Television and Taste
The B.B.C.'s brilliant handling of the Coronation on tele- vision was not in itself any sort of argument that the B.B.C. should continue to enjoy its monopoly. Nor was the failure of some American networks to keep their broadcasts of the service free of vulgar advertisement an argument against the Introduction of commercial television here. With the advisory committee's report on the point of publication, it is important that the air'should be kept clear enough to permit reasonably clear thinking on the subject; but the opponentsjof commercial television are already doing their best to introduce a haze by making the most of these recent events. Of course the B.B.C. handled the Coronation well : it was to be expected that it would : and the success proves no more than that the great Public event is the best of all material for the television cameras. It is lamentable, certainly, that the American networks should have failed to honour their agreement with the B.B.C. and Permitted, for example, the crowning of the Queen to have become mixed up with a " plug " for a deodorant. But it has never been suggested that sponsored television in this country should model itself on American practice. Indeed, it is most unlikely that it will ever have the chance to do anything of the sort. The most sensible thing would be td keep quiet _Until the report is out and it can be seen what conditions of license are proposed. Then there will be something, to talk about.
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