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	<title>Independent Television Authority Archives - THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</title>
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	<description>Alpha Television Services (Birmingham) Limited &#124; The studios of ABC and ATV in Birmingham</description>
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	<title>Independent Television Authority Archives - THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</title>
	<link>https://alphatelevision.services/tag/independent-television-authority/</link>
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	<item>
		<title>Sir Robert Fraser OBE</title>
		<link>https://alphatelevision.services/welcome/sir-robert-fraser-obe/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sir Robert Fraser OBE]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 1960 22:50:57 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Welcome]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Independent Television Authority]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ITA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robert Fraser]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://alphatelevision.services/?p=35</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Director General of the ITA welcomes you to Alpha</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/welcome/sir-robert-fraser-obe/">Sir Robert Fraser OBE</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/alpha-2a.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-36 size-medium" src="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/alpha-2a-249x300.jpg" alt="" width="249" height="300" /></a><strong>ALPHA</strong> holds a key position in Independent Television. When an institution has true roots, it grows, and the planned expansion of <strong>Alpha</strong> tells its own story of past success, just as it increases the promise of the future.</p>
<div style="width: 200px; float: right; margin-left: 10px; background-color: #ccdee8; padding-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; border: 10px solid #0B4879; border-radius: 15px;">
<div style="text-align: center; width: 180px; margin: auto;"><strong>SIR ROBERT FRASER OBE</strong><br />
Director General,<br />
Independent Television Authority</div>
</div>
<p>The <strong>Alpha</strong> Television Studios have from the beginning been a centre of professional skill, of television craft. From the floors and through the controls, from the planners, the producers and the crews, have come good television programmes, both bright and thoughtful, some heading for the network, some building a link between all those who live in the Midlands, and between them and Independent Television.</p>
<p><strong>Alpha</strong> is part of the life of the Midlands. Perhaps that is the most important thing about it. From the start, it has been the policy of the ITA to spread television, not to let it grow only in London, with the rest of the country at the passive receiving end, but to create centres of regional television life, with Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, Southampton, Newcastle, Norwich and Belfast as television towns.</p>
<p><strong>Alpha</strong> was the first big step in this policy: and what a success it has been.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/welcome/sir-robert-fraser-obe/">Sir Robert Fraser OBE</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lichfield transmitter</title>
		<link>https://alphatelevision.services/technical/lichfield-transmitter/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[ITV 1963]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 1960 18:30:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Technical]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Channel 8]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[engineering]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Independent Television Authority]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lichfield]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transmitter]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://alphatelevision.services/?p=226</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>A look at the Lichfield transmitter</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/technical/lichfield-transmitter/">Lichfield transmitter</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-map.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-227" src="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-map.jpg" alt="" width="2030" height="1981" srcset="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-map.jpg 2030w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-map-300x293.jpg 300w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-map-768x749.jpg 768w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-map-1170x1142.jpg 1170w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-map-370x361.jpg 370w" sizes="(max-width: 2030px) 100vw, 2030px" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Population within measured contours:</strong> Primary 5.01 mn, Secondary 1.51 mn, Fringe 0.93 mn. Total 7.45 mn.</li>
<li><strong>Channel:</strong> Band III Channel 8 (vertically polarised)</li>
<li><strong>Vision Carrier Frequency:</strong> Actual 189.75 Mc/s</li>
<li><strong>Sound Carrier Frequency:</strong> Actual 186.25 Mc/s</li>
<li><strong>Effective Radiated Power:</strong> Vision 400 kw maximum. Sound 100 kw maximum.</li>
<li><strong>Power of Transmitters:</strong> Vision (peak white) 20 kW. Sound (carrier) 5 kW</li>
