The Guardian reports that the Conservative government has again raised Purchase Tax. Of particular interest here are the items which already attract a tax of 50%: radio and television sets, gramophones and records, cameras and films – as well as cars, electric and gas fires, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and refrigerators. The tax on these items will rise to 60%. Eek!
The paper’s London Staff write: “The Radio Industry Council said that the constant changes in the rates of purchase tax over the past few yers were far more damaging than the increases now announced. Manufacturers of radio and television products had been subjected to seven changes of purchase tax since the war, and four changes in the terms of hire-purchase during the past three and a half years.”
The same paper’s London correspondent notes improved grammar at Associated-Rediffusion. The sign on its headquarters used to indicate that this was the building “from whence will be transmitted all that is best in television.” The word “from” has now been painted over.
A Daily Express Staff Reporter writes under the headline “TV pluggers pay the BBC for audience secrets” that “Advertising chiefs agreed yesterday to pay £5000 a year to the BBC to find out: how many people are watching commercial TV; and what they think of the advertisers’ plugs.” This comes from a joint committee of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and the Society of British Advertisers. And why is this? It’s because “the commercial TV companies would not have their own ‘audience survey'”.
Elsewhere, the paper reports that a bout of influenza has caused Stirling Moss to cancel a planned television appearance.
The Daily Mirror notes that television licenses increased in September by 97,434 to 4,883,849.