Competitive Television
SIR,—Mr. Norman Collins in his article Competitive Television gave a balanced and lucid justification for its introduction here. There should be no doubt in any Conservative or Liberal mind as to the fundamental principles of freedom of choice and individual responsibility which are implicit in this controversy. But it is right that everything should be done to render groundless the justifiable fears of those who cannot see the wood of principle for the trees of American sponsored programmes.
Apart from the Government's proposals, which are, I think, ignored by the critics, I would like to draw attention to the rigid code of ethics which has been drawn up by the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers and the Institute of Incorporated Practitioners in Advertising and which is now in the hands of the Postmaster-General. This code is symptomatic of British good taste and is a guarantee that In this country we will not ape American sponsorship. Every con- tingency is considered, particularly with regard to children's pro- grammes, and covered in extenso. For example, young people's adventure stories may be accepted subject to these prohibitions:
(i) no torture or suggestion of torture, (ii) no horror—present or impending, (iii) no use of the supernatural or of superstition likely to arouse fear, (iv) no profanity or vulgarity.
And the penalty for violation of any such rules is the withdrawal of the station owner's licence. It is to be noted, too, that the station owner and not his advertiser will be the licensee under the
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