HC Deb 12 June 1928 vol 218 c801
31. Mr. L'ESTRANGE. MALONE

asked the Postmaster-General how many demonstrations of television have been witnessed by technical officials or engineers in his Department; what was the date of the last demonstration; and whether his Department has received any information concerning the progress made in America?

The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Sir William Mitchell-Thomson)

Technical officers of my Department have witnessed four demonstrations of television—three in this country and the fourth in the United States a few weeks ago. The company most active in the matter in this country agreed in September last to give my officers a further demonstration, but so far this promise has not been fulfilled. I have seen a statement in the Press that television tests were recently conducted by an American broadcasting station, but that after a week of tests no one had reported reception of the moving images.

Mr. DAY

Have any inquiries been made with regard to these tests in Vienna?

Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSON

Oh, yes; but I think, if I am correct in my assumption as to the tests to which the hon. Member refers, that those were not, strictly speaking, tests of a process of television, but tests of a process for the transmission of drawings, which is another matter.