Catacombs Reference LibraryUK Press
Sci-fi 'lost' in HTV space
Catacombs Reference LibraryITV is the UK was split up into a number of independent regional stations. The HTV region covers the Wales and the West of England (based in Bristol). See 1975 coverage of the series in the local paper. In 1979, the Bristol Evening Post ran a series of letters.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 18 1979
I wonder what HTV have against science-fiction and comics characters?
There is one whole series of Space: 1999 which HTV haven't shown. As far as I know every other ITV region has screened this series and most have repeated it to some extent.
Yet, despite it being a British programme, HTV don't show it!
In the past two years, The Prisoner has been repeated on every ITV region except for HTV and I've heard Midlands TV is thinking of screening the series again.
Why do HTV have to be so different?
Surely public opinion would favour the screening of these instead of the many US and foreign imports - say Side- street. And what about two other SF shows yet to appear on HTV? "Project UFO" and Salvage One?
The situation is little better with TV shows starring comics characters.
Superman is being repeated elsewhere now, The Fantastic Four cartoon series is being repeated on London Weekend - yet HTV have yet to show it once. Super-Friends has similarly to appear here.
Twelve years after it was made the Spiderman cartoon series are being shown on HTV - But since Christmas they seem to have been using this as a "fill-in" a number of times, as replacement for World of Sport, after the Budget, at the end of a Sunday afternoon film...
These are just the ones I know of - most unadvertised. Surely advertising would have brought higher viewing figures?
I've tried writing to HTV, enclosing stamped addressed envelopes, yet I get no reply. Do HTV really care about what the public want to see?
What do other readers in this area think? Do HTV have any reply to make?
T Wallis
Mr Robert Simmons, HTV West head of press and public relations, said:
We share this viewer's distaste for a welter of foreign imports, especially in the field of children's entertainment, the programme area with which he is most concerned.
Superman, The Fantastic Four and Super - Friends are imported programmes and as such are rigidly controlled. We already show Batman and do not plan to extend this area of coverage.
HTV prefers to create family drama of its own. Kidnapped was one recent example. There are many others. Let me answer specific points:
The first series of Space: 1999 was not a success in this region. In consequence we did not screen programme series number two.
The Prisoner did have one repeat on HTV. It enjoys its own cult following, but there comes a time when even the repeats have to stop.
Salvage One has yet to appear on any ITV channel. It will be screened soon by HTV.
The question of just which programmes viewers want is not so simply answered.
They demand more drama, more documentaries, current affairs, Westerns, hockey, bowls, wrestling, cartoons, ballet, sailing, football, cricket, music, crime, religion and half a dozen other categories the editor lacks room to publish.
At the same time there are equally fervent demands that we screen less programming based on exactly that same list.
In other words a programme schedule is of necessity a compromise and as such is certain some where, to offend
JULY 25 979
I would like to comment on Mr Robert Simmon's reply to the letter by T Wallis '("Sci-fi 'lost' in HTV space", July 18).
Firstly, I doubt very much whether young people and a minority of adults are avid fans of drama, documentaries, current affair sport and more sport. What exactly do TV give to us in the way of interesting, understandable sensible science fiction?
Having lived in this area for eight years, I have found very little which has interested me. We are bombarded with pathetic imports such as Batman, Wonder Woman, Fantastic Four to name but a few - and even our own British made Tomorrow's People isn't exactly mind boggling to the teenage mind.
I am founder and president of a Space: 1999 fan club (which is combined with the American Star Trek) and I know that there are many members in the area who long for the screening of the second series.
The first season of Space: 1999 came from the pre-Star Wars era, when sci-fi was regarded as fantastical and unintelligent. At that time Space: 1999 only caught the imagination of younger viewers. But now, how many new sci-fi films and new series are being developed?
Can they be ignored by the ever increasing cult that eagerly awaits any sci-fi production to hit the screens?
In the U,S., within hours of the new Space: 1999 being announced, "renewals" poured in from stations representing 42 per cent of the total U.S. TV homes, plus 68 countries around the world.
Have HTV viewers seen the new-look moonbase Alpha?
Tracy A Cooke, Omicorn,
In reply to Mr R Simmons of HTV, I would point out that the cinemas have had a bonanza of science fiction films starting with the all time great Star Wars thus whetting the appetite of children and adults the world over.
"Space" is here and now and my husband and children prefer it far more than hockey, bowls, cricket and ballet, also the ancient Batman plus other rubbish I could list.
Cater for all, HTV, not the few.
V Johnson (Mrs)
August 3, 1979
Thank you for printing my letter (Sci-fi "lost" in HTV Space, July 18) and Mr Robert Simmons for his reply. Now that some other people's views have been printed (July 25) I think I have some valid points to make.
Firstly the point of what the public want to see. In his reply, Mr Simmonds listed many categories requested. Yet they differ from science fiction in that HTV show the same amount of coverage as other regions.
Space: 1999 second series has, appeared on all other regions. The Prisoner has had a third showing on all (if not most) other regions.
Yet football, bowls, cricket, etc get just as much coverage on HTV as other regions - if not more.
My point wasn't that I felt HTV should show more science fiction than other regions - just the same amount.
How to judge public demand?
Wouldn't it be possible for HTV to publish in the local TV Times various ballot forms listing either programme categories (science-fiction, crime, sit-coms, ballet, etc) or specific programmes (Space: 1999, The Prisoner, Have Girls, Will Travel, Cinema Club, etc.).
That way the people who want to see anything specific can say so directly to HTV, be it Science-fiction or not,
It is interesting to note that both letters, printed on July 25, were in favour of a fair share of science fiction.
Mr Simmonds made a number of other points which at first sight seem clear, but become less obvious after some thought.
In one paragraph he says, referring to The Prisoner, "... there comes a time when even the repeats have to stop" (other regions didn't believe so with this programme, responding to public pressure). Yet just before Mr Simmons referred to HTV showing Batman. What he didn't mention was that this was the third time HTV have shown this series.
Mr Simmonds dismisses one point in my original letter by saying Salvage One has yet to appear on any ITV channel.
This I cannot agree with, assuming the newspapers are to be believed, as Thames were showing it on Thursdays at 7 pm until the advent of Sapphire and Steel and Westward Channel have been showing it on Sundays at 7.15 pm for 2/3 months now.
Mr Simmons also says the first series of Space: 1999 wasn't successful on HTV. What he doesn't say is that it was shown six weeks after every other ITV region started it, and on a different day.
From the beginning HTV seemed not to want to show it!
And since then it has been repeated. Surely a series that gets repeated must have some success?
I wonder if Mr Simmons has anything to say in reply to this? (And to the suggestion of postal ballots?)
Tracey Cooke says: "Have HTV viewers seen the new-look 'Moonbase Alpha'?" I will close by saying "Will HTV viewers ever be able to see the new-look 'Moonbase Alpha' or even say whether they want to?"
Tim Wallis