the teams which present major plays on Independent Television, have reason to feel gratified by their achievements during the last few years; and there is evidence of a considerable appreciation of their work amongst the viewing public, for, perhaps surprisingly, a play is featured week by week amongst the Top Ten favourite programmes. For those who prefer statistics, this is to say that a play would have to run for perhaps 17 years in a London theatre to be seen by as many people as see it one night in, say, Armchair Theatre.

Episode Series

There is a second category of drama on Independent Television which is important to note, since it too provides considerable entertainment and pleasure to great numbers of viewers. It is more limited in its range and depth, lighter in texture, and less given to the pursuit of ideas for their own sake. At the same time, since it is devoted to playing out a story — more often than not about characters familiar to us all from day to day, or familiar to us because they take some significant place in the social order — of its kind it can produce effective and qualitative television. Often it offers shrewd comment of almost a documentary nature. In this range come the weekly or twice-weekly episodes of series such as Coronation Street (Granada), Emergency Ward 10 and Harpers West One (Associated Television), and No Hiding Place (Associated Rediffusion). Among others are Probation Officer (Associated Television), a series which, in a difficult country of human behaviour, achieves notable integrity, The Verdict is Yours and Family Solicitor (Granada).

The mounting of such series, week by week for months or years at a time, is a formidable operation, demanding new ideas in the production team and unflagging freshness in the players. Such series have a quality of characterisation which has not only created an audience which never seems to tire, but has also bred in that audience, quite properly, a critical attitude of mind which would be alert to any falling off in merit.

It is useful to bear in mind that Independent Television series in this range of drama have, week by week, month by month, more viewers than any other programmes on British television. It is also useful to reflect with some pleasure on the lively intelligence, at all stages of production, which keeps them going, and on the good-natured enjoyment with which they are switched into so many homes in Britain.

Adventure Series

In the lighter category of drama on Independent Television are such half-hour or hour series as The Avengers, The Saint, Ghost Squad and Top Secret. Many of these British-produced programmes are popular not only with audiences in this country but with television viewers throughout the world. In the same way, British television draws from the wide range of American drama production; the amount of foreign material, including light entertainment and comedy films, does not, however, exceed 14 per cent of the total programme output.

PLAY OF THE WEEK. "Major Barbara", presented in the Shaw Television Season. Granada
PLAY OF THE WEEK. “Major Barbara”, presented in the Shaw Television Season. Granada

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Play of the Week is one of the three full-length plays which are fully networked each week. It can be seen at 9.15 on Tuesdays and lasts for ninety minutes. Plays in this series are produced in rotation by Associated-Rediffusion, Associated TeleVision and Granada, and occasionally by Anglia. Productions in November and December 1962 were:

Title Author Leading Actors Company
Don Juan in Hell Bernard Shaw Alan Badel, Cyril Cusack Granada
The Applecart Bernard Shaw Laurence Payne, John Phillips, Moira Redmond Granada
The Typewriter Jean Cocteau Margaret Johnston, Jeremy Brett, Patrick Wymark A-R
Haven in Sunset Eric Coxon Michael Goodliffe, Sarah Lawson A-R
A Letter from the General Maurice McLoughlin Anna Neagle, Guy Doleman Anglia
Alida Paul Lee Hugh Sinclair, Jessica Dunning, Jacqueline Ellis ATV
The Shifting Heart Richard Beynon Keith Michell, Madge Ryan, John Lee ATV

TELEVISION PLAYHOUSE

Television Playhouse appears on Fridays at 9.45 for 60 minutes. Again, plays are produced by Associated-Rediffusion, Associated TeleVision and Granada, with occasional contributions from Anglia. Productions in November and December 1962 were:

Title Author Leading Actors Company
Until You Are Dead Arden Winch Nigel Davenport, Dinsdale Landen, Paul Curran ATV
Nuncle John Bowen Raymond Huntley, Jennifer Wilson, Norman Bird ATV
The Morning After G. C. Brown Juliet Mills, Leonard Rossiter, Jerry Stovin ATV
The Road to Anywhere Angus Cooper Sam Kydd, Bert Palmer A-R
When Silver Drinks Forbes Bramble Colin Blakely, Dinsdale Landen, Delphi Lawrence Granada
The Pinkness of it All Mike Watts Sam Kydd, Ronnie Barker A-R
No Cause for Alarm Dennis Spooner Michael Ripper A-R
Fiddlers All Henry Chapman Ronald Fraser, Stephen Lewis, Betty Baskcomb Anglia
The Interview Louis Marks Georgina Ward, Alexis Kanner Granada

THIRTY MINUTE THEATRE

Series of one-act plays under the general title Thirty Minute Theatre are produced from time to time by four of the regional companies, Scottish Television, TWW, Southern and Anglia. Some plays shown over most of the network during 1962 were:

Title Author Leading Actors Company
Dare to be a Daniel Alun Owen Clifford Evans, James Villiers Southern
Kind to Everyone Caryl Doncaster Irene Brown, Noel Harrison Anglia
Interview for Wives Leo Lehman Robert Shaw, Jill Dixon TWW
Double Image Duncan McLeod Roger Livesey, Geraldine McEwan Scottish