<li><strong>Heights above sea level:</strong> Site 500 ft. Mean aerial 1,450 ft.</li>
<li><strong>Location:</strong> <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/52%C2%B036'30.0%22N+1%C2%B045'40.0%22W/@52.6083315,-1.7786207,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1° 45&#8242; 40&#8243; W, 52° 36&#8242; 30&#8243; N</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Lichfield (Channel 8)</h2>
<h4>Companies: Associated TeleVision (weekdays), A.B.C. Television (weekends)</h4>
<p><a href="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-lichfield.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-228 size-medium" src="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-lichfield-186x300.jpg" alt="" width="186" height="300" /></a>Geographically, the siting of a station to serve the industrial Midlands proved fairly straightforward, because the service area of the BBC’s Band I station at Sutton Coldfield corresponded closely with that which the Authority also wished to achieve. High open ground in the area is scarce and, with reason, carefully protected. It was not therefore easy to find an acceptable site. A piece of land 500 ft. above sea level, about four miles north-east of the BBC station, was eventually secured. It lies near the Watling Street in the rural district of Lichfield, from which the station derives its name.</p>
<p>Initially, an available design of 450 ft. self-supporting steel tower was erected, carrying an omnidirectional aerial similar to the one used at Croydon but of twice the aperture. This enabled a service to be provided quickly. The station went into programme service on 17th February 1956 with a single 5 kW transmitter, giving an effective radiated power of 6o kW. A few months later the power was raised to 120 kW by paralleling two 5 kW sets into the split aerial. In November of the same year, after the main 20 kW transmitter had been installed, the power was raised to 200 kW e.r.p. This gave a population coverage of nearly 6.5 million within the o.25 mV/m contouur. From the start it was recognised that, because of the relatively low site, greater and more uniform coverage could be obtained with a higher mast and an aerial system with directional characteristics. Sufficient land was therefore acquired to permit this to be done later.</p>
<p>Early in 1961 it became possible to start the construction of a 1,000 ft. mast and an improved aerial. Both these were brought into service in July of the same year, thus allowing the original tower to be dismantled and re-erected for use at the Fremont Point station in the Channel Islands. The new aerial enabled the power radiated south towards Gloucester to be increased to 400 kW.</p>
<p>Towards East Anglia, however, the power had to be reduced to 100 kW to prevent harmful interference to viewers of the Netherlands Television Service on the Dutch coast. For this reason, the service to Midlands viewers living east of the station remained substantially unchanged. Over a semi-circle towards the north the radiated power was maintained at 200 kW. This was sufficient, with the higher aerial, to close the gaps between the service areas of Lichfield and the Winter Hill and Emley Moor stations. The effect of the new mast and aerial was a general all-round improvement in reception, both within the old service area and beyond. The predicted coverage is shown in the map opposite. The measured coverage has recently been completed and includes a population of 8.85 million within the 0.25 mV/m contour.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/technical/lichfield-transmitter/">Lichfield transmitter</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>ABC Television</title>
		<link>https://alphatelevision.services/abc/abc-television/</link>
					<comments>https://alphatelevision.services/abc/abc-television/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[ITV 1963]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 1960 18:20:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ABC Midlands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ABC Weekend TV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Independent Television Authority]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://alphatelevision.services/?p=234</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>About ABC Weekend TV</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/abc/abc-television/">ABC Television</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abclogo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-237" src="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abclogo.png" alt="" width="520" height="520" srcset="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abclogo.png 520w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abclogo-150x150.png 150w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abclogo-300x300.png 300w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abclogo-370x370.png 370w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abclogo-70x70.png 70w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px" /></a></p>
<p><em>Midlands and North (Saturdays and Sundays)</em></p>
<p><em>ABC is the company which, under agreement with the Independent Television Authority, provides the television programmes in the North and Midlands on Saturdays and Sundays.</em></p>
<p><strong>1 Hanover Square, London W.1.</strong><br />
HYDe Park 7222<br />
<strong>City Centre House, 30 Union Street, Birmingham 2</strong><br />
MIDLANDS 6083<br />
<strong>Television House, 12 Mount Street, Manchester 2</strong><br />
DEANSGATE 4597</p>
<pre style="font-size: small;"><strong>
Area         ITA      Channel   Vision    Sound    Opening Date  Population ITA Homes
