§ 34. Mr. Bryanasked the Postmaster-General if he will authorise an increase in the hours of television broadcasting.
§ Mr. Edward ShortNo, Sir. I cannot add to the statement in the White Paper on Broadcasting, which stated that the Government did not consider that any general increase in broadcasting hours would be justified for the present.
§ Mr. BryanNow that the B.B.C. has been given a second channel, a monopoly of colour, and 80 showing hours on the two channels, as against 50 for I.T.A., it is not time that the public was allowed to have this extra broadcasting which is perfectly easily available, which the I.T.A. is perfectly willing to supply, and which would cost nothing to those who wish to use it?
§ Mr. ShortWe have the same old fallacy about its costing nothing. Of course it costs something. The question is one of priorities. In the past two months we have undertaken the two biggest technical changes ever made in television in this country since it started, in the change-over to U.H.F. and colour. The B.B.C. has not a monopoly. It is being given to all channels. It is a case of putting first things first. I think we are right to put this first.