BOTH SIR IAN JACOB, of the BBC, and Sir Robert
Fraser, of the ITA, discussing the possibility of a third TV network in the Observer, were careful to deny that (in Sir Robert's words) there is currently 'some sort of television boat race, with rival rosettes and factious followings, not to say a lot of pretty artful dodging for the inside of the bend.' But both promptly began to jockey for the inside of the bend. Sir Ian, as might be expected, proved no match for his rival. Sir Robert blandly demands a fourth network; one BBC, one 'educational' and two commercial. The idea of an educational network, American style, was mentioned by an Observer writer the previous week : Sir Robert pounces on it gleefully : 'we must have our own similar service'—provided, of course, it is not left in the charge of the BBC. I do not know if this is the ITA's official view (Sir Robert sprinkles the personal pronoun so liberally over the letter that perhaps he is speak- ing only for himself); but it is a foolish one. What limited success American educational pro- grammes have had is due mainly to circumstances which do not apply here.
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