EUROVISION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01634R000300030099-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 13, 1998
• Sequence Number: 99
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Releaser2Q00/08/27: CIA-RDP78-01634800030
(Unclassified when detached)
EUROVIS`.ION
In Europe, the one-way pioneering efforts of broadcasts from France
to the United Kingdom or from the United Kingdom .(Coronation) to the
Continent have grown into a reciprocal network covering eight countries.
This network has been constituted under the auspices of the European $ra~dW
casting Union (E$U). Althau~;h still with the aid off' temporary relays, the
countries participating first exchanged programs during the period June 6 ,-
July !~, 1954.. TY~is first exchange centered around the World Football Cup
Championship in Switzerland, but also included e.t leASt one feature.con-
tributian from each country. It av~ked great g~b~.ic respa~se, expressed
not only in applause but also in th? accelerated sale of receivers.
Broadcasters wore thus encouraged to proceed with their international
cooperation.
there have been important developments recently in the general
structure of Eurovision by the European television networks It is now
possible to provide for the transmission of television programs over the
territory of most of the countries participating in the European program
exchanges, independently of the need.a of th? national domestic programs,
This development has, of crurse, bean reflected in a r:~~.rked relaxation
of the restrictions hitherto imposed rotative to the progra:~ items that
could be relayed internationally. Now, disregarding the juridical and
financial aspects of the problem, it is technically possible for any of
the night (8) national television services p~,rticipat~_ng in Eurovision
operations to be the sole recipient of a program item produced far its bene-
fit by another service s,nd routed to it over ono or more other countries.
For example RAT (Italy) could be, i# desired, the only organization to
broadcast a TV prograr~a coming from the $BC (UK) and transmitted for its
sole benefit over the networks ~~~ France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland,
without in arty way interfering with the national TV prog~ur~s of these
intermediate countries.
It can b? reported that the gradual increase of the technical facili-
ties available is bringing about a flexibility that is indispensable to
a solution of the problens associated with Eure~yisi~n. In Jung 1854 there
were 4.4 TV stations radiating the exchanged programs, whereas today it is
possible for ~a6 stations to radiate an international iten, They are:
Co
~_untrv:
July, 1954.
November. 1 55
,
Belgium
~
~*
Dennark
~-
"'
France
4
S
German Fed. Rep.
15
25
Italy
9
1Q
Netherlands
~
2
Switzerland
2
4
United Kingdom
,,,~`~
Approved For R~l@~L~2000/08/27 : CIA-B!'~t78-016348000300030095-~
- 1 - Z
 Approved For Releas,~000/08/27: CIA-RDP78-01634R00030rQ,a30
(Unclassified when detached)
New radio links have Llado it possible to establish an international
circuit which is essential for the exploitation cf Euxovision. Four
links have been completed and are now in operation,
COLOGNE.-HORNISGRINDE. This is a roversibl? circuit along the route
COLOGNE, OLBERG, GROSSER F'SLDBERG, STUTTGART, RAICHBEp.G, iiORNISGRINDE
which virtually parallls the circuit, Cologne, Schonesberg, Grosser
Feldberg, Weinbert, Harnis~rinde. Colrgne and Harnisg_rinde are important
as being practically the points of contact of the Western German network
with the Belgium, Holland and SwitS~.erls.nd network respectively.
BRLTSSELSTLIEGE, This uni-directional network is used to carry the
national program to Liege and makes it possible to transmit an inter-
natione.l prog'rcm in transit in the East-going direction, independently of
the national program. International programs in the WESt-~-ain~* direction
.can be providec? for by the use of a uni-directional circuit T,iege-
Brussels, except when the nat~.anal pra~*rarl originates at Liege.
Interconnection to the Western German network takos place at the
German station Simraerath, over a reversible link provided and operated
jointly by the INR and the Fecl.eral Bast Office.
SCHIMMERT-SIA~`1EP.ATH. ~ direct interconnection between iiollancl and
the German Federal Republic is-now in service using new per?~~ar~ent equip-
ment.
LONDON-LILLE. A direct interconnection with simultaneous two-way
service is now s,vailable. Tha Land~an to Dover section belongs to the
GI'O and consists of coaxial cables. The Dover-Lille section consists of
two radio links both of which are reversible, with an ~.nterrcediate sta-
ticn at Cassel.
The Austrian TV network h~-~s been linked te^~par~.rily to the European
network. At the Dusseldorf exhibition durin~~ A'~l~z.st the Gcanan Federal
Past Office set up a link between Munich and Saa_zb~cr..r-go- Austrian viewers
were able to have an international relay within a month. of the opening of
their national service.
The availability of the new radio links wh~.ch duplicate existing .
circuits used for national programs now r~~.kes possible a ra~t;a of 7 Euro-
vision transmissions a month ~:~nd a daily exchange between Be:;.~*:Lum and
France and. frequently between Balgiur.: and Holland and Germany and
Switzerland.. Tha growing exper~.ence of the technicians and the relia-
bility of the equipment justifies az~ optimistic outlook fox the future.
Approved For Release 2000/08/27: CIA-RDP7~-616348000300030099-