The Birth of TV - History of the BBC
Image: Alexandra Place, with its iconic mast, where television began, 1936.
From John Logie Baird and his mechanical television experiments to the coming of age of television with the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, this collection brings together the voices of the "fools on the hill" who battled against indifference and technical difficulty to bring television to you. The story extends into the international coverage of the 1948 Olympics and early Eurovision, as well as exploring the viewer experience at home and the accidental iconography of the famous Testcard.
Curated by Emeritus Professor David Hendy and Dr Alban Webb, University of Sussex; Professor Jamie Medhurst, Aberystwyth University; Professor Helen Wood and Dr Jilly Boyce Kay, University of Leicester; and Dr Elinor Groom of the National Media Museum, Bradford.
Invention: The BBC steps in 1929-1935After Baird's early experiments, the BBC reluctantly picked up his problematic mechanical television and aimed to make practical television a reality...with an ambitious deadline.
Opening NightVision and sound were on, the station was ready to go on the air. But were the magic rays of light ready?
Baird and Moseley A portrait of TV pioneer John Logie Baird and his biggest backer Sydney Moseley, the radio critic.
Abandoning the Baird System It took four years for the BBC to abandon the mechanical Baird TV system, why it happened and why it was crucial.
Programme ParadeWhat would early 'lookers in' have seen when the switched on their television sets?
Who was Cecil Madden?Cecil Madden joined the television service in 1936, and brought to his new job a fascinating range of experience – both inside broadcasting and out.
Resurrection 1946After a seven year hiatus, the BBC Television Service returned in June 1946. Would anyone be out there to watch it?
Ally PallyWhy BBC Television made the 'People's Palace' at Alexandra Palace its first home.
1948 Olympics"A planning and operational problem which had never before been encountered in the history of any broadcasting organization in the world."
Two CoronationsHow the pioneering television broadcast of the 1937 Coronation procession led the way for the biggest outside broadcast yet attempted - the Coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.
Watching at homeWhat did people make of television in the 1940s, and how did they think it would impact their lives?
TestcardsAppearing first as a 'Tuning Signal' in 1934, over the subsequent eight decades successive generations of Test Card have become subtlety incorporated into the cultural experience of television watching.
TV and the worldHow the BBC led the way in cross continental broadcasting, ultimately leading to the ultimate global linkup - Eurovision.
Picture GalleriesFrom dance mime and comedy, to news features and interviews, the output of the early years of BBC Television was as varied in the early years, as it is today, if not quite with the same level of sophistication.
Share your memoriesWhat do you remember about the early day of BBC Television? Did buying your first television set change your life? What are your earliest television memories? Let us know something about your early TV viewing habits.
Editorial Note
Birth of TV contains excerpts and programmes from BBC services at specific moments in time. The material should be viewed in this context and with the understanding that it reflects the attitudes and standards of its time – not those of today.
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