Over 100,00 Scots Homes Saw This is Scotland In spite of technical transmission difficulties, no fewer than 118,000 Scottish homes were able to receive the opening programmes of Scottish Television when it commenced transmission on Saturday 31st August. A total of 101,000 homes viewed the opening ceremony at 6.12 p.m., and by 7.00 p.m., the halfway mark of This is Scotland, the spectacular opening show, the number of homes looking in had risen to 129,000, the highest number of viewers ever to watch a television show in Scotland since television commenced there. The number of homes watching the B.B.C. programme Six Five Special is estimated at 24,000. These viewing figures, issued by Television Audience Measurement Ltd., also state that during the evening of August 31st, 89% of all homes able to receive the Scottish Television Programmes were tuned in to independent television at some time. This was the first ITV station after the Big Four to start transmission. STVs Opening night was 31st August 1957, one of the most glittering show business gatherings ever assembled in Scotland, said Gordon Irving. The switch on at 6.12pm was by the Secretary of State for Scotland in front of STV staff, trim in smart blazers with Scottish Television emblems on their pockets. One sad note, a 29 year old theatre electrician George Doughty at the Theatre Royal studio, collapsed and died 40 minutes before the station went on air. Among the audience for the star studded opening show at 6.30, were rival tv bosses Lew Grade, Val Parnell, and Sidney Bernstein while from the ITA were Sir Kenneth Clark and Sir Robert Fraser, and from ITN Chris Chattaway. Others included Dr Tom Honeyman, Jack and Mrs Radcliffe, Miss Greta Lauder, Freddie Carpenter, Peter Donald and Stewart Cruikshank. The on screen audience was estimated at around two and a half million viewers, though Nielsens more accurate measurement gave 150,000 homes watching. Unlike the other founding ITV companies, its good to report that STV is alive and well, and maintains a certain proud independence from the rest of the network. This is Scotland (August 31st 1957, 6.30pm) Review Hosted by James Robertson Justice, who after an uncertain start infuses a pride into his homeland, as he shows during the hour long programme, the beauty of the countryside, with all its many rivers, the glories of its history and the great Scotsmen of the day, including messages of congratulation from some eminent men from across the world. The singing of Scottish songs is in the capable hands of Kenneth McKellar, with such standards as Come Along, and Over the Sea to Skye. On film, Alastair Sim reads the poem In the Highlands, whilst more light heartedly Archie McCulloch interviews Deborah Kerr who is filming in the South of France with David Niven. The latter gives the game away when he admits, what would be dear to many a Scottish heart, that television is something for nothing. A more ambitious interview is a live link with the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh to speak to a rather off-the-cuff Moira Shearer. Theres a split screen as we see James chatting happily with Moira like two old friends. Inevitably Jimmy Logan is on hand, appearing with Stanley Baxter in excerpts from Five Past Eight, the show currently at The Theatre Royal Glasgow. They sing and act a feeble sketch as two grown-up toddlers. Most poignant appearance is by the great showman Jack Buchanan, only two months before his death. He rambles on and, a little ignominiously, gets the hurry up call from the wings before singing with audience participation the immortal I Belong to Glasgow. He had been introduced by ITN newscaster Ludovic Kennedy, who was later to read the ITN News that night from the Scottish studios. The Clyde Valley Stompers provide some more lively music, accompanied by The Rock and Roll Sinners, at least thats how the opening credits describe em. One of the few gaffes in a generally very impressive debut for the station. There is some background noise, as scenery is shifted, perhaps unavoidable in a live performance, but this doesnt detract from the overwhelming sense of national achievement that this opening night happily conveys. Aye, it was only a pity that after this blossoming, for 10 years the company was very much in the wings of the ITV network. In STVs 50th anniversary celebration, Jimmy Nairn, the announcer whose voice was the first heard on the 1957 programme agreed the opening night went well. This 2007 tribute had a nice touch, in that one of the 1957 stars, Stanley Baxter, narrated the programme However a contemporary account of the show was less than favourable. Derek Hoddinott complained about the poor quality of the filmed sequences (true), and picked on James Robertson Justice who looked as fed up as I was, and he took exception to the host reading poetry in the background... extremely boring and slowed down the pace to that of a tortoise. This critic got a nasty taste in the mouth from a rough individual who told of the bad old days, and even welcome sight Jack Buchanan was unfunny. All in all he described the show as a great disappointment. I expected something a lot better, though he does concede the camerawork was an exception, the dancing and costumes were gay, and the singing very good. Perhaps this Sassenach should have stayed down south? Source: Blantyre Gazette, Saturday 14th September 1948 - Supplied by Mary Wood. Also: STV Scotland.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 10:12:28 +0000
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