ARMCHAIR THEATRE

Armchair Theatre appears on alternate Sundays at 9.35pm for 60 minutes. All plays in this series are produced by ABC Television. Productions in November and December 1962 were:

Title Author Leading Actors Company
Thank You and Goodnight Robert Muller Same McShane, Sarah Badel ABC
The Big Ride John O’Toole Andre Morel, Derek Francis, Brian Wilde ABC
Joker Gerald Vaughan Hughes Kenneth Haigh ABC
Hear the Tiger, See the Bay Alun Richards Ethel Gabriel, Dandy Nichols, Clifford Evans ABC

DRAMA ’63

Drama ’63 alternates with Armchair Theatre on Sundays at 9.35pm. It lasts for 60 minutes and is produced by Associated TeleVision. Productions in November and December 1962 were:

Title Author Leading Actors Company
The Slaughter Men Ken Taylor Colin Blakely, James Bolam, Avis Bunnage ATV
The Pinedus Affair Paolo Levi trans. by Robert Rietty George Cole, Patricia Marmont, Victor Brooks ATV
The Betrayers Stanley Ellin (adapted by Michael Gilbert) John Carson, Zena Walker ATV
Room for Justice Jeremy Paul Marius Goring, Zena Walker, Dinsdale Landen ATV

DRAMA SERIES

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & day Distribution
Top Secret Adventure series A-R 55 8.00 Wednesday, May-June 1962 Network
The Odd Man Mystery serial Granada 55 9.15 Friday, May-June 1962 Network
Probation Officer Dramatised documentary ATV 55 9.15 Monday, May-Sept. 1962 Network
Saki Adaptations of short stories Granada 55 9.15 Friday, July-Aug. 1962 Network
Somerset Maugham Hour Adaptations of short stories A-R 60 9.45 Thursday, Sept.-Dec. 1962 Part Network
Man of the World Adventure series ATV 60 7.25 Saturday, Sept.-Dec. 1962 Part Network
Sword in the Web French Resistance stories ABC 45 2.40 Sunday, Sept.-Dec. 1962 Part Network
Call Oxbridge 2000 Medical series ATV 45 3.45 Sunday, Sept.-Dec. 1962 Part Network
Harpers West One London store series ATV 60 8.00 Monday, Sept. 1962-Jan. 1963 Network
Coronation Street Serial set in a Lancashire city Granada 30 7.30 Mon., Wed. Network
Emergency Ward 10 Hospital documentary ATV 30 7.30 Tues., Fri. Network
No Hiding Place Police series A-R 60 8.00 Tuesday Network
The Verdict is Yours Court-room drama Granada 60 10.15 Friday Part Network
The Saint Adventure series ATV 60 7.25 Alt. Sundays Part Network
The Avengers Adventure series ABC 55 10.35 Sunday Part Network
Ghost Squad International crime series ATV 60 9.10 Saturday Part Network
It Happened Like This Adaptations of “Sapper” A-R 45 10.15 Thursday Network
Tales of Mystery Supernatural A-R 30 9.45 Thursday Part Network
Dimension of Fear Science-fiction ABC 45 10.10 Saturday Part Network
The Plane-Makers Aircraft factory series ATV 60 8.00 Monday Part Network
24 Hour Call Medical series ATV 45 10.10 Saturday Part Network


N.B. Times and days of transmission of network or part-network programmes may differ from the above which are based on the London area.

Light Entertainment

SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM. ATV
SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM. ATV

To light entertainment, as to many aspects of programmes, Independent Television has introduced many features which are new to British broadcasting. Some of the wide range of variety, light music and comedy shows presented by the programme companies are illustrated in the following pages. Many of these shows have wide popularity throughout this country and some are seen by television viewers overseas. Many programmes, however, are essentially local in their emphasis and presentation, and are seen only in the transmission areas of the producing companies.

Variety

The traditional flavour of the variety theatre is retained in Val Parnell’s Sunday Night at the London Palladium (ATV). Leading artistes from all parts of the world come to take part in this popular weekly show which has been running since 1955.

From the television studios comes a wide range of variety and spectacular series. Regular lunch-time variety is presented by Scottish Television, Tyne Tees, and ATV in the Midlands. Granada regularly presents variety programmes, the current series under the title West End. Associated-Rediffusion presents a regular series Hippodrome, and special shows. ABC presents the Comedy Bandbox series and regular summer shows from holiday resorts. A rather different approach is provided in Bruce’s Show (ATV). In addition, there are a few local variety shows during evening transmissions.

Music

All the programme companies produce series of light music programmes. Most of these are only seen locally and many are of particular local interest. Among the networked series are the weekly review of hit records Thank Your Lucky Stars (ABC), Swinging Along (Granada) and All That Jazz (ATV). The local programmes include folk music, record programmes and musical performances of all kinds.

