TELEVISION

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 22, 27 January 1938, Page 28

TELEVISION

THRILL FOR LONDON "VIEWERS"

"It is very apparent that television's most interesting show will be current events as they ccur, and this type of service is not duplicated by any other agency.' said William S. Paley, president of the, Columbia Broadcasting System, after a recent visit to Europe.

Spectators had their first demonstration of the truth .of this statement when, at the World War Cenotaph ceremony on Armistice Day in London, an escaped lunatic burst through the guard of honour and jibed King .George. ;

i Big Ben had just struck 11, signalling for.two minutes of silence, and the televiewers-gathered around the 3000 television sets in the London area caught a glimpse of the famous clock's big face. One television camera was focused on it. Another was on the Cenotaph ceremony and -King. It was through this "eye" that the unseen observers watched the. commotion and the police throwing -themselves on the man as the King looked straight ahead and the crowd stood spellbound. For the first time in history television cameras caught such a scene, revealing what television may do in the future, and what no other agency can accomplish so. instantaneously for a vast audience. .-,■■•■

For a Veek'tesfa were made at the Cenotaph. As a result it was pointed out to the London audience that by the skilful use of the > three tele-cameras with far-seeing ; telephoto lenses - "the impressiveness of the occasion will be conveyed to you far more effectively than if you were present yourself with just a pair of ordinary human eye? to focus the scene." In the evening, oi Armistice Day Londoners witnessed 'another innovation—the first time an entire evening's television period was devoted to a single play, "Journey's End." Parts of films added to the western front atmosphere. ReginaldiTate, who played the role of Stanhope in a tour of Australia in 1929-30, had the part in the television performance.