          Transmitter          Frequency Frequency                  000's     000's
                                 Mc/s      Mc/s</strong>

Midlands  Lichfield       8     189.75    186.25   17th Feb 1956     8,850    1,765

North     Winter Hill     9     194.75    181.25    3rd May 1956  }
          Emley Moor     10     199.7372  196.2605  3rd Nov 1956  } 12,452    3,282</pre>
<h5>Directors</h5>
<p>Sir Philip Warter (<em>Chairman</em>); E G M Fletcher LL.D, MP (<em>Deputy Chairman</em>); Howard Thomas (<em>Managing Director</em>); C J Latta; R Clark, LL.B; D J Goodlatte; G A Cooper.</p>
<h5>Officers</h5>
<p>C J Orr, FCA (<em>Secretary</em>); B R Greenhead (<em>Technical Controller</em>); R H Norris (<em>Advertisement Controller</em>); B Tesler (<em>Programme Controller</em>); D Southwood (<em>Northern Executive and Chief of Outside Broadcasts</em>); E G Harris (<em>Midlands Executive</em>); L Shirley (<em>Features Supervisor</em>); R Taylor (<em>Light Entertainment Supervisor</em>); Penry Jones (<em>Religious Adviser</em>).</p>
<h5>Staff</h5>
<p>Total members of staff 957 (excluding <strong>Alpha</strong> Television).</p>
<h5>Visits to Studios</h5>
<p>A limited number of tickets are available for audiences at certain shows. Applications, enclosing stamped addressed envelopes, should be made to the Ticket Controller at the address of the studio from which the programme originates. The minimum age is sixteen.</p>
<h5>Enquiries</h5>
<p>Enquiries about artistes and programmes should be addressed to Viewers&#8217; Correspondence, ABC Television, Broom Road, Teddington, Middlesex.</p>
<h5>Submission of Scripts</h5>
<p>Present requirements are for 60-minute plays, 30-minute children&#8217;s serials and 60- or 45-minute series scripts. But programmes change, and authors should contact story editors for the appropriate category to learn of future trends before submitting outlines or scripts.</p>
<h5>Programme Journal</h5>
<p><em>TV Times</em> publishes separate editions for the North and Midlands areas giving details of the available programmes.</p>
<h5>Studios</h5>
<p>DIDSBURY STUDIO CENTRE, Manchester (Didsbury 8181). Winter Hill and Emley Moor transmitters receive their weekend programmes via the ABC master control rooms at Didsbury. Here too is based the Outside Broadcast fleet. The main studio has a stage area of 5,000 sq. ft. and has seating for an audience of 600. The second studio has an area of approximately 1,000 sq. ft., and there is a presentation studio attached to the dual master control rooms, plus an announcer&#8217;s booth for sound only.</p>
<p>BIRMINGHAM. <strong>Alpha</strong> Television Studios, Aston, Birmingham (Aston Cross 3091), are jointly owned by ABC and Associated TeleVision Limited. There are three studios of 3,000, 1,200 and 380 sq. ft., and master control and technical areas which were housed in a new building during 1962.</p>
<p>TEDDINGTON STUDIO CENTRE, Broom Road, Teddington (Teddington Lock 3252). This modern studio centre has been established close to London, where the main body of artistes is available. It specialises in the recording of drama, light entertainment and feature programmes. Studio 1 has an area of 7,500 sq. ft.; Studio 2, 4,750 sq. ft.; and Studio 3, 2,500 sq. ft. The technical equipment covers an area of 8,000 sq. ft. and is fully multi-standard with immediate switching between 405, 525 and 625 line standards. The new central block, opened in 1962, has in addition 13,000 sq. ft. of rehearsal rooms, an acoustically treated recording studio of 1,700 sq. ft., and scenery assembly and handling facilities.</p>
<h5>Outside Broadcast Units</h5>
<p>ABC have three Outside Broadcast units based at Didsbury, all with 4½&#8221; cameras and a smaller vidicon unit. In addition, the mobile videotape recorder can be equipped with one or two cameras, there being a total of twelve available between the units, There are seven microwave link units with portable power generators, and a hydraulic platform tower truck.</p>
<h5>Videotape Recording</h5>
<p>There are two machines based at Didsbury, together with the mobile unit. At Teddington there are four standards-switchable transistorised recorders together with standards converter equipment. At <strong>Alpha</strong> Studios, Birmingham, there are two machines.</p>
<h5>Colour Television</h5>
<p>One of the flying spot telecine channels at Teddington is equipped for the generation of colour signals, and programmes from Teddington have been experimentally radiated by the Croydon transmitter. In addition, numerous public demonstrations have been given over the GPO network, notably those using the continental SECAM system.</p>
<h5>Technical Developments</h5>
<p>A considerable amount of apparatus was specially developed for the Teddington Studio Centre in order to achieve full multi-standard operation. All this newly developed equipment is transistorised, and, in particular, vision switching matrices and pulse and vision distribution amplifiers have been used in considerable numbers.</p>
<figure id="attachment_236" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-236" style="width: 704px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abcteddington.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-236" src="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abcteddington.jpg" alt="" width="704" height="405" srcset="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abcteddington.jpg 704w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abcteddington-300x173.jpg 300w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-abcteddington-370x213.jpg 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-236" class="wp-caption-text">ABC Television&#8217;s Teddington Studios</figcaption></figure>
