Each week viewers are presented with some 7½ hours of talks, discussions and documentary programmes. Together with news, religion, and education they account for about a third of all programmes.

Current Affairs

 

The network’s main current affairs programmes are This Week (Rediffusion), World in Action (Granada) and ITN’s Weekly Report, all of 30 minutes’ duration and transmitted weekly.

This Week seeks to interpret, by special film reports, studio interviews and discussions, current developments of political or sociological significance, both at home and abroad; each edition is devoted to one or two topics. Material during 1964 included reports on some major issues of the British General Election, full-length interviews with leaders of the three main political parties in Britain, accounts of the situation in East Africa, poverty in the USA, Rumania’s concept of national communism, and an examination of important sociological questions such as divorce, society and the psychopath, and fatherless families. In addition to its regular series, This Week from time to time presents special reports, examples during 1964 including programmes on cancer, the Greater London Council elections and the Christmas road deaths.

World in Action presents in depth a major story of current interest. Topics in 1964 included H.M. the Queen’s visit to Canada, Senator Goldwater’s nomination as Presidential candidate, the death of Lord Beaverbrook, and the Aberdeen typhoid outbreak.

ITN’s Weekly Report provides a close-up on the big news stories of the week.

 

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Another current affairs series transmitted over a number of Independent Television areas is What the Papers Say (Granada), in which a well-known journalist reviews the treatment given by the Press to the week’s news. Regular contributors have included Michael Frayn, Bernard Levin and Brian Inglis.

A number of short series of current affairs programmes have included The Outsiders (ATV), which considered three minority groups in North America; and Press and Presidency (ATV), in which foreign journalists described their countries’ attitudes to the US Presidential Election.

Most of the programme companies produce regular current affairs series for transmission in their own areas. There is a wide range of subject matter and treatment, but the emphasis generally is on local participation or topics of particular interest to local viewers. Series of Party political broadcasts continue in accordance with the agreement between the broadcasting authorities and the Parliamentary parties. In addition, extensive coverage is given on Independent Television to the Party conferences, local and Parliamentary elections are reported fully by ITN and the programme companies.

Features

On alternate Wednesdays Independent Television presents, in the form of a documentary feature programme, an extended study of a subject of world or national significance. Produced in turn by Rediffusion, ATV and Granada, they are intended to give a comprehensive account of a major area of politics or sociology. Recent examples have included programmes on tribalism in modern Africa, current social changes in Iran, economic pressures in Italy, studies of Lenin, George V, Baldwin and Hitler, and an examination of mixed marriages in Britain.

Most of the programme companies from time to time produce feature programmes for transmission in their own areas.

 

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Science and Natural History

Series on science or natural history are an established feature of Independent Television’s output. They are usually presented as regular weekly programmes over a period of several months. Recent series have included The Enemies Within (ATV), which considered certain illnesses in the light of current medical research; Survival (Anglia) on wild life preservation; People Like Us (Granada), studies in animal behaviour; and Another World (Granada), on aspects of natural history. Southern Television provided live coverage of the British Association’s annual conference.

 

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Practical and Outdoor

Nearly all the programme companies produce one or more regular weekly series of practical and outdoor magazine programmes. A major group is that of the farming magazines, which, while catering specifically for the interest and needs of the local farming community, often appeal to a wider public. There are a few general country series and some gardening programmes. Several series deal with various aspects of domestic science.

 

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Miscellaneous

Each week during most of the year outstanding documentary films have again been presented by John Grierson in This Wonderful World (Scottish). Another regular weekly series All Our Yesterdays (Granada), considers events of twenty-five years ago and makes fascinating use of contemporary newsreel film. After Dinner (ATV), a series of late-evening conversations featuring distinguished women, was introduced in August 1964. A series of interviews with highly successful young people was presented in The Young Tigers (Rediffusion). Among other programmes available in many ITA areas were On the Braden Beat (ATV), a satirical commentary on the contemporary scene, and Fair Play (ATV), in which grievances of the individual are discussed. In addition, there have been a number of local documentary series and individual programmes.

