Saga o Forsaitakh
Sir: I read the article by Mr Tibor Szamuely ('Saga o Forsaitakh,' 2 June) with great interest. as I have just returned from a visit to Moscow —the main object of which was to sell BBC tele- vision programmes to them.
Although we have been in contact with Moscow Television for over two years we have never been successful in making any sales. There are a variety of reasons for this, of which the two most impor- tant I think are lack of communication, and lack of money—particularly sterling. These two pro- blems bore I hope now been solved as a result of my visit The first because I have now met the people who matter face to face, and as received most charmingly and courteously by everyone that I met in four days of intensive screenings and discussions. The second is also I hope solved as we were able to agree a basic price structure, and I was assured that sterling would now be available for the purchase of programmes.
I was also able to establish quite clearly the areas of programming in which they were interested (documentaries, in its broadcast interpretation. music and arts programmes, and nineteenth and twentieth century drama and children's pro- gratm-nes, in that order), and that we were no longer confined to 'programmes about Britain and the British way of life,' which had been our previous understanding. Move specifically they have asked to see viewing prints of The Forsyte Saga (it was the head of the list!) Maigret, Shaknpeare. Dickens and Walter Scott, as well as our travel, adventure and natural history series, and many other individual progranimet Thus, and although these are early days—I only returned from Czechoslovakia and Sweden this week—the indications and portents are good. Our trade with Moscow may never be so great as seriously to alter the balance of payments deficit, but at least I have every intention of securing the major portion of whatever future market there may be for television programmes imported hsto Russia for the sac Dennis Scare General Manager, BBC Television Enterprises. BBC Television Centre, London W12
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