TELEVISION DEVELOPMENTS IN FINLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001000200058-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 16, 2003
• Sequence Number: 58
• Publication Date: October 7, 1955
• Content Type: DISP

FOREIGN SERVICE DESPATCH
FROM
TO
REF
For Dept.
Use Only
Our Desp. NO- 65 June 29, 1955
DO NOT .TYPE IN THIS SPACE
R001000200058-8
_ ctober 7, 195=~
DATE
DE T:
N - //s /A - IOP~
F OTHE
r' y l i
0 r-'a Al 61-
Television Developments in Finland.
The issue of whether Finland's eventual TV network should be establitthed
with a Western or Soviet technical system is rapidly coming to a head. 4ith
Tallinn now telecasting Finnish programs every Saturday night (The progra&i of
October 1 included 25 minutes on the visit of President Paasikivi and Prerier
Kekkonen to Moscow) -- and with the Helsinki experimental station, using
primarily USIS film material, demonstrating its ability to transmit progr rs
also, the Finnish public is coming to realize that TV is here to stay. a
result, the question is no longer whether Finland will have TV, but rathei-
system of transmission should be adopted by the Finnish station when it i4:
established.
The Communists naturally argue in favor of the Soviet system. An ems:?nplt
of the Communist argument is the following article (translated) from l(k4'.a:
W, of September 29, 1955=
FUTURE TELEYISIOI~T PRGBL [ MUST BE SOLVIO IN A
MANNER THAT SUITS OUR COUNTRY
the public. For the conservative newspapers and to other >na;~r
of cold war, again, it is a bitter dose to swallow. The following
of headlines in the Conservative rural press and the Erkko press testify
it plainly:
"Imports of Television Sets Still Premature.""
"Commercial Imports Still Premature."
"East German Sets At Dumping Price"
"Acquisition of East European Equipment Would Be Squandering"
After the Seximo Oy announced that it will retail Soviet television etst
among other things, the tllm-49" type, a popular set at 36,500 Fmks, the
Lice n sib Bureau said
State Department review completed
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INFORMATIO C PY
Retain in divisional files or destroy in accordance with security regulations.
During the past few weeks and days, discussion about teleeis ?n 1ias
directed itself,more and more, on practical questions. The visi'ailitjT Oil
the Tallinn broadcasts on this side of the Gulf is a fact and it has
rcl
f/S
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Licensing Bureau and the Electricity Control Office have also gotten mired
up in the matter. Apparently, the experiences obtained from the Impoz4
of the Soviet "F da" airs are looming up in the minder of the leaders
of the COnBG at paper. For they seed not "oppose" trade with the Eaet,
but, with appropriate arrrangem. tse the prime of television sets could be
doubled.
A number of "experts" have been =d* to step forward to express tl
opinion that, supposedly, the Central European - i.e. West Germsu -- V
system is the only possible one for Finland, The width of the picture
channel is the concern, here; in the West German system it "drives" the
"sound station" to a distance of 4.5 99z from the "picture stati,a ' , ?pt. in
the Soviet system (which is also used in East Gem and Czechosiovakia ), to
a distance of 6.9 is. In their statements, the "experts" seem to fail to
notice a couple of important things,
First,, the Soviet system, with its wider picture channel, given be-;ter
possibilities to improve the quality of broadcasts in the future than does
"narrow" West German system.
Secondly, the "experts" seen to have forgotten geography entirely And
the geographical distance of the transmission station from the reeceivi c:_ set
is Of essential value in TV operations.
A glance at the amp shown that the *lx amdy operating transmission f tatlarza
of Tallizm, Lenirvrad, and Riga are closer to a receiver, for example U.
l Isink3., than the station perhaps to be built in Stockhola is a couple of
Tears. Also from Turku the ti_reot distance to Ta7.li3rt is Akorter than t
to Stockholm and the same is true of Tampers. To obtain a "field of vision"
wider than Stoekholeagagain,, is quite hopeless for Finnish television in the
Present stage of technical development. The distance from Finland to
Cope and B*rlin, again,, exceeds the boss of pest reception
Possibilities.
. Ergot the field of vision of an "East Buropean" PT set can to exten teed
to three operating stations - Tallinn, and Lea rod; in the field of
vision of a West German set there are no operating stations.
The above arguments clearly show that the Finnish Radio (Ylei aradio ,'
whey plan g permanent TV stations, has all the reason to consider the
adoption of the "East European" system with wide picture channels. The
supporters, of the West Getman system can be likened to "experts" who are of
the
opinion that thef th wi
gauge oesh rai,.l.roads should be narrowed d,--, ?
*'in
i
r it i
e
l
s the sane as in the Svit Uidid
oenc an wer than elsewhere in
As to the claim that the "East Europe U" TT sets do not meet the sa 'sty
requirements of the Finnish Electricity Control Office and the fira
protection regulations in our country, it contains notiing essential wit1
regard to the soluti% Rf jft
Approved For Rel asp ZB IA- RDP8~B01676RQ01000200058-8
 FROM
For Dept.
Use Only
The Communists naturally argue in favor of the Soviet system. An exa.:,ie
of the Communist argument is the following article (translated) from 1 jka .aa,
Sanogt of September 29, 1955:
The issue of whether Finland's eventual TV network should be esta?blish1
with a Western or Soviet technical system is rapidly coming to a head it::
Tallinn now telecasting Finnish programs every Saturday night (The pxogram c}f
October 1 included 25 minutes on the visit of President Paasikivi and Premier
Xekk .en to Moscow) -- and with the Helsinki experimental station, using
primarily USIS film material, demonstrating its ability to transmit pro in>.
also,, the Finnish public is coming to realize that TV is here to stay. 2-- L
result, the question is no longer whether Finland will have TY, but nitner ..a a
system of transmission should be adopted by the Finnish station when it is
established.
