Television-Annual-19
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THE TELEVISION ANNUAL Fditcd hr KENNETH BAILY Presenting Interesting Facts and Pictures THE ANNUAL FOR 1950/51 Edited by KENNETH BAILY Of "The People" CONTENTS TELEVISION IN BRITAIN: A Review 5 1. MAN FINDS THE TELEVISION EYE 14 2. TELEVISION COMES INTO THE HOME 19 3. INSIDE TELEVISION'S HEADQUARTERS 29 4. PLAYS FOR THE HOME SCREEN 49 5. VARIETY: SEARCH FOR TALENT 65 6. PERSONALITIES IN CAMERA 72 7. BALLET AND MUSIC 102 8. FOR THE CHILDREN 106 9. REAL LIFE IN PICTURES 110 10. THE ROAMING CAMERA 119 11. FILM IN TELEVISION 127 12. HOW AUDIENCE RESEARCH WORKS 131 13. BEHIND THE SCREEN WHO'S WHO 132 14. TELEVISION AS A CAREER 144 15. TELEVISION FOR THE NORTH AND WEST146 16. TECHNICAL ADVANCES 150 17. TELEVISION IN OTHER LANDS 157 INDEX 159 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 160 ODHAMS PRESS LTD. LONG ACRE, LONDON In May, 1950, Television stepped out into new and larger studios. Wilfred Pickles with the children in the .first programme to be produced in the new Shepherd's Bush studio centre. EDITOR'S NOTE (See pages 11 and 12) Since this book went to press, the BBC has in fact issued a more detailed noteon its accounts, giving the 1949/50revenue (BBC Report and Accounts, September, 1950). Even so the programmes speak plainer than figures. The best artists and writers arenot beingsufficientlyattractedto Television, and production staffistoo limited.-K.B. THE TELEVISION ANNUAL FOR 1950 SI Television shot of the year. Princess Elizabeth and the Duchess of Kent made one of many intriguing and brilliant shots caught by hidden TV cameras in the foyer of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on the occasion of the French President's visit to the Gala Ballet Performance on March 9th, 1950. TELEVISION IN BRITAIN A Review WHATEVER reasons some people may give for keeping television out of their homes, itis plain enough that increas- ing numbers find the fireside picture irresistible. Once a BBC transmitter brings the television programme service to their area, they have to take advantage of it-or at least as soon as savings or pocket covers the cost of the television set. The small anti -TV camp puts up several reasons for its cold -shouldering of the home -screen."I'm waitinguntil televisionis developed," say some. This presupposes that TV reception is a crude, peepshow affair; whereas that stage was really passed as long ago as 1939. Moreover, if sensational developments are awaited, the wait is going to be a long one. The definition standard of Britishtelevision will not be increased for some years: this the Government of the country has pledged. Colour TV will not become a domestic service for years. Or-"Viewing takes up too much time," say other opponents. This idea certainly appears to be borne out by the fanatical every -night viewing of the new viewer; but in reality I fancy the objection is a defensive reaction to TV's biggest challenge-its demand that we are discriminating and selective in our viewing. New inventionsareapttogiverisetosweeping generalizations about the changes they may cause in everyday life. Plenty of prophesies have already been made about the influence television may have on home life, and whether we agree with them or not the viewer who has just installed his first receiver will soon realize that he has introduced an alluring new magic into his family circle.It cannot help causing some changes. The wilder generalizations predict that televisionwill turn us into a race of stay-at-homes. It will replace theatre- going, cinema -going, sports -going. It will make book reading a drab bore. It will kill what remains of family music -making, and the hobbies of young and old. It will keep young people 5 Mrs. Attlee, wife ofthe Prime Minister, per- formed the tele- vised opening ceremony of the new studio block at Shepherd's Bush - atthe same time meet- ingMuffinthe Mule, TV's unique star pup- pet.Heplays a leading part in children's pro- grammes which come from Shep- herd's Bush. at home in the evenings; and children will sit glued to the screen when they should be abed or doing schoolhomework. These predictions ignore our long-established gregarious instincts, which will always make us want to join with other people in amusements and recreation. They also ignore the fact that, like all inventions, television will not always be new, and will certainly slip into a proportionate place among all the other amenities of life. During thefirstmonths of viewing,however,the exaggerated predictions may seem credible. For there must be very few households indeed who do not at first become enslaved to the new wonder in the fireside corner. To the new viewer, the lure of the screen is irresistible. Everything the BBC transmits must be