BBC TV Timeline

A visual history of BBC Television told primarily through its on-screen identity

[MrDannyDetail]

It makes sense, what with the war getting in the way and slowing things down, but somehow I had never realised before that the BBC never reached nationwide coverage untill well into the fifties, and in fact the last BBC region to launch was actually (just) after the first ITV region had launched. I think because BBC Tv had started in 1936, a full 19 years before ITV, I had just previously assumed that the BBC had already been nationwide for a good while before ITV came along.

[mrhammadmossopul-haq]

This is fabulous thanks I love BBC Television!

[tomrox]

Happy birthday BBC. 100 Years of world TV.

[txlmu]

The 60’s were a big advancement for BBC

[solliedarnosc]

Hey, on 2:05, where did you get the footage from if I may ask?

[rtc]

The attitude back then to give a third television service to the BBC rather than ITV that was seen as too downmarket. And even up to the late 1980's, BBC 2 spent more time showing a testcard or pages from Ceefax than any programmes. Mind you BBC1 was not much better.

[LEGOGamesYT]

And now, in 2021, the BBC rebranded (they don't use Gill Sans anymore, instead they use their own BBC Reith) and all of the former regions from BBC One (excluding the nations) don't distinguish themselves anymore on-air. Since BBC Two doesn't use this practice, only BBC One is affected.

[retrobuild]

06:39 it was spelt correctly of "North-East". I've spotted.

[JCTelevisionLtd]

Clip from 9:29-10:35: What is the name of the song, and how did you get this?

[Graciecanedit]

I can’t believe that bbc was lunched 100 yrs ago today

[haladler]

0:47 THIS IS 2LO THE LONDON STATION OF THE BRITISH BROADCASTING COMPANY CALLING 2LO CALLING

[raistherais]

Celebrating 100 years of the BBC, sorry if I was late 🥳

[GJPG]

With the much smaller coverage areas of UHF transmitters, the development of that service would have been much more fragmentary and gradual than shown. Though they may have withheld the actual switch-on until the network was substantially in place.

(I didn't know about the last 405 relay not being introduced until 1970! That's keeping backwards capability service going, with knobs on! Microsoft take note … 🙂)

[DitzyNizzy]

1:10 - So would this mean that the second ever programme on BBC was a repeat?

The more things change...

[THEACTUALLDL]

Bad part:BBC2 Doesn't comming to the channel islands

[TumbleTower]

Are you sure BBC2 rolled out as quickly as you put in the video? BBC2 launched in UHF 625-lines only, and to the best of my knowledge, was never put on the North Hessary Tor transmitter. In the south west, BBC2 must have been put on Caradon Hill and Stockland Hill (which already carried Westward TV VHF 405-lines); three more main UHF transmitters Redruth, Beacon Hill and Huntshaw Cross entered service later (possilby by the time BBC1 and Westward had also started UHF 625-lines broadcasting). Not to mention the plethora of relays that had to be added.

[StuartClary]

Re. October 1st 200: it was a Monday, not a Sunday. BBC London launched that day, but South Easy and Yorkshire/Lincolnshire didn't

[trevordance]

Correct me if I am wrong but I didn't think the Channel Islands got a proper off air reception 625 line service until 1976 when the main Fremont Point transmitter was upgraded to 625 lines UHF colour.This meant an improvement in picture quality for BBC1 and
ITV Channel previously broadcast in black and white 405 lines only. They could now be broadcast on 625 lines colour, added to which BBC2 could be received for the first time as previously 625 UHF channels could not be received reliably from the mainland apart from possiblly Alderney where long distance signals could be received using large aerials and even then not reliably.

[stickytapenrust]

BBC TV’s North West region wasn’t created until 1968 (not 1959 as your video says) as they had no way of splitting it until 1964 when the BBC opened the BBC1 VHF C13 transmitter on Winter Hill.

[stickytapenrust]

It’s a pity you couldn’t cover the rollout of NICAM stereo as well.