Britain: An official handbook > 1966

SOUND AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING
Eurovision
Inter-continental
Television
491
Within the Commonwealth, the BBC is closely associated with the broad¬
casting organisations of the other member countries and of the dependent
territories. The BBC, the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation, and the Rank Organisation have jointly set up a
British Commonwealth International Newsfilm News Agency Trust. Through
an associated non-profit-making company (the British Commonwealth
International Newsfilm News Agency Limited), this joint enterprise provides
a reliable service of international news on film for subscribers who operate
television services, produce cinematograph newsreels or acquire newsfilm for
any other purposes, including education, anywhere in the world.
Both the BBC and the independent television companies are associated
with the Centre for Educational Television Overseas, which began work in
1962 and concentrates particularly on the needs of the service in developing
countries. The centre receives a government grant totalling £100,000 over five
years, but most of its funds come from private sources, including the indepen¬
dent television companies. The BBC provides free technical and other facilities,
including film library resources and some use of lecture studios. Training
in television work is also provided for overseas trainees at the Thomson
Centre, in Glasgow, run by the Thomson Foundation, a charitable trust.
The BBC and the ITA also participate in the work of the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU)—the United Nations specialised agency
responsible for the regulation and control of all international telecommuni¬
cation services (including sound and television), for the allocation and
registration of all radio frequencies and (through its International Con¬
sultative Committees) for the promotion and co-ordination of the international
study of technical problems in broadcasting. In addition, the BBC has
long-established relations with the United Nations Radio Division, with the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO),
and with the Council of Europe.
As well as taking part in the exchange of sound radio programmes arranged
between the member countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU),
the BBC is a regular contributor to the network of European television
(Eurovision). This network now includes 23 Western European member
countries; the exchange of television programmes between them is arranged
by the EBU, which maintains an International Television Co-ordination
Centre (Eurovision) in Brussels. The range of Eurovision is steadily increasing
as countries expand their networks and facilities, and new countries participate.
Successful programme exchanges have also been made between Moscow and
London by both the BBC and the independent television companies.
The first television relay across the Atlantic by means of Telstar, the com¬
munication satellite, was seen in Britain in the early hours of nth July, 1962.
The first programme exchanges between America and Europe via Telstar
were televised on 23rd July, 1962. Further exchanges have been achieved by
means of the subsequent satellite Relay and successful transmissions have
been effected between Japan and Europe. On 2nd May, 1965, a further
significant advance in inter-continental television was marked by the first
transatlantic exchange of programmes using the Early Bird synchronous
satellite. Simultaneous two-way live television was achieved for the first time
between Europe and America. Early Bird is stationary over the South
Atlantic, and thus permits continuous contact between ground stations on
opposite sides of the Atlantic.