At Last the 1948 Show

The surviving files that make up the Rediffusion library are available to view at the Reuben Library located at the BFI Southbank. Electronic copying of any sort is not allowed, only the use of a notepad and pencil for note taking. For that reason, file numbers only have been quoted in this article. The documents are free to view and no accreditation is required. A complete set of camera scripts for the classic series of Doctor Who is available as are some minor props from the series. I had noticed them before but mistook them for a film library, until Michael Pummell pointed out my error - thanks, Mike

At Last the 1948 Show: Australia bought both series and paid £700 for each episode of the first series and £850 for each episode of the second series. Both series were also sold to Hong Kong via the Rediffusion station there. There were also further sales via GTS (Global Television Services) Ltd to Dublin, Norway, Sweden and New Zealand. All 13 eps of At Last 1948 aired in NZ as one run, regionally from December 1968 to August 1969. The films were all returned to Global in July 1971. 

I am sure there must have been others but there was nothing to indicate further sales, anywhere. Oddly, the Dublin sale appears to have been to a radio station? Although, AIR (All India Radio) owned India’s National Broadcaster and the Out of the Unknown episode Level Seven was found at Radio Bremen, so that may not be unusual.

"Happily, a 16mm film print of the play was discovered in the archives of German television broadcaster Radio Brennen and returned to the BBC in early 2006.": http://www.britishtelevisiondrama.org.uk/?p=3086

GTS Ltd was a subsidiary of Rediffusion responsible for foreign sales. Here is a Rediffusion internal memo from TL Donald of GTS to Johnny Johnson of Rediffusion, 4^th of July 1975:

“As you know it was agreed some time ago to junk all the drama/comedy material which would have little non-theatric value and kept the educational stuff till last.

The 48 show was junked some time ago, but when the demand for episodes came up, we were able to rescue two from the rubbish. Since then a third has come to light, and this was sent up today. “

This provides a little insight into their values and more can be found from Johhny Johnson here: 

http://missingepisodes.proboards.com/thread/11121/rediffusion-tv-archive

Where Chris Perry also mentions, “I have read 90% of the special collections. It’s mainly contracts for artistes so they get paid, mingled with scripts, stills and limited overseas sales stuff.” So like the BBC, the sales paperwork is incomplete at best. Another Johnny Johnson related quote from Chris Perry on the same thread: “John Johnson always hinted that 'shedloads of film' was taken away privately rather than be junked but I don't know how true that was.”

I saw a bit of other stuff and will be going back for further visits to view files for DNAYS, HMS Paradise, Murder Bag and No Hiding Place as well as others.

Sources:

Jon Preddle at Broadwcast.org

http://www.britishtelevisiondrama.org.uk/?p=3086

http://missingepisodes.proboards.com/thread/11121/rediffusion-tv-archive 

BFI Special Collections files: ITM-8898 and ITM-8899

https://www.facebook.com/pages/At-Last-the-1948-Show/112313235448618?fref=ts

Ghana Broadcasting and Local Programme Production

Everybody wants to be first and everybody wants it now. Nigeria, with the help of Overseas-Rediffusion, was the first country in Africa to install a television service, in October 1959. Just in time for the 1960 Olympic Games. Specifically, to service ex-pats, educate the masses and spread government propaganda. Also, it was a genuine source of pride for one of the (then) poorest nations to be the first to have a television service, but at what cost? 

“In 1975 the average production cost per hour BBC was $30k; it was not unusual for an hour long BBC or ITV for an hour-long drama to cost $100K. Compare that with the estimated production cost for Nigeria for local production of $150 per hour (not 150k just 150) and we can see that cost wise it was cheaper for Nigeria to buy an hour of American programming at $60 per hour. It wasn't just the cost that was prohibitive but a lack of expertise. Yes engineers may have been trained abroad but there was no such training for actors, writers, producers, directors and so on.” - 'Broadcasting in the Third World' by Elihu Katz and George Wedell. Chapter 5 programming patterns.

The inauguration of Nigeria’s television service was rushed, not properly orchestrated or implemented and relied heavily on imported TV material. 65% of the nation’s television output was imported and 35% was locally produced, despite initial pledges. However, it was the first Television service in Africa. Ghana, on the other hand, took longer but was always efficient. Originally known as GBC TV (Ghana Broadcasting Corporation), GTV (Ghana Today Television) is the national public broadcaster of Ghana and commenced broadcasts on the 31^st of July 1965 with the help of a Canadian consortium. They remained the sole television broadcaster till the 1990s. Consequently, GTV is by far and away the dominant channel and has a 75% local programming quota but this seems to be mainly comprised of educational programming, the news and an over-emphasis on current affairs programmes in the main but also shows a significant number of foreign films.

