1.
GV PAN OF FLAGS OF THE NATIONS OUTSIDE CONGRESS HALL
0.08

2.
GV CONGRESS BANNER
0.11

3.
GV PAN INT. CONGRESS
0.18

4.
SV PAN DELEGATES ON PLATFORM
0.24

5.
SV PAN AMERICAN DELEGATION
0.29

6.
SV PAN JAPANESE DELEGATE
0.33

7.
SV PAN B.B.C. DELEGATION
0.40

8.
SV PAN W. GERMAN DELEGATION
0.48

9.
SV PAN TWO DELEGATES FROM THE CAMEROONS
0.53

10.
SV DELEGATE SPEAKS
0.58

11.
SV PAN SPANISH DELEGATE
1.01

12.
SV PAN U.K. DELEGATES
1.08

13.
SV DR. SCHAGINGER MAKING SPEECH
1.12

14.
SV ALGERIAN DELEGATE
1.16

15.
SV DELEGATE FROM LUXEMBOURG
1.19

16.
SV DELEGATE FROM MONACO
1.25

17.
SV ANOTHER DELEGATE SPEAKS
1.29

18.
GV DELEGATES APPLAUDING
1.33



Initials PC/S/MGT/PN



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AN INTERNATIONAL COLOUR TELEVISION CONFERENCE OPENED IN VIENNA TODAY (THURSDAY) AIMED AT ADOPTING A COMMON COLOUR SYSTEM, NOT ONLY IN EUROPE BUT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

OPENING THE CONFERENCE, THE AUSTRIAN POSTMASTER-GENERAL, HERR BENNO SCHAGINGER, APPEALED FOR A SPIRIT OF READINESS TO COMPROMISE. THE MEETING LATER BROKE UP INTO TWO STUDY GROUPS, EXPECTED TO CONFER UNTIL SATURDAY. NO OFFICIAL STATEMENT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE PRESS.

THE CONFERENCE OF ABOUT 220 TECHNICIANS AND ECONOMISTS FROM 30 COUNTRIES ARE DIVIDED INTO GROUPS, EACH OF THEM SUPPORTING ONE OF THREE COLOUR SYSTEMS: 1. THE NTSC (NATIONAL TELEVISION SYSTEM COMMITTEE) SYSTEM, OPERATED IN AMERICA ON A LIMITED SCALE FOR THE LAST 13 YEARS. 2. THE SECAM (COLOUR SEQUENCE BY MEMORY) SYSTEM DEVELOPED BY FRANCE. 3. THE GERMAN SYSTEM PAL (PHASE ALTERNATION LINE).

RUSSIA AND FRANCE ANNOUNCED LAST MONDAY THEY WOULD COOPERATE IN EFFORTS TO ADOPT THE SECAM SYSTEM. BUT SEVERAL OTHER DELEGATIONS FAVOUR THE AMERICAN OR WEST GERMAN SYSTEM. THE SOVIET UNION IS REPORTED TO HAVE SECURED SUPPORT FROM ALL HER ALLIES FOR THE FRENCH SYSTEM BEFORE TODAY'S CONFERENCE OPENED.

A FINAL RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CONFERENCE ON A SYSTEM TO BE ADOPTED IS NOT EXPECTED AT PRESENT. REPORTS FROM VIENNA SAY A VOTE ON THE THREE RIVAL SYSTEMS MIGHT BE AVOIDED TO PREVENT A SERIOUS SPLIT AMONG THE DELEGATIONS. IT'S THOUGHT THAT VOTING MIGHT BE POSTPONED UNTIL THE NEXT CONFERENCE IN OSLO IN 1866.

(A COMMON COLOUR SYSTEM FOR EUROPE WOULD MEAN THAT PROGRAMMES COULD BE EXCHANGED EASILY. ALL THREE SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN TESTED IN EUROPE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. EVEN IF THE CONFERENCE AGREED ON WHICH BASIC SYSTEM SHOULD BE USED, EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT REGULAR COLOUR TRANSMISSION COULD NOT START BEFORE THE END OF 1967.)