Page 8 - link magazine

8 'Y&113 PUTTING PEOPLE IN TOUCH
4_of IN WEST SWINDON
Nineteen eighty-nine will see a Cable has the connections Swindon has been different and
battle of the skies as satellite tele- much more successful. We have
vision broadcasts direct to house- ment manufacturers and finan- reckoned. The two systems now not been promoting ourselves
holders becomes a reality. cial backers try to persuade con- being marketed will be incom- heavily in the west, but there is
The claims, propaganda and sumers that a satellite dish on the patible. The 'bargain price' of still resentment about what was
general barrage of media cover- roof will be to their advantage. £199 for a receiving dish may not done to the environment.
age about satellite TV is already Many people are going to be include the decoders to un- "The scars of cable laying have
fierce. It will get ever more ven- duped by the media hype and scramble channels. These will faded and blended inflow. Whilst
omous as satellite owners, equip- will find the costs more than they have to be rented and will add to the early experience was a lost
the overall outlay. For £200, read opportunity, the rapid changes
Taking to the air £400 or £500! taking place in television will
However the media revolution allow us to regain ground and
that will take place over the next really demonstrate the benefits
In just five months the air waves and challenging speech pro- few years, through the develop- of cable."
around Swindon will be filled grammes. And we now have a ment of satellite services and the Swindon Cable is looking for-
with the local reports and mel- far better idea of what kind of big shake-up the Government ward to the large number and
low music of BBC Wiltshire music people like. proposes for broadcasting in wide range of TV channels pro-
Sound, the new radio station "One thing stood out more than general, will see cable television posed, because they will be ready
covering this area. anything else - older listeners, in come into its own. to supply them all to their cus-
The station goes on air on April particular, are fed up with rau- In Swindon, cable television tomers. At present, for £1.60 a
4th next year, but only after cous pop. This is one thing you has had a chequered history. week, cable supplies the four
months of preparation. Nearly will be confident of not hearing Residents in West Swindon pro- main channels plus two out of
4,000 households throughout the on Wiltshire Sound." tested vigourously when Thorn area ITV channels plus several
county have been taking part in a The Link magazine is looking EMI started to rip up pavements entertainment, music, sport, chil-
survey by filling out question- forward to the opening of the to lay the cables in 1984. The dren's, and foreign language
naires and discussing their ex- new radio station. As West Swin- subsequent sale of Swindon Cable channels. For additional subscip-
pectations of a local radio station don is such an active community, to British Telecoms has produced tions, a variety of film, music and
with BBC staff. groups will have another outlet big changes according to Dave news channels can be received on
The information provided by for publicising their events, whilst Richards, promotions manager an 'a la carte' basis, even for just a
potential listeners will be invalu- no doubt many of the issues writ- with the company. "They were month if required. National and
able in planning the station out- ten about in The Link will be guilty of not communicating with local radio stations can also be re-
put according to Wiltshire Sound picked up for discussion on air. residents. There was excitement ceived via the cable.
station manager Tony Talmage. Tony Talmage confirmed that about being the first cable fran- With Christmas just a few
"A sizeable cross-section of the there will be an useful link-up. chise to be launched in Great weeks away, West Swindon resi-
population have told us what they "Obviously The Link magazine Britain, but there was a failure to dents who have cable outside
expect from us. We know, for will offer us a valuable source of excite the market. their homes could increase the
instance, that there is a huge information about events and "Our cable laying operation range of viewing choice
appetite for in-depth local news activities in West Swindon. and marketing in other parts of enormously by connecting up.

Your present

from Aunty' wont

arrive fill April

000
PWOWILTSHIRE

a
~~~SOUND.

Broadcasting to the county from April 4th 7989— you'll hear the difference.