<h5>Programmes</h5>
<p>ABC productions include: News and News Magazines: <em>ABC At Large</em>. Talks, Discussions and Documentaries: <em>The Other Man&#8217;s Farm</em>, <em>The Bookman</em>. The Arts: <em>Tempo</em>. Science and Natural History: <em>You&#8217;d Never Believe It!</em> Religion: <em>The Sunday Break</em>, <em>Living Your Life</em>, <em>Journey of a Lifetime</em>, <em>Sunday Morning Service</em>, <em>Epilogues</em>. Adult Education: <em>Headway</em>. Sport: extensive outside broadcast coverage of all sporting events, including such minority sports as tenpin bowling, motor cycle scrambles, indoor soccer and amateur boxing. Children&#8217;s Programmes: <em>Once Upon A Time</em>. Drama Programmes: <em>Armchair Theatre</em>, <em>The Avengers</em>, <em>Dimension of Fear</em> (four-part thriller serial), <em>Secret Beneath the Sea</em> (six-part children&#8217;s serial), Ocean Liner series (untitled). Variety, Light Entertainment and Music: <em>Thank Your Lucky Stars</em>, <em>Sing Along</em>, <em>The Best of Friends</em>, <em>Comedy Bandbox</em>, <em>Candid Camera</em>, <em>The Dave King Show</em>, <em>Life and Al Read</em>. Entertainment Films: several film series produced in collaboration with ABC include <em>The Human Jungle</em>, <em>Sir Francis Drake</em>. Dramatised Documentaries: <em>The Sword in the Web</em>.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/abc/abc-television/">ABC Television</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
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		<title>Associated TeleVision</title>
		<link>https://alphatelevision.services/atv/associated-television/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[ITV 1963]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 1960 18:10:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ATV Midlands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Associated TeleVision]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ATV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Independent Television Authority]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://alphatelevision.services/?p=241</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>About ATV</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/atv/associated-television/">Associated TeleVision</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-atvlogo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-244" src="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-atvlogo.png" alt="" width="520" height="520" srcset="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-atvlogo.png 520w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-atvlogo-150x150.png 150w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-atvlogo-300x300.png 300w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-atvlogo-370x370.png 370w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-atvlogo-70x70.png 70w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px" /></a></p>
<p><em>London (weekends); Midlands (weekdays)</em></p>
<p><em>ATV is a public company which, under agreement with the Independent Television Authority, provides the television programmes in London on Saturdays and Sundays and in the Midlands from Monday to Friday.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>ATV House, 17 Great Cumberland Place, London W.1.</strong><br />
AMBassador 8040<br />
<strong>ATV House, 150 Edmund Street, Birmingham.</strong><br />
BIRMINGHAM CENTRAL 5191</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<pre style="font-size: small;"><strong>
Area         ITA    Channel   Vision     Sound    Opening Date   Population ITA Homes
         Transmitter        Frequency  Frequency                   000's      000's
                               Mc/s       Mc/s</strong>

London     Croydon     9    194.75675   191.266   22nd Sep 1955   12,910     3,023
<em>weekends</em>

Midlands  Lichfield    8    189.75      186.25    17th Feb 1956    8,850     1,765
<em>weekdays</em></pre>
<h5>Directors</h5>
<p>Sir Robert Renwick, Bt, KBE (<em>Chairman</em>); Norman Collins (<em>Deputy Chairman</em>); Lew Grade (<em>Managing Director</em>); Edward J Roth (<em>Deputy Managing Director</em>); JAL Drummond (Finance); The Earl of Bessborough; Ellis S Birk; Hugh Cudlipp, OBE; RPT Gibson; Prince Littler, CBE; Val Parnell; Charles Orr Stanley, CBE, Ll.D</p>
<h5>Officers</h5>
<p>JM Barham, FCA (<em>Secretary</em>); B Bibby (<em>Production Facilities Controller</em>); P Dorté, OBE (<em>Midlands Controller</em>); JF Gill, FCA (<em>Group Accountant and Treasurer</em>); M Gumpel (<em>Director of Business Affairs</em>); PJ Henry (<em>Sales Director</em>); L Lewis (<em>Administration Controller</em>); TC Macnamara (<em>Technical Controller</em>); S Mitchell (<em>Chief Press Officer</em>); K Rogers (<em>Operations Controller</em>); W Ward (<em>Productions Controller</em>).</p>
<h5>Religious Advisers</h5>
<p>The Rev. John Bebb (<em>Roman Catholic</em>); The Rev. Stephan Hopkinson (<em>Anglican</em>); The Rev. Caryl Micklem (<em>Free Church</em>).</p>
<h5>Education</h5>
<p>Sir John Materman (<em>Chairman, Education Advisory Committee</em>); James Cochrane Wykes (<em>Senior Education Officer</em>); W Hemingway (<em>Schools Liaison Officer</em>).</p>
<h5>Staff</h5>
<p>Total members of staff 1,379 (excluding ATV&#8217;s subsidiary companies). Production 622, Administration 289, Engineering 213, Sales and Research 83, Operations (presentation and films) 89, Accounts 62, Press and Public Relations 21. In addition, ATV employs some 3,300 artistes each year, as well as musicians and scriptwriters.</p>
