I'm Sure I Speak For Many Others...
Page 20
I realise that to the mighty BBC this protest is a very minor affair but I still think it worthy of a complete postage stamp and not the half a stamp used on your recent letter which led to my having to pay His Majesty’s Postmaster General a postage due fee of 5d, vide attached envelope.
Yours very truly
W.E.G.
A note on the file indicates, thankfully, that five penny stamps were to be included with the reply.
London SW1
14 July 1946
To: The Editor
Dear Sir,
Many people I have spoken to are surprised, as I am, that there was no mention in the 9 o’clock news last night of the result of the cricket match between our two most famous public schools at Lord’s.
May I please be given the reason?
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
S.S.
English Lake District Hotels Association, Keswick
2 March 1960
To: The Director of Television, c/o B.B.C. Broadcasting House London W1
Dear Sir,
Re: Television Broadcast ‘No Passport’ 24. 2. 1960
I have to inform you that this broadcast has been discussed by the General Purposes Committee of the above association. I was instructed to inform you, that whilst the Committee appreciate your decision to make a Film of the Lake District, they are very disappointed with the way this film was presented, as it fell far short of the established admiration of the thousands of visitors to Lakeland, from Britain and Overseas, of the beauties and scenery of the district in general, and it was agreed that this was a poor effort, undertaken by two inexperienced youths.
If you wish to obtain some idea of the beauties of the Lake District, and the way in which Films should be taken, I would suggest that you get in touch with the Ribble Motor Services Ltd. Frenchwood Avenue, Preston, Lancs and ask for the loan of their Films of Lakeland. Compare them with the Film which was broadcast on television on 24th February, and I think you will agree my Committee have just cause for complaint.
With reference to the remarks made by Mr R. Dimbleby at the end of the film, my Committee are of the opinion that these remarks should be disregarded, as they are unworthy of notice, and in direct contrast to the established favourable comment of visitors, regarding the hospitality of the Hoteliers in the Lake District.
Yours faithfully,
R. B.
The British Travel and Holidays Association London SW1
2 February 1959
To: Kenneth Adam Esq., Controller of Programmes, B.B.C. Television Centre, Wood lane, London W12
Dear Kenneth,
I appreciate the number of programmes which have been broadcast on holiday taking in Britain, but surely we could point to an extensive list of foreign travel programmes and travel films.
The Association must ask very firmly that British holiday taking is featured to at least the same extent. 90% of the population are likely to travel in Britain, whereas little more than 10% are likely to consider travelling abroad.
My committee are particularly concerned with the fact that the three recent foreign travel programmes were broadcast at the height of the holiday promotion and booking period. They were designed in the form of an advertisement, quoting prices, giving advice etc. In fact I do not believe that the French Tourist office could have produced a better advertisement, even if they had to pay the whole of the cost themselves. Had they been shown at any other time than the present, Spring or Summer for example, the objection would not be so strong.
The whole picture is getting out of perspective and the public is being ill-served on obtaining advice about what most of them want today, i.e. travel in their own country.
Yours sincerely,
J. G. B.
Director General
Torquay Hotels Association, Vaughan Parade, Torquay
30 January 1959
To: The Director of Television Programmes, British Broadcasting Corporation, London W1
Dear Sir,
B.B.C. Television Travel Broadcasts by Richard Dimbleby
There is considerable feeling amongst British resort Authorities, hoteliers and caterers and all concerned with British holidays, in connection with the constant plugging which goes on in favour of holidays abroad. This is not only harmful immediately to those concerned with holidays in Britain but it affects a great number of other trades who are suppliers to British resorts, hoteliers etc. These range in almost every field, from furnishers, brewers, transport concerns and food suppliers etc.
In the past when the question of publicity on the BBC for holidays abroad has been brought up an answer has been received that equivalent publicity is accorded abroad in an effort to persuade foreigners to come over here. We are afraid we cannot accept this explanation. Surely, reciprocal publicity in Brittany and Portugal would only attract a very minute number of foreigners to come over here in comparison with the number of Britishers who must be attracted by the programmes put on, especially under the direction of the well-known personality Richard Dimbleby.
We are sending a copy of this letter to the British Hotels & Restaurants Association and to the British Travel & Holidays Association and to our Member of Parliament.
Yours faithfully,
W.G.S.
Glasgow Celtic F.C., Celtic Park, Glasgow
7 January 1966
To: Andrew Stewart Esq. Controller Scottish BBC, Glasgow
Dear Sir,
We wish to draw your attention to a sports programme which took place on Tuesday night relative to our match against Rangers. In order to put everything into full perspective I wish to give the full details of the history of this programme.
I received a call from the B.B.C. in London. They stated they had been in touch with Glasgow and as Glasgow had a television team at the Park asked if they could have additional photographers on the field. I asked for their assurance that they would not introduce crowd scenes, possible arrests and the like. They would not receive permission unless I had this assurance. This was given to me personally by your representative.
On Tuesday evening matters which did not pertain whatsoever to the match were highlighted in your programme.
That the Eire flag flies on top of the Stand.
That priests can obtain free admission to Celtic Park.
That this match was an orange and Catholic ritual.
The battle of the Boyne was mentioned.
Mounted police were highlighted.
Bottles lying on the ground were given prominence.
That the Rangers F.C. had signed on a Catholic and immediately it had come to their notice, gave him a free transfer.
After the match the Chief Constable reported to me that it had been a very well controlled crowd and there had only been four arrests inside the ground where with an attendance of 65,000 it was a very orderly gathering. This programme only took place because we were deliberately misled and told untruths by your representatives. I would ask that they be informed that their presence is no longer welcome.
