Swindon Viewpoint
Encyclopedia
Local programming
in Swindon
began life as Swindon Viewpoint on the 11 September 1973 as an experiment in community cable television, or Public-access television
. It was managed initially by Richard Dunn, who later went on to become Head of Thames Television. This experiment started with EMI
finance on the Radio Rentals
cable radio
and television relay network. Local people could train in using television production equipment. Many of the programmes were 'one-off' documentaries that interested the volunteers involved or programmes of more general public interest. The studios were in the basement of Radio Rentals premises on Swindon
's Victoria Road.
The experimental phase ended in 1976 when EMI decided to pull out of funding the service. Although it was considered popular and appeared to be flourishing. The main reason seems to have been that the Government would not allow advertising or sponsorship. After much local protest, Swindon Viewpoint was sold to the public of Swindon for £1 and an elected board of directors set up to oversee it. Viewpoint thus became the first television service that was publicly owned and managed. Programming continued for the rest of the decade with a staff of around six to train the public to make programmes, and was funded by a mix of sponsorship and a Ladbrokes operated lottery scheme (the forerunner of the National Lottery. Viewpoints central programming strand was magazine based programmes called Seen in Swindon.
When the Lottery scheme ended in 1980, funding dried up and Viewpoint went into partnership with Media Arts, the public media centre in Swindon, placing its TV production equipment there. (Though this partnership recognised and maintained the independence of Viewpoint). With no staff the operation was now entirely volunteer based, but nevertheless programmed through the eighties. Its main programme strand was called Access Swindon. In the early nineties Media Arts was restructured by the Council and support for Viewpoint was withdrawn. With no access to production resources the board of directors resolved to suspend programming operations but to maintain its structure and registration as a Company, pending a more favourable climate. It has since restarted operations online where it shows selections from its archive of programmes, as well as recent material.
Swindon Viewpoint is unique in a number of ways, it is Britain’s first and longest running Public-access television service, and it is also notable for being owned by its public.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
in Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
began life as Swindon Viewpoint on the 11 September 1973 as an experiment in community cable television, or Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
. It was managed initially by Richard Dunn, who later went on to become Head of Thames Television. This experiment started with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
finance on the Radio Rentals
Radio Rentals
Radio Rentals was formed in 1932 to rent out radio sets by Percy Perring-Thoms with a turnover in the first year of £780. It later moved into televisions and ultimately video recorders. In 1965 it merged with RentaSet, Joseph Robinson's similarly formed company...
cable radio
Cable radio
Cable radio or cable FM is a concept similar to that of cable television, bringing radio signals into homes and businesses via coaxial cable. It is generally used as cable TV was in its early days when it was "community antenna television", to enhance the quality of terrestrial radio signals that...
and television relay network. Local people could train in using television production equipment. Many of the programmes were 'one-off' documentaries that interested the volunteers involved or programmes of more general public interest. The studios were in the basement of Radio Rentals premises on Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
's Victoria Road.
The experimental phase ended in 1976 when EMI decided to pull out of funding the service. Although it was considered popular and appeared to be flourishing. The main reason seems to have been that the Government would not allow advertising or sponsorship. After much local protest, Swindon Viewpoint was sold to the public of Swindon for £1 and an elected board of directors set up to oversee it. Viewpoint thus became the first television service that was publicly owned and managed. Programming continued for the rest of the decade with a staff of around six to train the public to make programmes, and was funded by a mix of sponsorship and a Ladbrokes operated lottery scheme (the forerunner of the National Lottery. Viewpoints central programming strand was magazine based programmes called Seen in Swindon.
When the Lottery scheme ended in 1980, funding dried up and Viewpoint went into partnership with Media Arts, the public media centre in Swindon, placing its TV production equipment there. (Though this partnership recognised and maintained the independence of Viewpoint). With no staff the operation was now entirely volunteer based, but nevertheless programmed through the eighties. Its main programme strand was called Access Swindon. In the early nineties Media Arts was restructured by the Council and support for Viewpoint was withdrawn. With no access to production resources the board of directors resolved to suspend programming operations but to maintain its structure and registration as a Company, pending a more favourable climate. It has since restarted operations online where it shows selections from its archive of programmes, as well as recent material.
Swindon Viewpoint is unique in a number of ways, it is Britain’s first and longest running Public-access television service, and it is also notable for being owned by its public.