 

 

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Features

Feature programmes are presented regularly on alternate Wednesdays by Associated Television, Rediffusion and Granada. Examples during 1964 were:

 

Programme	Description	Company	Date
Abortion: a Question of Priorities	An up-to-date report on the law on abortion	ATV	17 June
Africa - the Hidden Frontiers	Tribalism in modern Africa	REDIFFUSION	19 February
Airport	24 hours at London Airport	REDIFFUSION	23 September
Black marries White	A study of mixed marriage in Britain	REDIFFUSION	29 April
The Deliverers	Study of a V-Bomber crew	ATV	22 January
The Dream Machine	The television itidustry	ATV	11 November
Faith and the Flag	Religious missionaries in Africa	ATV	4 March
Fans, Fans, Fans	A study of mass adulation	ATV	29 July
Freedom Hoad	History through song of negro emancipation	REDIFFUSION	5 February
Goldwater - Man Out of the West	Profile of Goldwater	REDIFFUSION	28 October
The Grafters	An examination of market-hucksters	REDIFFUSION	18 November
A King's Revolution	Social change in Iran	REDIFFUSION	1 January
Men of our Time	Studies of Lenin, King George V, Adolph Hitler, Stanley Baldwin	GRANADA	May-June
Nehru - Man of Two Worlds	An obituary study of President Nehru	ITN	27 May
The New Italian	Prosperity and poverty of Italy	REDIFFUSION	8 July
Room Down Under	An immigrant's view of Australia	REDIFFUSION	5 August
These Two Persons	The techniques of marriage guidance	ATV	15 April
A Wedding on Saturday	Marriage in a mining village	GRANADA	1 April
Women in Prison	An examination of the problems and attitudes of women in prison	REDIFFUSION	12 August
A World in Anguish	Debate on today's moral problems	ATV	2 September

 

Many other feature programmes are produced from time to time by the various companies. A few examples are given below:

 

Programme	Description	Company	Date	Area
America’s Cup	Sailing documentary	SOUTHERN	17 September 2018	N.
Birth of the Beat	History of beat music	SOUTHERN	21 July	P.
Brain and Superbrain	Developments in computers	SOUTHERN	23 June	P.
City	Administration of a modern city	ULSTER	10 Oct.-7 Nov.	N.
From Spadeadam to Space	The Blue Streak Rocket	TYNE TEES	24 April	P.
The Guernsey Experiment	Cancer Research	CHANNEL	17 February	L.
Girl in a Million	Mary Bignal-Rand	TWW	19 May	L.
Gwyn Thomas in Germany	Commentary from Berlin	TWW	15 September	P.
The Hidden World	Children at play	TYNE TEES	18 August	P.
The High Bridge	The Forth Road Bridge project	SCOTTISH	3 September	P.
In Front of Camera	Interview with Frank Cousins	CHANNEL	17 February	L.
The Martyrs	Discussion on conditions in agriculture	WESTWARD	24 August	P.
New Neighbours	Social documentary	TYNE TEES	26 October 2018	L.
Political Scotland	History of Scottish politics	SCOTTISH	28 September 2018	L.
Sink or Swim	Examination of industrial relations	SCOTTISH	7 September	P.
’64 and After	Election Year examination of Ulster, its people and problems	ULSTER	6 August	L.
Spanner in the Works	Britain's need for engineers	TYNE TEES	3 June	P.
That Extra Second	Use of drugs in sport	WESTWARD	21 September	L.
Warren Report	Review and commentary	ITN	27 September	P.
Where Are We Going	Careers discussion	WESTWARD	8 October 2018	L.
X Marks the Spot	A study of Government	BORDER	2 October	L.
Young Offenders	Documentary on an Irish Borstal	ULSTER	1 October	L.

