HC Deb 18 October 1968 vol 770 c187W
Mr. Hooson

asked the Postmaster-General what plans he has to ensure that booster stations in rural Wales relay both independent television and British Broadcasting Corporation programmes.

Mr. Stonehouse

The B.B.C. and I.T.A. are responsible for siting their stations. For historical reasons they do not use the same main stations for transmitting their V.H.F. programmes and so in general their booster V.H.F. transmissions need to be from different places. With U.H.F. transmissions, however, it has been planned for the stations to use common sites so that apart from a handful of V.H.F. stations currently under construction future booster stations in Wales will transmit both B.B.C. and I.T.V. programmes.

Mr. Hooson

asked the Postmaster-General what inquiries have been made into the use of low-frequency relay stations for taking television programmes to difficult reception areas in rural Wales.

Mr. Stonehouse

The special study which was announced by my right hon. Friend on 25th January, 1968, in reply to the hon. and learned Gentleman could not get under way for some little time because foot and mouth disease restrictions prevented field surveys from taking place. I have, however, just received a report on reception in Wales and when I have studied it, I shall write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.—[Vol. 757, c.152.]

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