Britain: An official handbook > 1966

SOUND AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING
Broadcasting
Authorities
Organisation
and Finance
483
The services provided by both broadcasting authorities were reviewed by
the Committee on Broadcasting, i960, and subsequently the powers of the
ITA were renewed, till 1976, by the Television Act 1963 (which was incor¬
porated in the Television Act 1964). This Act also strengthened the Authority’s
controlling and regulatory powers in relation to the independent programme
companies under contract to it to produce the actual programmes. The BBC
was confirmed as the sole provider of sound broadcasting services and
authorised to introduce a second television service (BBC 2); this opened in
April 1964.
The present Government has also decided to continue with the pay television
experiment announced by its predecessor. Of the three companies originally
licensed to take part, two have withdrawn, but one company, Pay-TV Limited,
has announced its intention to proceed with its part in the experiment. The
service will be subject to the same code of conduct as applies to existing
television services.
The BBC and the ITA are independent authorities in the day-to-day
operations of broadcasting, including programmes and administration. The
Government, however, retains ultimate control, and the Postmaster General,
as the responsible minister, is answerable to Parliament on broad questions
of policy and may issue directions to the BBC and the ITA on a number
of technical and other subjects. The Postmaster General also has powers to
prohibit the broadcasting of any particular matter or class of matter, or to
revoke the licences of the BBC or ITA at any time; these powers, however,
are treated as major reserve powers, and no formal veto has ever been placed
on the broadcasting of a particular item. Both the BBC and the ITA are
required to prepare annual reports and accounts, which are presented by
the Postmaster General to Parliament.
The BBC and the ITA both consult with the Postmaster General as to the
hours of television broadcasting, and he has approved an arrangement which
permits any one service a maximum of 50 hours a week (30 hours a week for
BBC 2), together with extensions (averaging ten hours a week) for certain
stated purposes, such as religious broadcasts, ministerial and party political
broadcasts, schools broadcasts, programmes of adult education and outside
broadcasts. The authorities may broadcast television programmes, within the
prescribed maxima, during any periods best suited to the needs of their
audiences. In April 1965 the BBC was broadcasting about 53 hours of
programmes from London in its domestic sound services during a normal
weekday.
The BBC operates under the provisions of two documents, each granted for
a limited period at the end of which they may be renewed or amended: the
Charter, which sets out the constitution, objects and organisation of the BBC
and contains certain financial provisions; and the Licence and Agreement
between the BBC and the Postmaster General, which deals with technical
matters, certain non-technical conditions such as the prohibition of sponsored
programmes, and details of the financial arrangements in force. The current
Charter, and Licence and Agreement, cover the period 30th July, 1964, to
31st July, 1976. The operations of the ITA are governed by the provisions
of the Television Act 1964, which formulates its constitution, its functions,
its purpose and the framework of its finances; and by the Licence (which
contains technical provisions) issued to it by the Postmaster General in
1964.