<h5>Visits to Studios</h5>
<p>A limited number of tickets are available for audience shows. Applications, enclosing stamped addressed envelopes, should be made to the Ticket Office Supervisor, ATV Studios, Elstree, Borehamwood, Herts. The minimum age is sixteen.</p>
<h5>Enquiries</h5>
<p>Enquiries about artistes and programmes should be addressed to Viewer&#8217;s Correspondence, at ATV&#8217;s London or Midlands offices.</p>
<h5>Submission of Scripts</h5>
<p>Material required: 60-minute plays. These should be complete dialogue script of first form. Six- or seven-part children&#8217;s serials: completed dialogue script of first episode and detailed synopses of the remainder must be submitted. Unless <em>Associated TeleVision</em> has knowledge or experience of the writer&#8217;s work, no other form of submission will be considered. 30-minute situation and domestic comedies and documentaries are also in demand. There is very little demand for short plays, musicals, quiz games, panel shows, short stories and talks. All submissions should be addressed to The Script Editor.</p>
<h5>Programme Journal</h5>
<p><em>TV Times</em> publishes separate editions for the London and Midlands areas giving details of the available programmes.</p>
<figure id="attachment_243" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-243" style="width: 576px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-studio.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-243" src="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-studio.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="387" srcset="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-studio.jpg 576w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-studio-300x202.jpg 300w, https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-studio-370x249.jpg 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-243" class="wp-caption-text">The producer&#8217;s view of one of A.T.V.&#8217;s studios</figcaption></figure>
<h5>Studios</h5>
<p>ELSTREE STUDIO CENTRE, Borehamwood, Herts (Elstree 6100). This 340,000 sq. ft. development is one of the most up-to-date centres of television production, studio and technical facilities. The working floor area of the studios total 31,680 sq. ft. as follows: Studio A, 80&#8242; × 80&#8242;; Studio B, 84&#8242; × 80&#8242;; Studio C, 116&#8242; × 80&#8242;; Studio D 116&#8242; × 80&#8242;. The technical facilities directly associated with these four studios total 26,736 sq. ft. Other premises include Studio Facilities (75,790 sq. ft.), Technical Facilities (20,043 sq. ft.), Transport and Workshop Facilities (40,951 sq. ft.), Administration and Rehearsal Rooms (81,500 sq. ft.) and Restaurant (16,500 sq. ft.).</p>
<p>WOOD GREEN TELEVISION STUDIO, Wood Green Empire, N.22. Working floor area some 4,250 sq. ft. Particularly suitable for large-audience shows with seating for 600.</p>
<p>FOLEY STREET (Britallian House) London W.1, containing ATV&#8217;s Master Control centre and a small studio of 814 sq. ft. used for presentation and some discussion programmes.</p>
<p><strong>ALPHA</strong> TELEVISION STUDIOS, Aston, Birmingham, are owned jointly by ATV and ABC Television Ltd. There are three studios of 3,000 sq. ft., 1,200 sq. ft. and 380 sq. ft.</p>
<h5>Technical Development</h5>
<p>A great deal of the equipment installed in ATV&#8217;s Studios is fully transistorised. This includes pulse and vision distributing equipment employing semi-conductors throughout, and fully transistorised sound equipment. The studios are equipped for 405, 525, and 625 line standards.</p>
<h5>Outside Broadcasts</h5>
<p>ATV has four mobile control rooms, each with four cameras, and an additional two-camera unit. One of these control rooms is used in conjunction with a video-recording vehicle to form the International Mobile Recording Unit.</p>
<h5>Programmes</h5>
<p>ATV Productions include: News and News Magazines: <em>Midlands News; Midland Montage; On the Braden Beat</em>. Talks, Discussions and Documentaries: <em>The Warning Voice; Dinner Party; Midland Farming; Midland Profile;</em> special documentaries; <em>Meeting of Minds; Forum; Look Around the Midlands</em>. The Arts: Sir Kenneth Clark series. Science and Natural History: <em>Threshold; It Can Happen Tomorrow; The Wonder of Man</em>. Religion: <em>About Religion; Church Services; Epilogues; A Box of Birds</em> (for children). Children: drama serials; <em>Seeing Sport; I Am Going To Be&#8230;</em> Schools: <em>French from France, Ici la France, Summing It Up, Auf deutsch, Chemistry for Sixth Forms</em>. Adult Education: <em>Mesdames, Messieurs&#8230;</em> Plays and Drama Series: <em>Drama &#8217;63;</em> regular contributions to the <em>Play of the Week</em> and <em>Television Playhouse</em> series; <em>Emergency Ward 10; Harpers West One; Deadline Midnight; The Plane Makers.</em> Variety, Light Entertainment and Music: <em>Sunday Night at the London Palladium; Bruce&#8217;s Show; Startime; Arthur Haynes Show; Hancock; The Morecambe and Wise Show; Tommy Steele Show; Roy Castle Show; A Golden Hour.</em> Entertainment Films: many TV film series produced by or in collaboration with ATV. Sport: wide sports coverage, especially on Saturday afternoons.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/atv/associated-television/">Associated TeleVision</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
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		<title>The ITV system</title>
