Orders of the Day — Television Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 June 1963.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr Victor Yates Mr Victor Yates , Birmingham, Ladywood 12:00, 24 June 1963

I strongly support the new Clause. I was extremely surprised to find that the Pilkington Committee, in its Report, rather discouraged the idea of a consumers' council. I agree that that, of course, is a bigger proposition, but I think that my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Chapman) is quite right when he says that, in the mind of the Pilkington Committee, there was the thought that it would probably be better to debate these matters fully each year on a report.

In paragraph 427 of its Report, the Pilkington Committee said: Yet the fact that the proposal has been made emphasises the need for each of the two broadcasting authorities to use all the means at its disposal to answer for the conduct of its services. Each should welcome and, indeed, invite criticism, the more so since (as we have noted each is exempt from the commercial consequences of a failure to realise the purposes of broadcasting…More particularly, the broadcasting authorities' annual reports made to the Postmaster-General and presented to Parliament should be the occasion for an explanation of policy and for a revealing examination of criticisms. That has not been accepted by the Postmaster-General. We cannot discuss individual criticisms, and we are in the difficulty of trying to raise matters by Parliamentary Question. This is by no means easy. I admit that I have myself put Questions to the Postmaster-General, having got them beyond the Table, and, no doubt, he will say that, for instance, I have been able to voice my criticisms about violence in "Oliver Twist" on television and other matters. But is this really satisfactory or scientific?

I think that the Postmaster-General admitted in Committee that he could not watch television very often and he had to rely upon other people. We ought to have a better system than that or the mere possibility of trying, in an indirect and difficult way, to raise criticisms by Questions in the House. We need a more scientific method of determining what is good and what is bad in television broadcasting.

Clause 2 provides that the Authority shall draw up, and from time to time review, a code giving guidance as to the rules to be observed in regard to the showing of violence, particularly when large numbers of children and young persons may be expected to be watching the programmes. The B.B.C. has a code for violence, as is fully reported by the Pilkington Committee. It is a long and detailed code, but any producer, even with such a code, could introduce any amount of violence if he wanted it, provided that he could prove that it was necessary to the main theme or essential to the purpose of his production. There is a good deal of dissatisfaction today even where there is a code of practice because we have not yet found the right method of assessing what is good and what is bad and of assessing properly what people think.

The Viewers' and Listeners' Association, which gave evidence to the Pilkington Committee, published a very interesting pamphlet in which it argued that, after a careful study of a large number of films of violence, crime, comedy, and so forth, it was able to assess what it regarded as good and as bad. It paid particular attention to Western films. But its conclusion—I think that it could come to no other conclusion—was that there should be some body which could study the effect of television programmes and advise the Postmaster-General.

I am not suggesting, and I do not think that anyone is suggesting, that there should be a committee which interferes with the broadcasting authorities. It should be a committee able to study these questions and report to the Postmaster-General upon the working of the Bill. There will have to be some very careful study of how matters proceed, even if the Bill becomes law with all the safeguards which we want. The B.B.C. has its code, and, by jingo, it is subject to a good deal of criticism as a broadcasting authority. If we started talking about what should be done with, for instance, "That Was The Week That Was", we should run into considerable difficulties. The committee which we propose should be an advisory body, in the main representing consumer interests throughout the country, representing parents, representing those who understand what is dangerous or harmful to children, and so on.

I remind the House of what the new Clause says—that the council so appointed shall make to the Postmaster General each year a report of its proceedings and as soon as may be after receiving any such report, the Postmaster General shall lay copies of the report before Parliament. I know that the right hon. Gentleman will seriously consider the feeling of dissatisfaction there is among many people, and the fact that there is a good deal of feeling that all is not right with the broadcasting services, and that the Bill will not make them any better unless there be some greater safeguard. People feel that a great deal of moral and spiritual damage is done by these bodies, and will be done unless there is a greater study, and a greater advisory power available to advise the Postmaster-General. I know that he is sensitive to criticism which is made about this service, and I am certain that as Minister he would do what he could to repair any damage he thought might have been done. I am certain of that.

Therefore, I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will favourably consider the establishment of some kind of advisory body, even if not in this form, a body which the general public can feel is outside the broadcasting authorities and studying these things, and to which those who feel dissatisfied can write, a body which they can approach to state their views, and through which the Postmaster-General may get a more scientific analysis of the feelings of the people and also an assessment of the damage which is likely to be caused.