 "The basic problem has been the financial cost in building local television systems on an economically sound foundation. Often, this is only possible by importing low-cost American productions. Films and television programs produced in the industrialized countries (especially the United States) are offered at dumping prices if you compare the cost of local productions. In most cases, the commercial and non-commercial television stations and networks extensively use these inexpensive imports. In Ghana, for example, an hour of Ghana-produced, television program cost between US$800 and $2,400. By contrast, American-produced television is offered to African countries at a cost of $130-150 per one half-hour. Along with the entertainment value, political and cultural attitudes and values are also being imported in what is known as cultural invasion, cultural levelling, cultural imperialism, or `picture tube imperialism."

"Will such an alleged cultural imperialism via TV hinder the creation of a national identity in African countries? This is feared by H.I. Schiller in his book Communication and American Empire. Referring to Friedrich List, a communications analyst, he calls for "cultural protectionism," which, like the trade protection of an earlier era, is said to have an educational function."
"This fear and caution, finds expression in the various mass media legislation that govern electronic media in most African countries. In Ghana, for instance, the Ghana Frequency and Control Board stipulates that the content of private TV transmission should have positive-bias ratio in favour of local production of 60:40. As of the late 1980s, foreign TV programs formed less than 20% of Ghanaian television. Other countries however, import at least 60% of their TV programs, most of which are aired during prime time."

"It is for the same logistical reasons that the state-owned GBC is stuck with one channel. The government had hoped to open another channel to solely air indigenous languages in the radio sector. This requires the provision of satellite technology to redistribute TV programs throughout the country. Currently, there is only one post and telecommunications microwave link available in the country and GBC requires digital control technology to introduce another channel. There is also a need for refurbish and rehabilitate the GBC before the country can look at a second channel."
http://www.culturalsurvival.org/ourpublications/csq/article/media-and-preservation-culture-africa

In 1992, DWB reported, in issue 105 & 107 that Ghana had screened The Power of the Daleks in 1986, and that the missing serial had been destroyed in a fire in the Ghana TV film library had been destroyed in the fire of 23 May 1989. Later this was all revealed to be a hoax, apart from the fire which was a genuine event. More details and footage of the fire can be found here: http://gallifreybase.com/w/index.php/Ghana Along with details of the countries actual showings of Doctor Who in 1965 and 1966.

Finally, in a Country that accepted so little in the way of imported programmes, it is hard to see that much could have been found here. Paul Vanezis (of the BBC Restoration Team) stated that: "...it's unlikely that there is any material in Ghana, Uganda or Zimbabwe. However, nothing has been ruled out regarding them." It is hard to disagree with that statement. However, during an interview with JR Southall for Starburst magazine, Philip Morris (Head of TIEA) did mention he found an unspecified amount of ITV material there but didn't say whether it was missing or not. So there is still hope. Ghana did buy the first series of Z-Cars and Dr. Finlay's Book.

http://missingepisodes.proboards.com/thread/5751

Ghana Broadcasting Corporation - Accra

Sources:

National Archives file: DO 35/9466

http://missingepisodes.proboards.com/thread/5751

http://www.culturalsurvival.org/ourpublications/csq/article/media-and-preservation-culture-africa

'Broadcasting in the Third World' by Elihu Katz and George Wedell.

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/pdf/AMDI/ghana/amdi_ghana_full_report.pdf

UK Television Programme Sales Figures for 1963/64 and a Bit More

75% of the world's television programmes have pretty much always been American. and during the sixties, the BBC may have dominated domestically but independent British TV outsold the BBC at a ratio of about 3:1. So 75% of British programmes sold abroad were ITV. Well into the mid-seventies Nigeria bought in 75% of its television. Out of 100hrs, 75 were from abroad 56.5hrs were of US origin 20hrs were British and only 5 hours were BBC. It's important to bear in mind that we are talking about Nigeria who had one of the highest ratios of foreign programming beaten only by SL and Rhodesia/Zambia. Ethiopia started off 50/50 but soon ended up buying in 70%. A mitigating factor here is that TIE sold its programming at a ratio of 60%US 40%UK. So when trying to work out the most likely place for a find I would say the place where TIE sold the most DW. Unfortunately, that is SL and I think we can rule them out, so where next? Ethiopia. I know this may sound contradictory to what I posted recently but there was great turmoil from the 1974 revolution which would have hampered any recall of the prints plus the station was slowly sliding into decline but they only bought up to the Chase?