		<link>https://alphatelevision.services/technical/the-itv-system/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[ITV 1963]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 1960 18:00:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Technical]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Independent Television]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Independent Television Authority]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ITV]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://alphatelevision.services/?p=247</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Independent Television Authority (ITA) was created in August 1954 to provide “for the period...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/technical/the-itv-system/">The ITV system</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Independent Television Authority (ITA) was created in August 1954 to provide “for the period of ten years television broadcasting services, additional to those of the British Broadcasting Corporation . . . for so much of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands as may from time to time be reasonably practicable”.</p>
<p>In accordance with the requirements of the Television Act 1954, the Authority builds, owns and operates the television transmitting stations. It selects and appoints the contractors to provide programmes for transmission from these stations. The contractors (more generally known as the programme companies) pay the Authority a rental related to the population coverage of the station or stations for which they provide programmes. They meet the cost of their ITA rentals, the cost of providing programmes and of their operations generally from advertising revenues. The Authority’s further duty is to ensure that the programmes provided are in accordance with the terms of the Act, and that the advertising transmitted is strictly controlled. Neither the Authority nor the companies draw any income from licence fees or other public funds.</p>
<h1>The Nature of the System</h1>
<p>The structure created by the Authority within the general framework laid down by the Television Act constitutes an entirely new combination of public and private initiative. In contrast to the unitary organisation with regional branches developed by the BBC, the Television Act requires the appointment of “<em>a number of programme companies independent of each other both as to finance and control</em>”. Moreover, Section 5(2) of the Act lays down that “<em>It shall be the duty of the Authority to do all that they can to secure that there is adequate competition to supply programmes between a number of programme contractors independent of each other both as to finance and as to control</em>”.</p>
<p>Only the existence of two directly competing companies in each service area could fully secure “adequate competition”. However, the frequencies which the Authority was granted were sufficient only to enable it to cover the whole country with a single network of stations. The Authority might have introduced direct competition in certain of its areas by building two stations, but only at the cost of leaving other areas without even one ITA service. The Authority therefore decided that while the limitations on its frequencies continued, it must use them to give national coverage by a single network.</p>
<p>Given one service only, the Authority had to choose the broad pattern of programme contracting which it would adopt. The fundamental choice was between a “unitary” system with a single programme company based in London providing programmes for the whole network of stations, and a plural system of separate programme companies for the individual areas of the country. There were sound social arguments for the appointment of separate companies to serve individual stations, and particularly for the communities outside London to be served by independently conducted programme companies rather than operated merely as satellites of a central group of London companies. The Authority, at the beginning of its life in 1954, therefore chose to adopt the plural form of organisation and has steadily pursued this policy ever since.</p>
<p>The adoption of a plural system did not of itself provide full competition to “supply programmes”, nor could it deny a programme company a local monopoly of viewers on the days for which it provided programmes. The Authority therefore sought from the beginning to introduce other competitive elements into the system. To avoid a London monopoly by one company there emerged the plan of enlarging the base from London to include, as well as the capital, the North and the Midlands and of appointing a total of four companies to serve this enlarged area. This was achieved by the division of the concession in each of the three areas into two parts, the weekdays and the weekends, and the creation of a mosaic of companies, stations, and days in a pattern which would support four independent companies.</p>
<p><a href="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-companies.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-248" src="https://alphatelevision.services/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/itv1963-companies-1024x60.jpg" alt="Please credit Transdiffusion if you nick this, thanks!" width="1024" height="60" /></a></p>
