Britain: An official handbook > 1966

488
Television
Broadcasting
BBC
ITV
BRITAIN: AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
Overseas and Foreign Relations Department. Audience research is undertaken
by sampling surveys and other research methods to assess the size, nature
and tastes of various audiences.
In 1936 the BBC launched the world’s first regular public service by high
definition television. Two programmes are now being transmitted: BBC 1,
which is available to over 99 per cent of the population of the United Kingdom
from 59 transmitting stations, and BBC 2, at present from three stations.
BBC 2 is transmitted on 625 lines on ultra high frequency (UHF) and is
expected to reach some two-thirds of the population by the end of 1966.
In the course of a year, the BBC television service broadcasts on a national
network for 7,450 hours, including studio productions, outside broadcasts,
films, and relays from other countries. BBC Television Enterprises undertakes
the world-wide sale of BBC television programmes (films, tele-recordings and
video-taped material); it also purchases material for the use of the BBC
television service and conducts business relations with other television
organisations throughout the world.
BBC studio productions in London come from five main studios at the
Television Centre, four at Lime Grove, two at Riverside Studios, Hammer¬
smith, and the Television Theatre, Shepherds Bush. With one exception
all London studios are now capable of operation on 405 lines for BBC 1,
and on 625 lines for BBC 2. In addition, the BBC’s largest studio, Studio 1
at the Television Centre, can operate on the American 525 line standard.
The BBC also has fully equipped regional studio centres at Manchester,
Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Bristol and Belfast; these centres contribute
programmes to the national network as well as producing others of only local
interest. Work has started on a new Midland regional headquarters near
Birmingham, which will become the first combined television and sound
radio centre in the world. In addition to the main studios a number of small
interview studios (used mainly for short insertions into news bulletins) have
been established throughout the country. The Television Film Department
of the BBC uses two studios at Ealing as well as mobile film units. Television
news and newsreel programmes originate from specially equipped studios at
Alexandra Palace, London. Two further main studios are now being equipped
at the Television Centre, where a start has also been made on the first part
of the extension to the main block.
Outside broadcasting, which provides about 1,200 programmes annually,
covers most parts of the United Kingdom with its mobile units, presenting
programmes both of national and of specifically regional interest. Live
programmes and news items from other parts of the world are brought to
viewers in the United Kingdom over the Eurovision network and by means
of communications satellites (see p. 491).
The first regular independent television (ITV) service was inaugurated in
September 1955 by a programme transmission from the ITA London station
at Beulah Heights, Croydon. By 1965 programmes were being transmitted
from 27 stations in all parts of the United Kingdom, and 14-2 million homes
in the United Kingdom were able to receive independent television.
ITV programmes are produced at studio centres in London, Birmingham,
Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, Southampton, Newcastle, Norwich, Belfast,
Dover, Plymouth, Carlisle, Aberdeen, Bristol, Leeds and St. Heher. The
establishment of these studios is the direct result of the ITA’s policy of
encouraging the development of regional television, and the programmes are
either for local broadcasting or for transmission to one or more of the other