BBC Foreign sales figures extracted mainly from the BBC yearbooks but also other places:

1960 550
1961 1200
1962 3000
1963 4500
1964 6975
1965 7426
1966 11,492
1967 12,072 - 12,352 (Exact figure not given)
1968 13,852
1969 16,180

Total 77,527 sales of programmes, not prints - just BBC. Plus there regularly 300 prints being circulated in a month IIRC

• By 1972, 1,400 films and tapes were sent out from London every month
• At the same time, a further 600 films and tapes were circulating between one country and another

http://gallifreybase.com/w/index.php/WRTH
"The exploit of television programmes was at first handled in 1958 with the establishment of a business manager post. This gradually expanded until the establishment of the Television Promotions (later renamed Television Enterprises) department in 1960 under a general manager. In its first year, the department saw the sale of 550 programmes overseas with a turnover of £234,000, with a further 1,200 programmes sold the following year. Radio programmes were only exploited on the same level with the creation of the Radio Enterprises department in 1965. However, following the retirement of the Radio Enterprises general manager in 1969, the two departments were merged to form the BBC Enterprises department."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Worldwide

The clipping on the left is from 1975 and shows an ever increasing market for TV Programme sales into the 1970's.



"The large foreign sales achieved by ITC during the British government's exports drives of the 1960s and 1970s led to ACC receiving the Queen's Award for Export on numerous occasions until ITC's association with the broadcaster and success actually led to the demise of both ATV as a broadcaster and ITC as a production company in 1982."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITC_Entertainment

As we can see from the sales breakdowns (below) in 1963/64 the ITV material did best in the middle east and BBC material sold best in the more general category of 'Commonwealth'. 

Figures for COI material are below:

Here we have a more detailed BBC sales figures breakdown below:

Sources:

Variety, 26 February 1964 newspaper clipping at http://gallifreybase.com/w/index.php/TIE_Ltd and
http://gallifreybase.com/w/index.php/WRTH

National Archives file: FO 953/2202

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0000/000086/008640EB.pdf 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Worldwide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITC_Entertainment

BBC Yearbooks: www.americanradiohistory.com/BBC_YEAR_Book_Page_Key.htm

The Guardian Newspaper

Kenya see what I did there? (Updated)

In 1959, David Stirling resigned as chairman of the Capricorn Society and formed Television International Enterprises. As the Director of the TIE, the responsibility fell to him to bid for the contract to set up Rhodesian TV. This failed. Richard Hughes, in his book, Capricorn: David Stirling’s African Campaign, suggests the reason for this was “Probably because the government, not unreasonably from their perspective, thought he would use it to further his radical politics”.

Success arrived with the opening of the television station in Nairobi, October 1962. The first transmitting station, set on a farmhouse in Limuru, transmitted with a 15 mile range. This, however, was no unmitigated success. Upon winning the Rhodesian contract, RTV bid to open the new station in Kenya. The bid failed due to the tactics employed during negotiations.

J.C.R. Proud, television adviser to the secretary for technical cooperation, had this to say in a letter to Alan Bates the Financial Secretary of Mauritius in November 1961:

J.C.R Proud also had this to say of TIE to P R Noakes of the Colonial Office:

TIE’s ability to bicycle film prints quickly and cheaply was a major factor in winning the contract to set up the television service in Mauritius. This became a significant selling point for TIE and Thomson. Possibly, even vital when competing against governments offering free television stations to developing countries, usually so that companies in their countries would acquire turnkey leases and contracts to supply equipment.

Paying advertisers are one of the main sources of income for a television broadcaster. And the maximum amount of revenue requires the biggest audience that you can attract with as many of the best quality programmes that you can at least afford. It’s an ongoing cost. Whereas a TV station is one lump sum that the Stirling consortium was prepared to help with by training staff, obtaining and setting up equipment, drafting legislation, securing loans and manufacturer credit. Programmes are what prompts people to buy a television set that requires a license which at least in part helps with the running cost of the station. In the end, it was TIE’s ability to provide cheap programmes from the world’s leading lights of television at a lower price than they could afford to get by themselves coupled with the ability to sell advertising spots that won the contract to install  Ethiopian television. In theory, this all sounds fine and well but in practice, it wasn't without its share of problems.

In the top image, Interlude films are mentioned this is another term for COI (Central Office of Information) films which were distributed by CETO (The Centre for Educational Television Overseas). On average 40-50 of these films were made a year and produced by the BBC or sometimes independent television companies. Mainly for educational purposes and were often distributed for free or at very little cost.

The following extract is from 'Broadcasting in Kenya: Policy and Politics 1928 - 1984' by Carla Wilson Heath:

During the sixties, Kenya bought in about 60% of its television programmes as their facilities had not been designed for extensive local production and mostly stuck to a diet of light entertainment with Tom Jones, Rolf Harris, the Andy Stewart show, the Planemakers and Not in Front of the Children from the UK, plus selected episodes of Peyton Place and Disneyland. The reason for this being that the censors in Kenya took the power of television as propaganda very seriously.

