0000820
G.F. 82
Y.E.
File No.
Page
60
야
Allegations by David Stirling
of lack of consultation between Government and TVB
When you spoke to me on the telephone recently I stated that it was untrue to suggest (as Stirling did in his recent conversation with you) that there had not been any "consultation" between Government and TVB on our proposed frequency plan. I note in Stirling's letter to you of 30th November that he now speaks of an absence of "worthwhile discussion" (not simply "consultation") which seems to be more an expression of opinion
than fact.·
The position is that the discussions with TVB started early in 1971 when Santos (The Telecommunications Engineer of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation seconded temporarily to Government), Granger, our Chief Telecommunications Controller and Jenney, Secretary to the Working Party, under the auspices of MKIVB visited all the TVB transmitter sites so as to avail themselves of the situation on the ground. Following this in May 1971, Mr. Andrew Bu, the Managing Director of TVB, was invited to appear before Members of the working Group. Amongst other things, the question of the possibility of changing frequencies was discussed at that meeting. In this connection, I attach herewith a relevant extract from the minutes.
3.
Immediately upon my return from the United Kingdom in September this year I held further discussions on this subject with Mr. Andrew Eu and gave him a copy of the proposed frequency plan.
4. I held another meeting with Andrew Eu and his Chief Engineer on 6th October at which he outlined his ideas for accommodating all the new services in Band V and showed me a technical plan of this proposal drawn up by his engineer. He would not, at that stage, give me a copy of his plan. I pointed out that the Government plan had been produced to enable all main transmitters to operate in Band IV whilst at the same time keeping disruption to TVB's existing service to a minimum. I asked Mr. Eu if his engineer would care to propose amendments to Government's plan which would further reduce this disruption without moving the main transmitters out of the Band IV. He refused to entertain this offer.
5. I had two further meetings with Mr. Eu on 7th and 13th November and at the latter of these two meetings he handed me (presumably on the advice of his board) his Band V plan which had been shown to me at the meeting the previous month. (This was subsequently passed by me to the Telecommuni- cations Authority). I asked him again if his engineer could propose useful modifications to Government's proposed frequency plan and again he said he was not prepared to ask his engineer to do this.
6. In addition to the consultations listed above, Granger, our Chief Telecommunications Controller, has from time to time discussed, on an informal basis, technical problems with TVB's engineer. I am unable at present to