Black and White licences. Again.

[ppppenguin]

I probably should have accepted Scotland, especially as I could have worked in a Baird reference.

[Geordie McBoyne]

9:20pm. Just got back to the shop and only to find there is a message from Radio Scotland, Glasgow, enquiring if I have any knowledge of the number of black and white TV licences still in existence. I've no idea whatsoever how many viewers are still watching B & W TV so what's the point offering up any suggestions. I'll probably reply to their message just out of good manners.
In the last twenty years I've never come across any monochrome TV sets in ordinary customers homes. That's folks that don't collect retro equipment of course.

Geordie McBoyne.

[Murphyv310]

Well considering that I've serviced TV'S in this area from 1970 I know that in the last year's from 2000 to 2006 I did no mono sets at all with the exception of vintage collectors. I'd say you cannot in real terms include them as they are not for mainstream viewing. You can pass on my name too David and I'll happily give them my opinions.

The big picture too is that BBC Scotland has to look out of the country to find a TV engineer that is still trading!!

[ppppenguin]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46125741

In that article TV Licencing openily say that they don't enforce B&W licences.

Expecting call from Radio Sussex any moment now.

[ppppenguin]

Radio Sussex say they've tracked down a woman called Ann from Brighton who still actually watches in B&W. Apparently she's on air in a few minutes but I can't listen as I'm due to be on Radio Berkshire.

pS: Caught the tail end of her on Sussex and looks like they really have found somnebody who routinely watches on her 1980s small screen B&W set.

[ppppenguin]

That's done my 2 interviews. Mobile rang while I was on air to Berkshire. Whoops!

Turned out to be Radio Wales who I decided weren't going to get the benefit of my wisdom, especially after some numpty from RW phoned me yesterday and was a bit of a nuisance.

[radioman]

Just heard Steve Harris (~8.55am) on 'Good Morning Scotland' i.e. last five minutes of programme.
He mentioned mirror-lid sets and the fact that watching on a modern smart phone uses a screen size similar to Baird's Televisor.
Programme website here :- https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074hf...des/player
Full 3 hour programme probably won't be available till later on.

Andy

[ppppenguin]

Glad Scotland got somebody good.

[Murphyv310]

I'll listen later on to the broadcast.
I think from personal experience Scotland really doesn't have a large percentage of collectors. I do know a few up here, there is Peter Scott, Norman Raeburn, Ian (IJK2008) Bob of course with the biggest in Scotland, Duncan Leece and four others I personally know about. Only one I know has a mono set a TV22 and auroras, all the rest have a colour TV.
One of the biggest collectors was Joe Urban from Anstruther, now sadly deceased, in his time he had been interviewed on BBC Radio Scotland and had articles in one of the Scottish magazines.
I still believe that there will be only a handful of sweet old lady's with an 80's mono portable and freeview box as the only TV set. I'm sure the majority of mono licenses are those "working the system".

[ppppenguin]

The Grauniad has a lovely little "funny" https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018...-licensing

Caption to photo (my italics) reads:
" In 1967, Billie-Jean King was the first woman to lift the Wimbledon title in colour on British screens (seen here in black and white). "