Here is a quote by James M. Coltart - Managing Director of the Thomson Organisation - in 1963:

"Recently in Britain an organisation was set up by the Nuffield Foundationin conjunction with independent television companies, the B.B.C. the Governmentand others, a Centre for Educational Television Overseas and thisorganisation has been operating now for a year in the preparation of educationalprogrammes for overseas television. Some of those programmes are on filmand some as package deals for local production. They also have their programmedirectors visiting country after country arranging seminars witheducationalists and assisting the local television stations with live educationalproductions."

Unfortunately, these well-meaning directors and engineers would often pick up various illnesses, helping to spread them from one local population to another as they passed through one African nation to another.

So that is one problem solved. I would also like to point out that we can see that TIE planned to bicycle the prints round, at least, four countries. Not out the woods yet, though ...

Sources:

Capricorn: David Stirling’s African Campaign by Richard Hughes

https://books.google.com/books?isbn=186064919X

Broadcasting in Kenya: Policy and Politics 1928 - 1984 by Carla Wilson Heath

The Universal Eye: World Television in the Seventies by Timothy Green (May 1972)  Available on Amazon

James M. Coltart - African Affairs, Vol. 62, No. 248 (Jul., 1963), pp. 202-210Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of The Royal African Society

http://www.kbc.co.ke/the-history-of-kenya-broadcasting-corporation/

Files from the National archives: CO 1027/312, CO 1027/498, CO 1027/513, FCO 141/12179, FO 953/2155

http://marsanditscanals.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/aden-to-bermuda-and-beyond-part-3.html

The 51st State of America

The idea of time travel fascinates pretty much everyone without exception, whether this is applied to a television show, novel, theoretical physics or just a pure flight of fantasy. The same could also be said for parallel universes where the familiar is replaced with a similar yet dissimilar version of its self. Where people are nice to each other, the sun shines, they drive on the right-hand side of the road, they say pants instead of trousers and have something called customer service. Sounds awful.

You don't have to go far to encounter some strange and unusual happenings. Did you know that former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson wanted the UK to become the 51st State of America? I will spare you the details but they are here if you are interested:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wilson-wanted-uk-to-be-us-state-1075874.html

Something else you may not know is that, although, the first 625 line transmissions in the UK were in 1962 with a complete roll out by 1967 and the first colour transmission in the UK being the Wimbledon Tennis Championships of 1 July 1967 the BBC had actually hoped to be starting colour 525 line NTSC transmissions in early 1965. 

This as I am sure you are aware would have meant that we would have had colour Troughtons and about 50% of the Hartnells also in 525 line colour right? Wrong!

We can see from "Colour TV in the UK has been slow to get off the mark..." that there would have been other knock on effects. Satellite distribution didn't take off until the mid-seventies I did find in the National Archives a couple of newspaper cuttings that suggested it had been considered as early as 1967. The same year the above article is from. Additionally, the Telstar satellite was transmitting images from the US to the UK as early as 1962, and later live pictures from the 1969 moon landing:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telstar

Now, my knowledge of the technical ins and outs of this is non-existent but as this is just a bit of fun and not meant to be taken seriously I would suggest that had these events happened then there would have been no prints (or at least, fewer) sent around the globe. Remember some smaller countries were buying at less than the cost of a print because the print had already been paid from the previous sales. Would the emerging sub-Saharan countries have been able to afford the equipment to receive satellite transmissions?

It potentially leads us to a world where no or at least very few missing episodes would have any chance of being recovered ever and even now we would be watching NTSC transmissions. Thankfully, none of that ever happened.

Here is a bonus clipping for those interested:

:

Introduction

Well, here it is then, the first page of my new blog and I suppose I should tell you what it is all about then.

It is many things to many people for instance to me it's a space where I can dazzle you all whilst laying out my uniquely original and insightful thoughts on my interests with razor sharp wit and grace.

To others, it is the frothing, gibbering, incoherent nonsensical ramblings of somebody who is old enough to know better. It definitely isn't big and it definitely isn't funny!

"But what is it about?"

It's about my attempts to make sense of the Omnirumour and attempt to understand what missing (or previously missing if you prefer) episodes of vintage sixties and seventies TV series may have been recovered by the founder of TIEA Philip Morris. So there will be rumours, research, analysis and inference - expect lots of inference.

This blog does expect some familiarity with the Omnirumour itself and will no doubt veer off into surrounding areas which may not seem whole relevant but will hopefully redeem themselves.

A couple of sites I am sure you are familiar with but are worth mentioning to the uninitiated are:

http://www.broadwcast.org

For all things Doctor Who and television distribution related: http://marsanditscanals.blogspot.co.uk/ 

The blog of the indomitable J O'Donnell who describes his blog as "A journal of pointless and suspect research into television history. Mainly about Doctor Who."

Enjoy,
Steve