<p>The production of television programmes of national appeal demands large resources in the right places. It is no accident that networking &#8211; the supply of programmes for national use from some central source &#8211; is a common feature of broadcasting systems of all types in all the countries of the world. Effective television requires a high degree of specialisation in such programme categories as drama, light entertainment and variety, documentary programmes, sport, current affairs, children’s programmes, religious programmes and school programmes. And specialisation in any of these fields is practicable only when production is large enough to permit it. The distinctive features of Independent Television are not that it has a “network”, but that the supply of the main body of national programmes is provided by four separate companies, each of the four large enough to hold its own with the others, rather than originating from a single organisation; and that outside the most populous areas, programmes are provided by eleven smaller companies rather than by the extension of the geographical responsibilities of the four large companies and the creation of no further companies at all.</p>
<p>Fundamentally every one of the fifteen Independent Television companies is a regional company, the four largest no less than the remaining eleven; for each company is appointed to provide programmes for a particular area, and no company has any contractual rights or duties outside its own area. In each of the fourteen areas, the local programme company is responsible for providing all the programmes, whether these are produced by the company itself or acquired from other programme companies or other sources. Each local programme company as far as possible arranges its programmes into the pattern that best suits its region, subject always to conformity with the Authority’s directions in the matter of balance, quantity and quality.</p>
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		<title>ITV&#8217;s regional pattern</title>
		<link>https://alphatelevision.services/technical/itvs-regional-pattern/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[ITV 1963]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 1960 17:50:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Technical]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Independent Television]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Independent Television Authority]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ITV]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://alphatelevision.services/?p=250</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>London: The ITA’s transmitter at Croydon was opened on 22nd September 1955. It serves a...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://alphatelevision.services/technical/itvs-regional-pattern/">ITV&#8217;s regional pattern</a> appeared first on <a href="https://alphatelevision.services">THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>London:</strong> The ITA’s transmitter at <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/london/">Croydon</a> was opened on 22nd September 1955. It serves a population of 13 million in and around London. Programmes are provided by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/associated-rediffusion/">Associated-Rediffusion Ltd. (A-R)</a> from Mondays to Fridays and by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/associated-television/">Associated TeleVision Ltd. (ATV)</a> on Saturdays and Sundays.</p>
<p><strong>The Midlands:</strong> The ITA&#8217;s transmitter at <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/the-midlands/">Lichfield</a> was opened on 17th February 1956. It serves a population of 8¾ million. Programmes are provided by Associated TeleVision Ltd. (ATV) from Mondays to Fridays and by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/abc-television/">ABC Television Ltd.</a> on Saturdays and Sundays.</p>
<p><strong>The North:</strong> A population of 12½ million in Lancashire and Yorkshire is served by the ITA’s transmitters at <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/the-north/">Winter Hill and Emley Moor</a>, opened in 1956. Programmes are provided by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/granada-tv-network/">Granada TV Network Ltd.</a> from Mondays to Fridays and by ABC Television Ltd. on Saturdays and Sundays. <em>ITA Regional Officer: S. D. Murphy, Astley House, Quay Street, Manchester 3. Manchester Blackfriars 2707. </em></p>
<p><strong>Scotland:</strong> THE ITA SCOTTISH COMMITTEE: Professor David Talbot Rice, M.B.E. (<em>Chairman</em>); Mr. Frank Donachy, O.B.E. 3 Mr. ]ohh Fergus, F.I.P.A.; The Rev. Arthur H. Gray; Dr. H. Stewart Mackintosh, C.B.E.; Sir William MacTaggart, P.R.S.A.; Mrs. T. N. Morgan; Miss Barbara L. Napier, J.P.; The Rev. Dr. W. A. Smellie.</p>
<p>Scotland is served by five of the ITA’s transmitters. A population of 4 million in Central Scotland is reached by the <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/central-scotland/">Black Hill</a> station opened in 1957, the first after the three main areas had been covered. Programmes are provided by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/scottish-television/">Scottish Television Ltd.</a> (STV). North-East Scotland, with a population of 1.4 million, is served by the transmitters at <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/north-east-scotland/">Durris and Mounteagle</a>, opened in 1961. Programmes are provided by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/grampian-television/">Grampian Television Ltd.</a> The southern borders of Scotland are served by the <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/the-borders/">Caldbeck and Selkirk</a> transmitters with programmes provided by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/border-television/">Border Television Ltd.</a> <em>ITA Regional Officer for Scotland: John Lindsay, 147 West Regent Street, Glasgow C.2. Glasgow City 3130. (The Regional Officer for North-East England deals with the Border area.) </em></p>
