I HAVE SOME sympathy with the commercial television com- panies
in their determination not to accept the Government's proffered £100,000 subsidy. It is true that in theory it is not for them to accept or reject the offer; the money should go to the Independent Television Authority, and it is up to the ITA to decide what to do with it. But the intention presumably is that the money should be spent on programmes; and the contracting companies would have to put on the programmes, or at least find time for them. If the full £750,000 a year subsidy were to be made available, the companies might be tempted : it would enable them to concentrate all their resources on mass-audience programmes, leaving the 'balance' to come out of the subsidy. But £100,000 a year, spread among the companies, is not enough. In any case, the companies do not want to accept State money if they can help it; without it they are in a stronger bargaining position, as they can boast to the taxpayer that they are on his side. The Authority, I imagine, is going to have a difficult time deciding what to do.
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