Film Reviews

Several companies produce weekly half-hour film magazine or review programmes. These include Associated-Rediffusion, TWW, Westward and Tyne Tees. Preview, a weekly programme by Ulster Television, includes theatre and book reviews.

Contests

Contests of various kinds are a popular feature of television services. Two longstanding general knowledge series are Take Your Pick presented by Michael Miles and Double Your Money presented by Hughie Green (Associated-Rediffusion). Pencil and Paper (ATV) provides tests of intelligence presented by Shaw Taylor. University Challenge (Granada) brings together teams of university students in a contest of general knowledge and quick wits under the chairmanship of Bamber Gascoigne. In Take a Letter (Granada), contestants race to fill the gaps in well-known phrases. Several programme companies present local quiz contests.

Comedy

Comedy drama series, generally half-hour programmes, are a popular element of Independent Television. Currently to be seen are Hancock (ATV), Bootsie and Snudge (Granada) and The Dickie Henderson Show (Associated-Rediffusion). A favourite feature of weekend viewing is The Arthur Haynes Show (ATV) in which comedy sketches are interspersed with music.

THE PEGGY LEE SHOW. Jimmy van Heusen, Peggy Lee, David Kossoff, Bing Crosby and Sammy Kahn. ABC
THE PEGGY LEE SHOW. Jimmy van Heusen, Peggy Lee, David Kossoff, Bing Crosby and Sammy Kahn. ABC
THE ARTHUR HAYNES SHOW. Nicholas Parsons, Arthur Haynes and Leslie Noyes. ATV
THE ARTHUR HAYNES SHOW. Nicholas Parsons, Arthur Haynes and Leslie Noyes. ATV
LUNCH BOX. Noele Gordon at the Circus, one of the outside broadcasts in the popular Midland series. ATV
LUNCH BOX. Noele Gordon at the Circus, one of the outside broadcasts in the popular Midland series. ATV

LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT EARLY 1963

Programme Description Company Mins. Time & Day Distribution
One O’Clock Gang Lunchtime variety Scottish 30 1.00 Mon.-Fri. Part Network
Tea Time with Tommy Light music Ulster 18 6.07 Mon.-Fri. Local
Sounds New Light music Grampian 30 6.15 Monday Local
Who Knows? Inter-schools contest Tyne Tees 30 6.30 Monday Local
Discs a Gogo “Pop” record programme TWW 30 7.00 Monday Part Network
A’ the Airts Quiz Grampian 30 7.00 Monday Local
Preview Film, theatre and book review Ulster 30 7.00 Monday Local
Spin Along “Pop” record programme Westward 30 7.00 Monday Local
Aye Yours Light music Grampian 60 8.00 Monday Local
Pick o’ the North Talent competition Grampian 30 8.30 Monday Local
University Challenge University contest Granada 20 10.10 Monday Network
Their Kind of Music Light music Southern 30 11.04 Monday Part Network
Lunch Box Lunchtime variety ATV 35 12.47 Tues.-Fri. Local
One O’Clock Show Lunchtime variety Tyne Tees 40 1.02 Tues.-Fri. Part Network
Movie Magazine Film review TWW 30 6.13 Tuesday Part Network
Stars in the West Review Westward 30 6.15 Tuesday Local
Star Parade Film review Tyne Tees 30 6.30 Tuesday Local
Song Album Light music Southern 15 6.45 Tuesday Local
Treasure Hunt Quiz Westward 30 7.00 Tuesday Part Network
Beat Your Neighbour Inter-town competition Southern 30 7.00 Tuesday Local
Try for Ten Quiz TWW 30 7.00 Tuesday Part Network
Beat in the Border Dance music and instruction Border 45 6.15 Wednesday Local
The Ingle Neuk Local entertainment Grampian 25 6.35 Wednesday Local
Take a Letter Word game Granada 30 7.00 Wednesday Part Network
The Dickie Henderson Show Comedy series A-R 30 9.15 Wednesday Part Network
Music Match Musical quiz Anglia 30 9.45 Wednesday Local
Let’s Dance Ballroom dancing Granada 25 11.12 Wed. Local
Double Your Money Quiz A-R 30 7.00 Thursday Network
Bootsie and Snudge Comedy series Granada 30 7.30 Thursday Network
Come Aboard Nautical music Grampian 30 8.00 Thursday Local
Hancock Comedy series ATV 30 8.30 Thursday Network
Close Up Film review A-R 30 6.15 Friday Part Network
Take Your Pick Quiz A-R 30 7.00 Friday Part Network
Thank Your Lucky Stars “Pop” singers and records ABC 40 5.50 Saturday Part Network
Comedy Bandbox Variety ABC 55 6.30 Saturday Part Network
The Arthur Haynes Show Comedy series ATV 35 8.25 Saturday Network
Candid Camera Real-life comedy series ABC 30 4.20 Sunday Part Network
Best of Friends Comedy series ABC 30 4.25 Sunday Part Network
Land of Song Music in Welsh TWW 45 6.15 Sunday (monthly) Part Network
Sunday Palladium Variety ATV 60 8.25 Sunday Network