Television Act 1954
Encyclopedia
The Television Act 1954 was a British law which permitted the creation of the first commercial television
network in the United Kingdom
, ITV
.
By the early 1950s, the only television service in Britain was operated as a monopoly by the British Broadcasting Corporation, and financed by the annual television licence
fee payable by each household which contained one or more television sets. The new Conservative
government elected in 1951 wanted to create a commercial television
channel, but this was a controversial subject -- the only other examples of commercial television were to be found in the United States
, and it was widely considered that the commercial television found there was "vulgar".
The solution to the problem was to create the Independent Television Authority
which would closely regulate the new commercial channel in the interests of good taste, and award franchises to commercial companies for fixed terms. Aware that TV coverage of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
in the USA had been interrupted by advertisements one of which featured a celebrity chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs
, a clause was included in the Act banning advertising breaks during broadcasts featuring the Royal Family.
The first commercial franchises were awarded in 1954, and commercial television started broadcasting in stages between 1955 and 1962. The first advertisement aired by ITV promoted Gibbs SR tubepaste at 20.12hrs local time on 22 September 1955. Household cleaners were the most frequently advertised products over the 1955-1960 period.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
network in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
.
By the early 1950s, the only television service in Britain was operated as a monopoly by the British Broadcasting Corporation, and financed by the annual television licence
Television licence
A television licence is an official licence required in many countries for the reception of television broadcasts...
fee payable by each household which contained one or more television sets. The new Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government elected in 1951 wanted to create a commercial television
Commercial Television
Commercial Television was the third free-to-air broadcast television station in Hong Kong. It first went on air in 1975, and ceased transmissions in 1978.-History:...
channel, but this was a controversial subject -- the only other examples of commercial television were to be found in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and it was widely considered that the commercial television found there was "vulgar".
The solution to the problem was to create the Independent Television Authority
Independent Television Authority
The Independent Television Authority was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" , the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom...
which would closely regulate the new commercial channel in the interests of good taste, and award franchises to commercial companies for fixed terms. Aware that TV coverage of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in the USA had been interrupted by advertisements one of which featured a celebrity chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs
J. Fred Muggs
J. Fred Muggs is a chimpanzee that was the mascot for NBC's Today Show from 1953 to 1957.The show debuted in 1952, with amiable host Dave Garroway. The show was in trouble initially; the addition of J. Fred Muggs boosted ratings and helped win advertisers...
, a clause was included in the Act banning advertising breaks during broadcasts featuring the Royal Family.
The first commercial franchises were awarded in 1954, and commercial television started broadcasting in stages between 1955 and 1962. The first advertisement aired by ITV promoted Gibbs SR tubepaste at 20.12hrs local time on 22 September 1955. Household cleaners were the most frequently advertised products over the 1955-1960 period.