The paper examines the factors involved in the reception of 405-line television signals in the four frequency bands assigned by international agreement to television broadcasting in Europe. After consideration of the receiving-installation characteristics appropriate to the various bands, and the statistical variation of field strength with aerial location over the range of frequencies involved, a basis for the specification of the median field strength defining the nominal limit of the service area of a television station is described.The estimates made, particularly for Bands IV and V, must of necessity be provisional: it may be necessary to modify them when first-hand experience of operation in these Bands becomes available. Despite this limitation, however, it is considered that the figures given provide a useful interim guide for planning purposes.