... TONY BARROW on Satellite CHAT is cheap. American television producers realised a long time ago that talk shows cost relatively little to put on and represent ideal programming for low- expectarion viewing and low-budget daytime schedules. Hosting a US daytime talk pro gramme fattened up professional superchatter Oprah Winfrey's bank balance to the extreme extent that she turned into a multi ...

... The Chosen Few BBC 2 THIS riveting documentary about Civil Service recruitment, and its sister programme, The Final Board, both directed by Chris Curling, confirms my view that 40 Minutes is the liveliest series of its kind on the box. Somehow or oincr tuning managed to persuade the Civil Service Commis sion and half a dozen jittery young candidates to let 3 40 Minutes team film their two-day ...

... Nasty one, Kyril Nick Smurthwaite on a drear spy story HTV Codename Kyril IAN FLEMING hoodwinked a generation (or two) into believing espionage was full of fast cars, faster women and cartoon violence. I am sure this is why I've always found John Le Carre's po-faced esca pades so resistible. He writes about the real world of espionage, which I suspect is largely devoid of glamour and fun. ...

... BSB invests big money in British films BY ANGELA THOMAS BRITISH Satellite Broadcasting maintained its current high profile last week by making its presence felt at the Cannes Film Festival with the announcement of a multi-million dollar investment in UK film production. The company, which was already hitting the headlines at home with its controversial televised soccer coverage deal, announced ...

... 'Intelligent escapism' and a mixture of adventure in the World About Us By GERARD WERSON WORLD ABOUT US, which completes its current series on Sunday July 20 at 7. 45 pm, aims to be intelligent escapism, says its editor Tim Slcssor. He told Television Today that World About Us, essentially about travelling vicariously, is about fun. The series does not deal with social or political problems, ...

... Sledge Hammer LWT WITH the current sensitivity about screen violence pervading the TV industry, one almost feels guilty owning up to liking a decent all-action thriller. And as for the thought that people might still enjoy the antics of bungling cops and robbers, well that's probably unthinkable. It's these thoughts which have forced LWT to hide this American made comedy away in a late night ...

... Unions to prevent another Eldorado THE EQUITY and BECTU unions have started talks with the BBC to ensure that the fiasco surrounding Eldorado, the Corporation's new thrice-weekly drama serial does not happen again. Billed as BBC Television's most ambi tious drama project to date, the programme will replace BBC l's Wogan chat show later this year. Shot entirely on location on the Costa del ...

... London's television market is saved SINGLE Market Events, the company which organised The Television Show, the trade fair held at north London's business design centre last month, has come to the rescue of the only gramme market based in the UK. Backed by ITV companies, Channel 4 and the independent production and distribution sector, the week-long London Screenings event was shortly after ...

... Co-production gives HTV a new Insight HTV West and Westcountry Television, which takes over the ITV franchise for the South West next year, have signed a co-production deal for two half-hour programmes about a blind sculptor. Independent production company, Insight, has been commissioned to make the two films about Havio Titolo, who became the first full-lime blind student at the School of Art ...

... Britain goes down with all its lights blazing in new black comedy By GILLIAN ROSE A BLACK comedy series that reflects the unhappy side of Britain in the eighties-- its unemployment and urban violence -- is being produced for Channel 4. Regent Productions is currently rehearsing and shooting the first three of six one-hour plays in the series Tickets for the Titanic, commissioned by Mike ...

... Roland Rat-The Series BBC-1 THERE are few living legends around today, and fewer still with big pink ears which easily outrival those belonging to a superstar of the House of Windsor. But mega-star Roland, who deserted the sewers of TV-am to launch his own BBC-3 station, has arrived to boost the sagging summer schedules. And technically the production and presentation of the rodent with a ...

... The Great Trailer Show CHANNEL 4 WE WERE talking the other day about the golden years of cinema when you queued (and expected to) at the local picture house behind boards marked Is 9d or 2s 6d and dreaded the commissionaire's arm falling before you were admitted. Two films, a newsreel, a cartoon, sometimes a variety show, an organist at the mighty Wurlitzer and those mini works of studio art, ...