September 1955 highlights This was an important month for television. In less than two weeks the BBC Television Service would find itself facing competition for the first time in it's history - from independent television. On 22nd September Associated-Rediffusion would begin a commercial television service for viewers in the London region. And yet at first glance it seems the world of BBCtv had hardly moved on since our last look at the listings in 1950. Children now had an hour of programmes at 5.00, and there was now a fifteen minute news bulletin - just the one - each evening at 7.30. But there were changes on the horizon. Following on from the first television weather forecaster in 1954, Kenneth Kendall had just become the first in-vision newsreader (on 4th September), in direct response to ITN who would be using in-vision presenters. Broadcasting hours would also be increased, from 36 to 49 hours a week, starting on 19th September, which would see a further hour of afternoon programmes from 4-5pm, and evening programmes now starting at 7.00. However airtime for both the BBC and independent television services were still very much restricted. Neither could transmit more than 35 hours between Monday and Friday, with a maximum of 8 hours on any given day. No broadcasts were allowed earlier than 9am or later than 11pm, nor between 6-7pm (the 'Toddlers Truce' - see the next page for more details on this). At the weekend airtime was limited to 15 hours, although religious broadcasting and outside broadcasts of special events were permitted outside these hours. It's telling that at this point the BBC still considered television as subservient to radio - their attempt at spoiling Associated-Rediffusion's launch was to kill off Grace in The Archers... 1936 1946 1950 1955 1957 1959 Radio Times Covers | 
