Archive

1983 May 25 - 1984 Apr 27
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/1172
Broadcasting (Direct broadcasting by satellite; development of cable systems and services; broadcasting policy) (Part 4)

Document type: File list item
Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2014 Jan 3
Classification: Confidential
Page count: 304
Any docs withheld?

PREM19/1172 - download whole file (PDF, 42.78 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 1 - 20 of 38

Per page:
Date Value Title
83 Sep 21 We Major Broadcasting: Chancellor of the Exchequer letter to Parkinson ("STC and the TAT 8 Transatlantic Telecommunications Cable") ["I am not happy about Government taking on this kind of unpredictable, and potentially very costly, contingent liability"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Sep 30 Fr Major Broadcasting: No.10 note to MT (Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: BBC/Unisat project) ["This letter is from a friend of mine [John Anderson], who... believes... that the project is on a disaster course"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Oct 31 Mo Major Broadcasting: Independent Broadcasting Authority record of conversation (MT, Ingham, members of IBA) ["Internal note of discussion at lunch with the Prime Minister 31.10.83"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Nov 3 Th Major Broadcasting: Sir Antony Part letter to Brittan ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: Technical Transmission Standards") ["a high level political approach... might now clinch the French Government's acceptance of the C-MAC packet system as the single European standard"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Nov 4 Fr Major Broadcasting: Brittan letter to Heseltine ("Cable Bill: the Question of Reserve Ministerial Powers") ["My conclusion is that we should not seek to take powers of this kind"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Nov 22 Tu Major Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT ("Cable Broadcasting") [obscenity and libel] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Nov 23 We Major Broadcasting: Prior letter to Brittan ("Cable and Broadcasting Bill") ["monitoring and vetting programme content... likely to offend tastes and sensitivities in Northern Ireland"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Nov 30 We Major Broadcasting: Policy Unit minute to Turnbull ("Cable Franchises") [capital allowances; BT involvement; selection of consortia; MT queries Treasury awareness of potential sticking point] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Dec 12 Mo Major Broadcasting: Britsat Limited letter to No.10 (Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat Project) ["our alternative project has been thoroughly checked out... and on this basis we have recently submitted an unsolicited offer to the BBC"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Dec 14 We Major Broadcasting: Brittan minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat Project") ["We face the possibility of a public row and perhaps legal action in which the BBC and Unisat will blame each other and perhaps the Government... The outlook, therefore, is bleak"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Dec 15 Th Major Broadcasting: Tebbit minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat Project") ["breakdown of this project... [risks] a public row... legal consequences... [and] considerable damage to our relations with Industry... Nevertheless... the BBC... should not be compelled to go ahead with DBS if they no longer wish to do so"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Dec 16 Fr Major Broadcasting: No.10 minute (internal): Policy Unit to Barclay ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite (DBS)") ["We have too long a history of arm-twisting nationalised industries - and private ones too - into costly enterprises... with disastrous results... The embarrassment is largely Unisat's own fault for committing funds without being certain of the BBC's decision... We should avoid any panic and rushed decisions"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Dec 16 Fr Major Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT ("Direct broadcasting by satellite") [summary of recent minutes from Tebbit, Brittan, Cabinet Office & Policy Unit; "The crisis point has not yet been reached"] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Dec 16 Fr Major Broadcasting: Brittan PS letter to No.10 ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat Project") [progress report] [declassified Jan 2014]
83 Dec 21 We Major Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT ("Unisat") [summary of recent situation report correspondence (attached) from Brittan & Tebbit and of advice from Policy Unit rejecting under-writing of future costs, with which MT concurs] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jan 10 Tu Minor Broadcasting: Brittan PS letter to Walker PS ("Cable Bill - reserve Ministerial powers") [regulation of transmission hours for cable tv in time of emergency] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jan 12 Th Major Broadcasting: Brittan PS letter to No.10 ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat project") ["Ministers on Tuesday asked Mr Jeffrey Sterling, special adviser to Mr Tebbit, to explore with all parties whether there were ways of avoiding an imminent collapse of the project"; detailed situation report] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jan 26 Th Major Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite") ["[Brittan] feels that Sir Antony Part has exceeded his remit in offering advice on issues which go well beyond the question of transmission standards"; draft reply rebutting Part's criticisms of DBS project handling] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Feb 14 Tu Major Broadcasting: No.10 minute (internal): Policy Unit to Barclay ("DBS") [Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: latest position on joint project; advice against providing Government reassurances on protection from competition and tax liabilities ] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Feb 14 Tu Major Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT (independent national radio) [enabling legislation via Cable & Broadcasting Bill; dispute with Treasury about financing] [declassified Jan 2014]