Scrapbook 3: Telstar Will Tune US In To Kennedy

TELSTAR WILL TUNE US IN TO KENNEDY

From BRUCE ROTHWELL WASHINGTON, Tuesday.

TELSTAR the TV satellite will bounce the start of President Kennedy’s Press conference on to the screen in British homes next Monday.

The live Transatlantic space programme from Washington is planned to begin about 8 p.m. British Summer time.

Three hours later, on Telstar’s next orbit, Europe will bounce a programme back to the U.S.

The 15-minute American transmission will include a short concert by the 350-voice Mormon Tabernacle Choir from Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

There may also be shots of the UN in New York, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada, the Seattle World’s Fair and scenes from Mexico.

Big Ben

Signals from Telstar will be picked up at Goonhilly Downs, Cornwall, and by the French station at Pleumeur-Bodou. They will then be relayed to 16 nations in the European Broadcasting Union, with telephoned translations of the commentary in six languages.

The return programme from Europe will give American viewers an “ancient and modern” glimpse of Britain, with shots of Big Ben, Beefeaters at the Tower of London and the Saunders Roe skimcraft.

B.B.C. and ITV will pool cameras and commentators for the broadcast, and eight nations will combine in a kaleidoscope of scenes from Paris to Rome, the Ruhr to the Arctic Circle.