211 212 - 2 -

EXECUTIVE BOARD
Friday 27th December, 1940

D.G.

D.D.G.

P. 3.

Lord Davidson

Mr. Radcliffe

Mr. Fraser

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Peake

Mr. Harvey

Mr. Gates

Mr. Wiltshire

Mr. Ogilvie

Sir Noel Ashbridge B.B.C.

Mr. Waddell (Secretary)

The minutes of the meeting on 24th December were taken as read and approved.

1. EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION OF NEWS

Mr. Ogilvie explained that in the B.B.C's. view the conditions visualised in the paper which had been circulated were those in which the B.B.C. would want to make use of the emergency transmitter they had set up in order to put out official news, instructions, etc., in the event of other means of instructing the populace being out of action. Whilst there was no suggestion of jealousy of the Press on the part of the B.B.C., he felt doubtful whether in the circumstances it would be right to use a transmitter in order to feed the Press. Moreover, the short waveband which would have to be used was very near the waveband of the Home Service, and he felt confusion would be bound to arise. Reception would necessarily be bad until March 1941 and would be affected by the inability of receivers near the transmitter to obtain the service. It seemed to him worth considering whether it would not be better for the Press to use fast cars and despatch riders for their purpose.

[RG/191/2/1 already on]

Sir Noel Ashbridge expanded Mr. Ogilvie's remarks on the technical side and explained probably the ideal from the point of view of the B.B.C. would be Morse transmitter in London working on a long wave about 1200 metres -which would, of course, be subject to control and shutting down by the Air Ministry on security grounds. Otherwise he felt that a second shortwave transmitter specially designed for the purpose would have to be acquired.

Mr. Wiltshire said that transmission in Morse would be unsuitable for the Press and explained the limited scope of what was suggested in the paper. He had met newspaper representatives in Birmingham recently and although they realised that they had hitherto contrived to issue their newspapers, they felt sure the time would come when this would not be possible. The situation would arise not when communications all over the country were upset, but when one particular town was cut off. He did not contemplate that the B.B.C's. ordinary service would necessarily be upset through cutting of land lines, etc., at the same time, and in fact he did not think it at all likely that the arrangements for transmission to the Press would ever be genuinely necessary. He would like authority for an experiment to be made in order to show the willingness of the Ministry to assist the Press as far as possible. If any question of priority should ever arise, there was no doubt that the service for the Press must come after the needs of the B.B.C. had been met and (should it be relevant) the needs of the military authorities. He drew attention to the references in the paper to the support given by Mr. Will and the Newspaper Society, and added that he also had the support of the Press Association in seeking to arrange an experimental transmission.

In general discussion it appeared

(a) that use of cars or hedge-hopping planes would not be practicable;

(b) that there was a difference of view between the B.B.C. and Mr. Wiltshire on whether it would be wise to obtain and allocate a special transmitter for the Press service; and

(c) that the meeting was not completely agreed on the need for an experiment as such.

On (b) Sir Noel Ashbridge felt that if there were a need for the service to the Press the only satisfactory means of meeting it would be to have a 213 - 3 -special transmitter, but Wiltshire felt this was overstating the dangers the position ; and on (c) the D.D.C. remarked that if an experiment were undertaken he felt we were committed to carrying it further and if it failed, finding a satisfactory alternative.

It was agreed that the need for an independent transmitter had not been shown, and that at the same time it was doubtful whether the B.B.C. transmitter could be regarded as available. With the consent of Mr. Ogilvie, it was agreed that the subject need not be regarded as closed, and that Mr. Wiltshire could pursue discussions with the B.B.C.

2. ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS

The D. G. suggested that on occasions when a fully documented agenda had been circulated and members were therefore aware of the business to come before the meeting, (particularly the meetings which he intended to have on Thursday mornings at 9.30 when the Minister would be in the chair), members might regard themselves as free to excuse themselves from attendance if they felt that none of the items concerned them. On such occasions they should warn the Secretary of their intentions. He added that this would not be feasible in connection with the ordinary informal discussions on most week days.