The Development of an Approach to the Presentation of Political and Current Affairs on Television: the Experience of the BBC

Abstract

This chapter discusses the experience of the BBC in analyzing the development of an approach to the presentation of political and current affairs on television. In the BBC's early days, it was forbidden to broadcast political, religious, or industrial controversy. It was not until the early 50s that a Chancellor agreed to be interviewed about his budget. In 1953, the BBC used three interviewers to question Aneurin Bevan. The questions were pointed enough but the program lacked the tighter form of more modern examples of the format. Ten years later, the BBC was still using this form for another television interview with the then Chancellor, Reginald Maudling. The interviewers were William Clark, Robert Mackenzie, and Andrew Schonfield. The questions were relevant and pointed, as could be expected from such experienced and knowledgeable men, but there was little hard follow-up.