Yours faithfully,
D. W.
League of Jewish Women London WC1
28 July 1966
To: Michael Peacock Esq. Director of BBC1 Television, BBC Television Centre London W12
Dear Mr. Peacock,
I feel I owe you an apology. When we discussed the World Cup Programme at the Women’s Meeting earlier in the month, I felt, at that time, that you were being very anti-feminist in devoting so much television time to football.
In the event you have proved completely right, and I feel I must tell you that my staff (all women) spend the first half hour of every morning discussing the previous day’s matches. Tuesday night’s semi-final was absolute [sic] compulsive viewing, and I think that there were very few people all over the country who did not applaud the decision you had made with regard to the coverage of this tremendous event. My congratulations to you, not only on your policy but on the way in which the policy
has been carried out.
All our hopes and thoughts are with England for Saturday’s Final!
With warmest greetings to your colleagues and yourself.
Yours sincerely
Mrs. M. B.
Morriston R.F.C. West Wales
7 July 1962
To: The Director-General, British Broadcasting Corporation, London W1
Dear Sir,
On behalf of my members I must protest most strongly at the utter lack of coverage both sound and television, given by the B.B.C. to the present tour of South Africa by the British Isles Rugby Union Touring Team.
This attitude of indifference by the B.B.C. to rugby is deplorable as whereas we have been inundated in the past month with film of the World Cup, motor racing and tennis, all of which British teams and individuals have not done particularly well, this successful tour of South Africa by a British team is being ignored by you.
You are not loth [sic] to screen the home rugby internationals at the low fee of £2,500 per match, but ignore this major sport on all other occasions and levels.
[Former Wales rugby international and now broadcaster] Cliff Morgan has shown the way with his ‘Welsh Sportsview’ which in Wales is far more popular than the Dimmock, Jacobs dominated ‘Sportsview’.
I would remind you that we are not alone in our thinking on this matter but that this letter reflects the views of all rugby enthusiasts, and indeed all sportsmen, throughout the British Isles.
Yours faithfully,
D. D.
The College of General Practitioners, Bath
28 January 1961
Sir,
May I draw your attention to a programme called ‘Epidemic’ broadcast on B.B.C. Television on the evening of Thursday, 26th January. The subject was small-pox and whatever medical impression the programme had was poor.
The technique of vaccination shown was archaic.
Various alleged medical men handled small-pox patients with their bare hands and then used the telephone; put their hands in their pockets etc. without any pretence of washing.
One case which was alleged by the ‘experts’ in the programme to have died of unsuspected small-pox was certified and cremated as a case of pneumonia. This implies a lack of competence – or worse – on the part of at least two doctors – presumably general practitioners.
How can anyone detect small-pox infection in samples of jute as the programme perported [sic] to do?
I do not usually watch medical programmes on T.V. They usually give such a false and nauseating picture of medical matters that my stomach revolts. However, I did watch this one and I feel that its obvious defects and its implied slur on doctors call for a protest to the B.B.C.
I have also written to the B.M.A. on this matter.
Yours faithfully,
W.B.S.C.
Cambridge
19 November 1958
Dear Mr Adam,
To belabour the point I was trying to get over to you last night, I do feel, that in view of the great power of Television, very great care should be exercised against maintaining the ‘Music Hall’ attitude towards dental treatment. Fortunately one programme does do the contrary and is to be congratulated upon it – The Archers.
One feels that people of the intelligence necessary to have control of such a medium must have the intelligence to realise that dentistry is not the absolute painful and all feared procedure that it was, and that this medium should be used to educate the public into a more sane attitude towards the care of their teeth, although this will inevitably produce a greater demand than the profession is, at present, capable of dealing with, there will be a greater chance of some of the public wanting to be dentists.
Yours faithfully,
P.H.F.G.
BBC Lime Grove Studios, London W12
31 May 1962
To: Rex Moorfoot, Esq. Head of Presentation, Room 6043, Television Centre
My dear Rex,
To my great sorrow I was unable to view that admirable programme ‘Points of View’ last night, but I am told by several people who did see it that, interviewed by Robert Robinson, the Editor of the ‘Tailor and Cutter’ made reference to the fact that I had been ‘pushing’ or ‘plugging’ broad-striped shirts on television. I find it extremely hard to believe, however, that such an assertion could have been made and passed unchallenged, carrying with it an implication that I have received payment for wearing shirts of the kind referred to. This, of course, would be highly defamatory and I wonder, therefore, whether you would be so kind as to let me know exactly what was said.
Yours sincerely,
Derek Hart
AND FINALLY
Coniston, Lancs. [as it then was]
1 November 1962
Dear Mr. [Robert] Robinson,
The son of a friend of mine is again out of a regular job. Would it be possible for you to use your influence on his behalf in getting him a sound, well-paid job with the B.B.C.?
He is not too bright and has no special qualifications, but has a very sociable nature. I am sure he would get on very well with Mr. Dimbleby Jnr., Mr. Cotton Jnr., and Mr. Sylvestor Jnr. Or has influence nothing to do with finding employment with the Corporation and merit alone taken as the criterion?
Yours faithfully,
J.E.G.
APPENDIX
MOST WATCHED TELEVISION IN BRITAIN IN THE 1960S
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to place on record my thanks to James Codd, without whom I would still be trapped in the BBC Written Archives. I would also like to acknowledge the help provided by my Editor at BBC Books, Charlotte Macdonald, Sarah Garnham my publicist and of course my indefatigable agent Luigi Bonomi.
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