seen, and consequently all other family occupations and chores are abandoned so long as the pro- grammes are on. This period of incessant viewing has been aptly termed by Norman Collins, BBC Controller of Television, "the honey- moon." And it can last for several months, or even a year or 6 more. We are only human, and we do not want to feel we are missing any part of the new experiences television can bring; and certainly, sometimes, 'they can be very wonderful and inspiring experiences. This human weakness has, however, the unfortunate effect of blunting our discrimination in programme selection, and our judgment of what we see. The BBC's television programmes are not intended to be watched by everybody all the time. There are programmes for tastes very much in the minority; and even at the other end of the scale few productions can be so universal in appeal as to be everybody's meat. Though the honeymoon period is unavoidable, it does limit the amount of intelligent criticism reaching the BBC, for when every- thing televised is considered liable to be too wonderful to miss, judgment cannot be exactly acute. Verdicts on programmes are either over -enthusiastic or unreasonably damning! The deepest enjoyment of viewing comes after the "honey- moon," when programmes are carefully selected with dis- crimination, and the screen is adamantly left blank at other times. When this stage is reached, viewers can also express criticism helpful to the BBC in making proper progress with what is, after all, a completely new medium of entertainment and enlightenment. They can then detect what things tele- vision can do supremely well, and what things it ought never to attempt. The more this important difference is discerned, the quicker will the BBC be led to guide television toward its fullest and most beneficial development. When we are more discriminating in our viewing, we soon realize how exaggerated are some of the claims about the power of television for changing family life. We almost certainly find, for instance, that television of sports events makes us want to go out and see sport "in the flesh," more so than before. Similarly, television drama will certainly make us avid for any opportunity which comes our way of seeing plays on the live theatre stage. Television programmes may also awaken new and active interest in all kinds of home occupations, from painting pictures to cookery. In fact, television will be assuming its right and sensible place in home life-as an additional home amenity, yet at the same time a spur to deeper and wider interests in all manner of outside activities. 7 This is not to say that TV has no quality of its own which can affect home life. It can restore a sense of family enjoy- ment and family enlightenment which may have been on the way out, if not entirely lost. The intimacy of viewing, the fact that it is done in the familiar surroundings of home, make it an experience you do not walk out of when it is over, as from a theatre play-but one which you may want to discuss and share there and then, and also in retrospect. These things have stopped happening in listening to sound broadcasting. It has slipped into the background. There has been too much of it. It is often half -heard, sometimes ignored, and almost always quickly forgotten. But what the eyes see on a TV screen, the mind dwells on longer. Already, as TV strides on towards the north of England, towards Scotland, towards the West Country-it has the power to give families a view, in more than a literal sense. For this reason alone it behoves us to attempt some assessment of its policy, its con- trol, its successes and its failures. For too long the wonder of television as a scientific invention has been allowed to obscure the fact that the pro- grammes provided by the BBC are too often amateurish. Originality, and polished and finished productions, are too rare in a service which had three years before the 1939 war, and has had four since, in which to develop. The best talent is not being drawn into television; nor are the most imaginative and experienced writers and producers. Two problems have to be solved. The first-how many hours of television can be produced without so diluting quality as to make the greater part of the output second-rate? The second-can the BBC, as at present administered, pay the top prices which always must be paid for the best talent and material ? Neither the BBC's Board of Management nor its Director - General has yet given any assurance that the quantity of television broadcasting has been considered in relation to the cost. Every BBC statement about television has been super- ficial, concerned either with immediate and piecemeal develop- ments, or, at the other extreme, with paper plans for grandiose developments years ahead.