CONFIDENTIAL
4. THEY HAVE HOWEVER IN EFFECT SUGGESTED AN ALTERNATIVE BY QUESTION- ING THE SOUNDNESS OF THE TECHNICAL ADVICE GIVEN TO US AND BY ASKING WHETHER WE ARE SATISIFIED THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A TRANSMISSION PLAN TO BE DRAWN UP WHICH WOULD PROVIDE FOR THE NEW LICENSEES TO SHARE NEW SITES, SEPARATE FROM THEIR OWN, AND FOR FREQUENCIES TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE NEW LICENSEES ENTIRELY IN BAND V, LEAVING THEIR ALLOCATIONS IN BAND IV UNDISTURBED. THIS MAY BE ONLY A DELAYING TACTIC: BUT BEFORE WE DECIDE WHAT FURTHER ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN
WE NEED TO KNOW;-
A) WHETHER IT IS TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE FOR EITHER THREE (OR PREFERABLY FOUR) SERVICES TO BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN BAND V TRANSMITTING FROM SITES OTHER THAN THOSE OCCUPIED BY TVB AND ACHIEVING APPROXIMATELY THE SAME COVERAGE AS PROVIDED BY TVB: AND
B) WHAT EFFECT THIS WOULD HAVE ON VIEWERS.
5. NOBODY HERE CAN ADVISE AUTHORITATIVELY ON THESE POINTS.
6. IF TVB ARE TO BE PERSUADED TO MODIFY THEIR ATTITUDE (OR IF WE ARE TO HAVE RECOURSE TO RESUMPTION) AUTHORITATIVE ADVICE MUST FIRST BE OBTAINED. IN DISCUSSION IT WAS CLEAR THAT TVD HAVE A HIGH REGARD FOR THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE POSSESSED BY THE BBC. THEY WILL THUS HAVE DIFFICULTY IN DISPUTING THE OPINION OF A SUITABLE BBC ENGINEER OF SOME STANDING, AND I SHOULD .
BE CRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD INQUIRE WHETHER SUCH AN OPINION CAN BE
PROVIDED.
7. I UNDERSTAND THAT GRANGER, OUR CHIEF CONTROLLER, TELECOMMUN- ICATIONS SERVICES, HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BBC DURING A VISIT IN APRIL THIS YEAR AND HAS SUBSEQUENTLY COPREGPONDED WITH MCCRIERICK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING. THE BBC SHOULD THEREFORE KNOW THE BACKGROUND TO OUR TRANSMISSION DIFFICULTIES. THEIR KNOWLEDGE COULD BE SUPPLEMENTED BY THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN CHAPTER 9 AND APPENDIX C OF THE REPORT OF THE WORKING PARTY ON THE FUTURE OF BROADCASTING. WHICH WAS ANNEXED TO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMORANDUM XXC(72)14. WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THESE EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT BEING PROVIDED IN CONFIDENCE TO THE BL6.
Jo
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2
CONFT DEHN LAL
18. ALTHOUGH