§ 60 and 61. Mr. Ernest Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the total transmission time of British Broadcasting Corporation overseas broadcasts on 1st October, 1951; the total transmission time following the proposed reductions; and what would be the additional sum required to maintain those transmissions and activities it is proposed to cut;
(2) what was the total transmission time of British Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts to European countries on 1st October, 1951; the total transmission time following the proposed reductions; and what additional sum would be required to maintain those transmissions and activities it is proposed to cut.
149W
§ Mr. NuttingThis answer is based on schedules for the last quarter of 1951. All overseas broadcasts, including European, then amounted to 556 basic programme-hours weekly from transmitters operating for an aggregate of 2,796 hours per week. The number of basic programme-hours is to be reduced to 524 and transmitter-hours to 2,599 hours per week. The avoidance of these economies would involve an annual expenditure of £208,000.
To Europe alone, broadcasts during this period amounted to 246 basic programme-hours weekly on transmitters operating for 1,116 hours per week. These figures are to be reduced to 214 and 977 hours respectively. Avoidance of these economies would involve an annual expenditure of about £68,000.
As stated in the reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewes (Major Beamish) on 4th February, it is not intended to reduce in any way broadcasts to the U.S.S.R. and the countries in the Soviet orbit.