HC Deb 25 November 1953 vol 521 cc55-6W
101 and 102. Mr. Ness Edwards

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) to what extent it is intended, under the terms of the White Paper on Television Policy, to include advertising companies in the category of persons entitled to operate the proposed new television stations;

(2) what is to be his policy in regard to the eligibility of programme companies, financed in part or wholly by an advertising agency, for a licence to operate any of the proposed television stations envisaged in the White Paper on Television Policy.

Mr. Gammans

Any rules for defining the type of company which might provide programmes for the new corporation would have to be agreed with the corporation when it is set up. I would, however, refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Mayhew) on 11th November in which I stated that the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers and the Institute of Incorporated Practitioners in Advertising have informed my noble Friend that it was contrary to their rules for any advertising agent to have a substantial financial interest in the ownership of any advertising medium.

105. Mr. Ness Edwards

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether the proposed corporation which will be responsible for running the commercial television stations will be free to let the network of stations to only one programme company.

Mr. Gammans

The corporation will be expected to give opportunities to a number of independent programme companies.

109. Sir L. Plummer

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how far under the terms of the White Paper on Commercial Television the programme companies are to provide studios, projectors, cameras and the like.

114. Mr. West

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether the proposed commercial television corporation will, in accordance with paragraph 16 of the White Paper, be obliged to provide studios or studio equipment for programme companies.

Mr. Gammans

The extent to which a certain amount of studio space will be provided must be discussed with the governors of the corporation when it is set up, but as a general principle the Government envisages that the programme companies will provide most of their own studios and studio equipment.

111. Mr. Grey

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what steps he proposes to take to ensure that under the terms of the White Paper on Television Policy no one newspaper proprietor shall have a monopoly of newspaper advertising on the commercial television network.

Mr. Gammans

As stated in paragraph 9 of the White Paper it would be for the new corporation to make proposals to my noble Friend about advertising arrangements, and I can assure the hon. Member that the possibility he envisages is unlikely to arise in practice.

113. Mr. West

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what responsibility will attach to his Department respecting the nature of television programmes referred to in paragraph 9 of the White Paper on Television Policy.

Mr. Gammans

As stated in paragraph 8 of the White Paper, the corporation, like the B.B.C., would be given independence in the handling of day-to-day matters, including individual programmes.

115. Rev. LI. Williams

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the location of the proposed television station to be operated by the proposed television corporation.

Mr. Gammans

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 15 of the White Paper on television policy (Cmd. 9005).