Scrapbook 3: Montand Seen & Heard
FRANCE last night transmitted a short television programme to America through the Telstar satellite. Night scenes in Paris and a picture of Yves Montand singing were successfully received in New York on home screens.
The BBC criticised the French transmission as a breach of their agreement with Britain and other European countries that had arranged to put over a combined programme. The target date was July 23.
At Goonhilly Downs, in Cornwall, engineers yesterday climbed the dish aerial, which received poor pictures compared with the excellent image seen in France, to make adjustments. These were said to bring it back to its condition before alterations at the week-end on information from America.
American officials said the French success was well-deserved. The station in Brittany, where there are American technicians, was similar to the parent station at Andover, Maine, in which the horn aerial is geared to an accuracy of a thirty thousandth of an inch. The Goonhilly Downs station aerial was operated “literally by a bicycle chain.”
U.S. Told of Poor British Reception and Picture—P19
MONTAND SEEN & HEARD
FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT WASHINGTON, Wednesday.
AMERICAN viewers tuned to the major television networks throughout the country to-night saw a programme from France transmitted through the Telstar satellite.
Scenes of Paris at night, and Yves Montand and other entertainers singing, came through, though a little blurred.
The programme was the first east-to-west television transmission across the Atlantic. The image appeared on American screens 35 minutes after midnight.—BST.
France yesterday picked up Telstar’s relay better than the British station in Cornwall, where minor adjustments were not made in time to get the full picture.
American officials associated with Telstar believe that the French success in receiving the first image from the satellite was well deserved. They say that the French have been keeping close liaison with the American earth station at Andover, Maine.
BRITISH DOUBT
Government permission
The British, on the other hand, are said to have been more independent, partly because they seemed to be doubtful whether the United States Administration would authorise a commercial venture of the kind now effected with the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.
It is also pointed out that the British installation at Goonhilly does not work on the same technical principle as the American receiving horn at Andover, Maine.
One authority said here to-day that whereas the American horn is geared to be accurate to within one thirty-thousandth of an inch, the British horn is “operated quite literally by a bicycle chain.”
PRESIDENT’S PLEA
Greater understanding
Mr. Kennedy to-day welcomed Telstar’s success as a prelude that “throws open to us the vision of an era of international communications.” The advantage “must be grasped to use the medium to ensure greater understanding among the people of the world.”
Before the end of the month one of President Kennedy’s Press conferences may be televised directly to Britain via Telstar.
BBC CRITICISM OF FRENCH
BREACH OF PACT
By Our Radio & Television Correspondent
The decision to transmit a French programme to America relayed by Telstar was criticised in the BBC 9.15 television news last night.
It was said the French action was in breach of their agreement with Britain and other European countries that had arranged to put over a combined programme.
Eight countries are proposing to contribute to this, under the auspices of the European Broadcasting Union. The provisional date is July 23.
The French station at Pleumeur-Boudou in Brittany is modelled on the American station at Andover, Maine. American technicians are working at Pleumeur-Boudou but the bulk of the 700 staff are French.