More on the Market
Sir: The recent dispute between the television technicians' union, ACTT, and the independent television companies was unfortunate in that, once again, the public were deprived of a service for which they have paid. Needless to say there will be no refund.
That this dispute should have taken place at the peak of the referendum campaign was doubly unfortunate, especially from the anti-Marketeers' point of view. Not only have ITV maintained a fair balance on the EEC issue (whereas the BBC shows a distinct bias in favour of the pro-Marketeers) but, if opinion polls and market researchers are to be believed, the potential anti-Market vote was more likely to be among those normally tuned into ITV.
While disputes within television are not uncommon, this is the first time that the employers have resorted to a "lock-out'. Nevertheless, it is a fact that among those who have boardroom experience within the ITV companies are several people, including Lord Harlech, Sir Lew Grade, Mr Graham Dowson and the Baroness Gaitskell, who are on the Executive Committee or the Council of 'Britain in Europe'.
At a time when nearly all the Press — with the honourable exception of The Spectator — are strongly biased in favour of Britain remaining in the EEC, television, and particularly ITV, has been a vital outlet for the anti-Market case.
Nowhere has this been shown more clearly than in the National Referendum Campaign 'Vote No' programmes. In spite of (and perhaps, even, because of) their small budgets they have been vastly superior to the American-influenced 'what nice chaps Willie Whitelaw, Vic Feather and Shirley Williams are' pro-Market extravangazas.
It is strange, too, that the Prime Minister, who took almost a whole day from campaigning and governing before the 1970 Election to stop an ITV strike, would appear to have been singularly lax on this occasion. But, then, we all know how Mr Wilson's prime objective has been to fix the refekndum to ensure the result he wants.
jGim 25 Mosley Wood Lane, Coeoskrre dger, Leeds
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