Past Times: Shetland is now on TV station list

From The Shetland Times, Friday 27th May, 1960

Many Shetlanders have welcomed the announcement by the Postmaster-general that he has approved, in principle, the second stage of the B.B.C.’s plans for extending and improving the coverage of the T.V. and V.H.F. service by building additional low-power satellite stations in various parts of the country – Shetland included.

There is no indication when the Shetland station might be provided, as the programme will cover the period until March, 1964. Local people have expressed the hope that there will be some degree of priority given to Shetland this time.

Until sites have been chosen and surveys made, it is not possible to say what will be the precise range of the new stations. Some will serve only the town where they are to be built, but others will have wider coverage.

The stations like the Shetland one are planned to extend the coverage of the sound and T.V. services in the Highlands and Islands in accordance with the B.B.C.’s policy of doing everything possible to solve the difficult problem of bringing these services to scattered communities.

Most of the new stations will use translators, which receive the programmes by direct reception of an existing station and relay them on another channel for local viewers and listeners.

The construction of stations in the programme will proceed as soon as the sites have been chosen, after technical tests have been made, and the necessary consents obtained.

This process will take time, but the work will proceed concurrently with that of the first stage. Although completion of the second stage is scheduled for March, 1964, it is expected that most of the stations will be completed by the end of 1963.

Since all the T.V. stations have to be fitted into the five channels in Band I, which are the only channels so far made available to the B.B.C., the power of the stations will have to be limited in order to avoid as far as possible the risk of interference from other existing stations.

Local dealers believe there will be a big demand for T.V. sets as soon as the Shetland service is provided. Even now, when only inferior quality reception is possible on occasions when weather conditions are suitable, there is a considerable number of sets in Shetland. Many people were thrilled to see the football game of the century last week, and there is no doubt that the public’s appetite has been whetted by the little they have seen.