<p><strong>Wales and the West of England:</strong> THE ITA WELSH COMMITTEE: Mr. Jenkin Alban Davies, J.P. (<em>Chairman</em>); Dr. Ivor Davies; Miss Norah Isaac; Mrs. Enid Watkin ]ones; Mr. Thomas Ieuan Jeffrys Jones, M.A.; Major General Lewis Owain Pugh; Mr. Leslie Richards; The Rev. D. R. Thomas, M.A.</p>
<p>Two companies, <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/tww/">TWW Ltd.</a> and Wales (West &amp; North) Ltd. (WWN), provide programmes for the Authority to broadcast to Welsh viewers. In addition to its responsibilities in South Wales, TWW also covers a wide area in the West of England; it provides programmes for the ITA’s transmitter at <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/south-wales-and-west-of-england/">St. Hilary</a>, opened in 1958, serving a population of 3.3 million. The technical difficulties of the area covered by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/wales-west-and-north-teledu-cymru/">Wales (West &amp; North) Ltd.</a> are indicated by the fact that <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/west-and-north-wales/">three transmitters</a> are needed in South-West, North-West and North-East Wales to broadcast its programmes to a population of about 1 million. These transmitters opened during 1962-63. <em>ITA Regional Officer: L. J. Evans, Arlbee House, Greyfriars Place, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff. Cardiff 28759. </em></p>
<p><strong>Southern England:</strong> <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/southern-television/">Southern Television Ltd.</a> provides programmes for Southern England from Kent to Dorset, an area which is not easily defined geographically or technically. The ITA’s transmitters at <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/south-and-south-east-england/">Chillerton Down</a> on the Isle of Wight (opened in 1958) and at <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/south-and-south-east-england/">Dover</a> (opened in 196O) serve a population of 4.3 million. <em>ITA Regional Officer: Cmdr. G. W. Alcock, O.B.E., R.N. (Rtd.), 3o Portland Street, Southampton. Southampton 29115. </em></p>
<p><strong>North-East England and Border Regions:</strong> The North-East of England, with programmes provided by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/tyne-tees-television/">Tyne Tees Television Ltd.</a>, is geographically, technically and socially well defined, consisting basically of the main part of the counties of Northumberland, Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire. A population of 2.7 million is served from the ITAs transmitter at <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/north-east-england/">Burnhope</a>, opened in 1959. Border Television Ltd. serves two nationalities as its area straddles the Anglo-Scottish border, its programmes being broadcast by one transmitter at Caldbeck and another at Selkirk in Scotland (opened 1961) to a population of nearly half a million. <em>ITA Regional Officer: R. J. F. Larimer 32-4 Mosley Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Newcastle 61-0148. </em></p>
<p><strong>East Anglia:</strong> This was the first predominantly rural area in which the Independent Television Authority appointed a programme contractor, <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/anglia-television/">Anglia Television Ltd.</a> This area is again both historically and geographically well defined. The topography of the area necessitated <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/east-anglia/">the first 1,000 ft. mast</a> erected for the Authority, to serve a population of 2½ million. Programme operation commenced in 1959. <em>ITA Regional Officer: Major General D. A. L. Wade, C.B., O.B.E., M.C., Century Insurance Building, 24 Castle Meadow, Norwich. Norwich 23533. </em></p>
<p><strong>Northern Ireland:</strong> THE ITA ULSTER COMMITTEE: Sir Lucius O’Brien (<em>Chairman</em>); Mr. John G. Colhoun; Rev. Dr. C. B. Daly; Mr. G. B. Newe, O.B.E.; Mrs. G. Seth; Professor C. L. Wilson; The Rev. J. H. Withers.</p>
<p>The Province of Northern Ireland is served by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/northern-ireland/">two transmitters</a>. The major one near the principal centre of population, the Belfast area, opened in 1959. The second, at Strabane in the west of the Province, opened early in 1963. Programmes are provided by <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/ulster-television/">Ulster Television Ltd.</a> The population served is 1.4 million. <em>ITA Regional Officer: W. H. Wilson, 5 Donegall Square South, Belfast. Belfast 30818. </em></p>
<p><strong>South-West England and the Channel Islands:</strong> Another geographically well-defined area is the South-West of England, consisting of the peninsula of Cornwall, Devon and parts of Somerset and Dorset. <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/westward-television/">Westward Television Ltd.</a> serves a population of 1.6 million from the ITA’s transmitters at <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/south-west-england/">Caradon Hill and Stockland Hill</a> (opened in 1961). Programmes for <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/channel-islands/">the Channel Islands</a> are provided by the smallest of all the fifteen ITV programme companies, <a href="http://itv1963.retropia.co.uk/channel-television/">Channel Television Ltd.</a> Programme operation commenced during 1962. <em>ITA Regional Officer: W. A. C. Collingwood, O.B.E., Royal London House, Armada Way, Plymouth. Plymouth 63031.</em></p>
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