 

Current Affairs

 

Programme	Description	Company	Mins	Time and day	Area
Arena	Topical discussion	ANGLIA	15	6.45 Thu.	L.
Background	Report and discussion	SOUTHERN	30	10.30 Mon. to June	L.
Behind the Front Page	News discussion	ULSTER	40	10.36 Tue. m’thly to May	L.
China Now	3 part report	ATV	30	10.30 Mon. Feb.-March	N.
Enterprise ’04	Scientific progress in Scotland	SCOTTISH	30	8.86 Wed. Aug. Sept.	P.
Front Page Debate	Topical discussion	TYNE TEES	15	7.15 Wed. from April	L.
Home on Friday	M.P. s meet voters	TYNE TEES	30	10.10 Fri. m’thly	L.
Leading Questions	Question and answer programme	TYNE TEES	15	6.45 Fri. July-Sept.	L.
Look Around	Current Midland topics	ATV	30	6.15 Wed. (alt.) to Sept.	L.
Look at East Anglia	Current local topics	ANGLIA	30	6.30 Fri. to Sept.	L.
The Outsiders	3-part community studies	ATV	25	1 1.10 Sun. Jan.-Feb.	P.
Parade Special	Documentary report	ULSTER	15	8.15 Mon. June-Sept.	L.
Points North	Political discussion	GRAMPIAN	30	10.37 Fri. m'thly	L.
Press and Presidency	U.S. Presidential elections	ATV	30	10.30 Mon. Sept.	P.
Shades of Opinion	Discussion	SCOTTISH	30	10.30 Mon. May-Sept.	L.
Survey	Examination of current problems	ANGLIA	30	10.30 Mon. to June	L.
Talk of the Tavern	People's Parliament	TYNE TEES	30	10.30 Mon. from Oct.	L.
This Week	Study of current issues	REDIFFUSION	30	9.10 Thu.	N.
Three after Six	Discussion on news	REDIFFUSION	22	6.08 Tue.-Thu. from June	L.
Up the Poll	Studio debate	SOUTHERN	30	10.30 Mon. June-Sept.	L.
What Say They	Panel discussion	BORDER	25	8.00 Tue to April	L.
What the Papers Say	Review of the Press	GRANADA	15	10.35 Thu.	P.
World in Action	Investigates, reports, interprets	GRANADA	30	10.05 Tue. from Sept.	N,
Your Point of View	Discussion	TWW	30	10.30 Mon. from Aug.	L.
Your Questions Please	Panel discussion	SOUTHERN	30	10.30 Sun. from Oct.	L.

 

Personal

 

Programme	Description	Company	Mins.	Time and day	Area
Faces of Power	Jawaharlal Nehru, Walter Reuther, Cecil King	ATV	15	11.10 Sun. Jan.	N.
Godfrey Winn tells a Story	Personal reminiscences	TWW	15	3.20 Sun. to April	L.
Looking Back	Ulster personalities	ULSTER	30	10.37 Tue. to Aug.	L,
Midland Profile	Midland personalities	ATV	15	6.15 Tue. to Sept.	L,
Portrait of the Man	Grimond, Wilson, Douglas-Home	ATV	30	5.35 Sun. Apr.-May	N.
Robinson Reports	Personal commentary	ANGLIA	15	6.45 Fri. to June	L,
Something to Say	Eminent people interviewed	REDIFFUSION	30	10.30 Mon. from Oct.	P.
View Finder	Personal viewpoint	GRAMPIAN	30	10.50 Tue. to Sept.	L.
The World of...	Personal histories	WESTWARD	20	10.35 Thu. from Oct.	L,
The Young Tigers	Interviews with successful young people	REDIFFUSION	30	10.30 Mon. June-July	N.

