FROM the start, BBC-1 hopes to transmit up to 40 hours of colour a week, and add to this figure week by week.
Many regular series such as Dr. Who and Softly Softly are already being planned for colour, most of the BBC studios at Television Centre have already been -colourised." The television theatre Shepherds Bush is now undergoing massive refit to prepare for colour on BBC-1, and this will mean that much of the BBC's light entertainment output will be in color after the start.
The actual starting date is for the Postmaster General to decide, and announce. But in a recent speech to the RTRA conference, Paul Fox, Controller of BBC-1 said: "There is a red circle in my calendar for November 1969. If targets are met ... I believe we'll have a colourful Christmas in 1969."
Assurance
There is no question of existing television sets being made obsolete by this additional 625-line service.
Assurances have been given by the Post Office that BBC-1 and ITA transmissions in 405 lines will continue for many years so that viewers will not be obliged to buy new sets unless they wish to take advantage of the improved technical quality of 625-line transmissions - viewed in either black and white or colour.
Taking into account the normal life of television sets, present BBC-1 and ITA transmissions can be expected to continue until, at least, the late 1970's, by which time almost every set-owner will probably have had to replace his 405-line-only set by new ones which receive the duplicated transmissions.
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