Granada Television Limited and Lord Bernstein
In the issue of the Spectator dated 17 February 1979 our television critic, Richard Ingrams, in the course of a review of the recent Granada programme containing an interview with Lord Kagan referred to the delay in the transmission of the programme and also implied that the Board of Granada and Lord Bernstein in particular were for political reasons responsible for bringing pressure to bear to stop the programme being shown. It was further suggested that it was the resulting publicity which caused Granada to transmit the programme.
We unreservedly accept that the programme was not the subject of Board Room discussion prior to transmission and that Lord Bernstein was not in any way consulted as to the making or transmission of the programme, neither did he express any views with regard thereto, and the suggested reasons expressed by Mr Ingrams for the delay in showing the programme and the reasons for it being ultimately transmitted were entirely without foundation.
We apologise to Granada Television Limited and to Lord Bernstein and regret any embarrassment caused.
We also much regret that in the same passage by Mr Ingrams a totally false allegation appeared against Messrs Goodman, Derrick & Co to the effect that they were in some way involved in seeking to delay or prevent the showing of the film about Lord Kagan. The fact of the matter is that this firm had nothing whatever to do with the film;. did not vet it on behalf of Granada and neither communicated with nor received any communication from anyone about it. No one in the firm had seen the film prior to its television presentation. We apologise to the firm for the publication of this totally false imputation and for having dragged their name into a matter with which they had absolutely no connection.
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