 

Practical and Outdoor

 

Programme	Description	Company	Mins.	Time and day	Area
About the Home	Home magazine	BORDER	15	7.30 Thu.	L.
Country Focus	Country magazine	GRAMPIAN	30	6.30 Tue. (alt.)	L.
Farm in the South	Farm itig magazine	SOUTHERN	25	2.43 Sun.	L.
Farming Comment	Farming magazine	ABC	10/5	2.00 Sun.	P.
Farming Diary	Farming magazine	ANGLIA	30	1.55 Sun.	L.
Farming Outlook	Farming magazine	TYNE TEES	15	2.00 Sun.	L.
Home at 4.30	Women's magazine	SOUTHERN	15	4.30 Tue.-Thu. from June	L.
In Your Garden	Gardening	SCOTTISH	30	6.30 Thu. Feb.-May	L.
Island Farmer	Farming magazine	CHANNEL	15	6.45 Mon.	L.
Keeping Your Man	Cookery instruction	SCOTTISH	30	7.00 Wed. to Sept.	L,
Leisure Time	Hobbies	GRAMPIAN	30	6.30 Mon. to Sept.	L.
Midland Farming	Farming magazine	ATV	15	6.45 Wed. to Sept.	L.
Out of Town	Magazine	SOUTHERN	20	6.40 Fri.	L.
Pop and Leslie	Home magazine	WESTWARD	15	6.45 Fri.	L.
Summer Garden	Gardening magazine	BORDER	30	6.30 Thu. July-Sept.	L.
Techniques of Marketing	Science of retail marketing	GRAMPIAN	30	11.12 Wed. from Sept.	L.
Time Out of Doors	Magazine of the open air	BORDER	30	7.00 Wed.	L.

 

Miscellaneous

Some of the many other documentary programmes produced during 1964 are listed below:

 

Programme	Description	Company	Mins.	Time and day	Area
After Dinner	Discussion	ATV	30	10.30 Mon. Aug. Sept.	N.
All Our Yesterdays	Events of years ago	GRANADA	30	7.00 Mon.	.V.
Approach to ...	Occupations examined	TWW	30	10.30 Mon. to June	P.
Cambridge Union Debate	Recorded transmission	ANGLIA	30	10.30 Mon. Oct.-Dec.	L.
Citizens All	Study of power in Britain	SOUTHERN	30	10.30 Mon. from Oct.	L.
The Enemies Within	Reports on modern medical treatment	ATV	25	11.10 Sun. Apr.-June	P.
Fair Play	Individual grievances	ATV	30	11.12 Wed.	P.
Friday Magazine	Incl. sport and religion	ULSTER	30	10.35 Fri. June-Aug.	L.
From Child to Man	Psychology series on man's development	ULSTER	30	10.37 Tue.	L.
Having Died, They Said	Confrontations between historical figures	GRAMPIAN	30	8.25 Fri. from Oct.	L.
Here and Now	Magazine programme	REDIFFUSION / ANGLIA / SOUTHERN	15	6.45 Mon.-Wed. to June	P.
History of Ireland	Historical series	ULSTER	20	11.15 Wed. Fri. July-Aug.	L.
Look Back to Tomorrow	History of the region	TYNE TEES	30	10.05 Fri. (m’thly) to May	L.
Mind Behind War	War leaders' comments	TWW	30	10.30 Mon. July Aug.	P.
Monday Magazine	Magazine programme	ULSTER	30	11.00 approx. Mon. June-Aug.	L.
On the Braden Beat	Satirical commentary	ATV	25	11.06 Sat. to July & from Oct.	P.
People Like Us	Animal behaviour	GRANADA	30	10.05 Tue. Aug.-Sept.	N.
Personal Column	Comment on the week	ABC	5	11.45 Sat. to June & from Oct.	L.
Science ’64	Meeting of B.A.A.S.	SOUTHERN	150	10.00 a.m. daily 27 Aug.-2 Sept.	P
This Wonderful World	Film anthology	SCOTTISH	30	7.00 Tue. to Sept.	P
The Wandering Scot	Travel film	SCOTTISH	30	10.05 Tue. July-Sept.	L

 

L. Local
P. Part Network
N. Network