FUTURE TELEVISION PHfIBLEM MUTT BE SOLD IN A
MANNER THAT SUITS OUR COUBTi'RY
PR RP roved For Re ea c
FOREIGN SERVICE DESPATCH
Our Delp., SO 65 June 29, 1955
VC06-2-
,
DESP. NO.
DO NOT TYPE IN THIS SPACE
76R001000200058-8
Octob ~rj-,_ 19-555
DATE
D PT.
12
F OTHER .wv y f s
?, a e
Television Developments in Finland.
During the past few weeks and days, discussion about televi ', vn nL s
directed itself,more and more,, on practical questions. The visibility of
the Tallinn broadcasts on this side of the Gulf is a fact and it has
aroused the public. For the conservative newspapers and to other wage-F.:
of cold war, again, it is a bitter dose to swallow. The following exa f-,,
of headlines in the Conservative rural press and the Erkko press testiir
'# it plainly;
"Imports of Television Sets Still Prematureo"
"Commercial Imports Still Premature."
"East German Sets At Dumping Pries"
"Acquisition of East European Equipment Would Be Squandering"
After the Seximo Oy announced that it will retail Soviet television nets,
among other things, the "KYB-49" types a popular set at 36,500 Fmks, the
I4.censiug Bureau and
RAFordham/BAThirkield/em UNCLASSIFIED 1
REPO RTEhpproved For Release 2003/10/29 : CIA-RDP80BO1676R001000200058-8
HMM INFORMATION COPY
Retain in divisional files or destroy in accordance with security regulations.
 P4ge of - E-- Page - of
Deep: No.$ p,., coed For Release-200 -GTA-RDP80B01676 ~ 1 b3OOU58-8
From ~iSTa_ 1?a7rFFff ((>lassi caton si. o.----
regard to the solution of the TV problem.
In MmW imported, electric equipsents the local retailers have to mad:*
some smaller " t ments and canes - for emmple, to substitute a wt-:.
COMMOUS9 sire made of cord with rubber cable - before they meet the s*Iety
p tvisimuao With regard to Soviet television sets, the Electricity Control
Bureau gill have escalated its control reports only in a couple of was`
time.
hhite the Conservative newspapers are sazreamiag about safety regulations
in the television issue, they have also tmearthsd the slogan of "inter., ordic"
regulations. In Ptviland, homswer, we have our own regulations, the other
countries their am. The only Nordic country that has Its own TV statiar is
Dommark$ but it is improbable that even from there cane obtain wcperiet ieea
adaptabiat in our conditions. With Sweden, Finland has saws can old l
but they have nothing to do with modern teohnoloa.
Soo for examples, Sweden has left-hand traffic and it is not to urp to
interfere with it - as awkward as it scans to us. We should fellow rsguiat*cam
that suit our conditions with regard to t+elevisio; there I. no need to
borrow regulations or experiences from circles that do not have them th tse1 :s
4 help detecting political intrigues behind the television
interest of the Conservative papers. When now the Finns, by the aid of
television, have an opportunity to receive information an the Soviet Unica,
the Conservative cold-mar enthusiasts would again like to draw their irac;
curtain to cover it. It is up to public opinion to take care that our
authorities will solve the probin of FInalsh television regardless of tie
war enthusia ate to the benefit of our people. (ALP)
(End translation)
he other handy mon-Ccffitumiat papers, as TrUkmsm m , indi. ,tea
generally favor the western systm, and we are confident would be very
receptive to material supporting their view. Therefore we urgently regvaat
a series of artI *a - either USIS Features or MmaZinue Reprints of up 44
1200 words a asizing the ultimate vtalme of Finlam 's adopting a_. Sys', is
old be tied is with developing inteamational 27 networks of the it.
1pecif tally, such articles =I&* deal with such topics ass "Burovision "
to i developments in extending the rouge of TT tranonissiona 9 such as
00- axial ;Mess relay towers, eta. Twt,aeis difficulties in #ntegra-tirg ttc
te= systems should not be disregarded, but this methods of ever'
she difficulties - sand die-bow ~ should be the real tUsm
is we old attempt to place meet articles an an ex iwsive basis, me
04 014, use more the arms oat onok of the topics suggested. That is is say we
believe articles an Nurovision, for instance, if sufficiently different In
ettyle 9 and approach, could be placed in several different rs
or sineso
armlet ,
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Desp. No. 15 From m.ta-~Wed For Relea 2
IN- AQMjL
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assi cation) esp. No..
From __
Mea while, are are uadsrtaking research is our periodieal files fsr
Meterial that could be adapted 1e*L1i cad for specific article, on
whieh copyright cl cs might be requested.
Action Req, ' esteds. Urgent i,jon of nat$T.Ai smv kvwv"* aie- +1.
X. Lorimar ,MO!
Publi+a Affairs Of ice?
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 Approved For Release 2003/10/29: CIA-RDP80BO167
UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
WASHINGTON
OFFICE OF
THE DIRECTOR
November 3, 1955.
The enclosed Despatch from our Ptablic Affairs
Officer in Helsinki gives further background on the
Soviet television problem there,
We are proceeding to supply the material re-
quested.
You have heard directly on this also, I believe,
from Nelson Rockefeller, and I have informed him that
we both are getting busy on it.
3ince.cly years,
'neodore C. Streibert
Director
Despatch ado. 1.5 of October 7,
1955, from iiel sinks.
The Honorable
Allen W. Dulles,
Director, Central intelligence Agency,
2b3O E Street, N.71..,
"Washington, D. C.
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55
T-59/
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