BBC Television
John Logie Baird set up the Baird Television Development Company in 1926. On the 30th of September 1929, he made the first experimental television broadcast for the BBC from its studio in Long Acre in the Covent Garden area of London. This transmission used an analog signal propagated via the BBC's London radio transmitter. Baird utilized his electromechanical system with a vertically scanned image of 30 lines. The resolution was just enough for a close-up of one person and had low bandwidth to use existing radio transmitters. Simultaneous transmission of sound and pictures occurred on the 30th of March 1930 using the BBC's new twin transmitter at Brookmans Park. By late 1930, thirty minutes of morning programmes were broadcast from Monday to Friday. Thirty minutes aired at midnight on Tuesdays and Fridays after BBC radio went off the air. These broadcasts continued until June 1932.
The BBC began its own regular television programming from the basement of Broadcasting House, London, on the 22nd of August 1932. The studio moved to larger quarters in 16 Portland Place, London, in February 1934. They continued broadcasting 30-line images carried by telephone line to the medium wave transmitter at Brookmans Park until the 11th of September 1935. Advances in the all-electronic 405-line television system made electromechanical broadcasts obsolete. Following test transmissions that began in August 1936, the BBC Television Service officially launched at 3:00 pm on the 2nd of November 1936. This launch came from a converted wing of Alexandra Palace in London. The opening day's programming started using the Baird System with "Opening of the B.B.C. television service by Major G. C. Tryon". This was followed by British Movietone Newsreel at 3:15. A ten-minute variety show featuring Adele Dixon and Buck and Bubbles then aired. These programmes were shown at 4:00 pm using the Marconi-E.M.I. System.
On the 1st of September 1939, the station went off the air. The government feared VHF transmissions would act as a beacon for enemy aircraft homing in on London. Many technical staff and engineers were needed for the war effort, particularly on the radar programme. The last programme transmitted was a Mickey Mouse cartoon titled Mickey's Gala Premier from 1933. Test transmissions followed this broadcast. Figures from Britain's Radio Manufacturers Association showed 18,999 television sets had been manufactured from 1936 to September 1939 when production halted due to the war.
BBC Television returned on the 7th of June 1946 at 15:00. Jasmine Bligh, one of the original announcers, made the first announcement. She said "Good afternoon, everybody. How are you? Do you remember me, Jasmine Bligh? Well, here we are after a lapse of nearly seven years ready to start again and of course we are all terribly excited and thrilled...". The Mickey Mouse cartoon of 1939 repeated twenty minutes later. On the 31st of December the BBC broadcast First-year Flashbacks, a compilation of the year's highlights. An edited copy is now the oldest programme on the BBC's iPlayer streaming service. Alexandra Palace remained the home base until the early 1950s when most production moved into Lime Grove Studios. Postwar coverage extended to Birmingham in 1949 with the opening of the Sutton Coldfield transmitting station on the 17th of December.
BBC TV split into BBC1 and BBC2 in 1964. BBC2 was designed to provide more niche programming. The channel launch was scheduled for the 20th of April 1964 but postponed due to a fire at Battersea Power Station. Most of west London lost power including Television Centre. A videotape from the opening night was rediscovered in 2003 by a BBC technician. The launch proceeded the following night beginning with host Denis Tuohy blowing out a candle. BBC2 became the first British channel to use UHF and 625-line pictures. This gave higher definition than the existing VHF 405-line television system.
On the 1st of July 1967, BBC Two became the first television channel in Europe to broadcast regularly in colour. They used the West German PAL system that lasted decades before digital systems superseded it. Unlike other terrestrial channels, BBC Two does not have soap opera or standard news programming. It offers eclectic and diverse programmes instead. David Attenborough served as the first controller and commissioned heavyweight documentaries like Civilisation and Horizon. He later worked with the BBC Studios Natural History Unit which existed since the 1950s. This unit produces high quality programmes such as Life on Earth and Planet Earth. National and regional variations occur within schedules across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Ceefax launched on the 23rd of September 1974 as the first teletext service. Viewers could view textual information like latest news on their televisions. CEEFAX did not fully transition to digital television but was gradually replaced by the interactive BBCi service. It closed down completely on the 22nd of October 2012. In March 2003 the BBC announced transmission of all eight domestic channels unencrypted from the Astra 2D satellite. This move saved an estimated £85 million over five years. The smaller footprint meant viewers received channels free-to-air over much of Western Europe.
The BBC Television department headed by Jana Bennett absorbed into a new group called BBC Vision in late 2006. In 2008, the BBC began experimenting with live streaming certain channels in the UK. All standard BBC television channels became available online via BBC iPlayer in November 2008. When Tony Hall became Director General in April 2013, he reverted the division to its original name of BBC Television. Following the 2016 Licence Fee settlement, BBC Television split into two divisions. In-house production separated into BBC Studios controlled by Mark Linsey. Remaining parts including channels and genre commissioning renamed BBC Content controlled by Charlotte Moore. On the 8th of December 2020, Moore announced a new leadership structure taking effect in April 2021 prioritizing iPlayer.
BBC domestic television channels do not broadcast advertisements. They are funded by a television licence fee which TV viewers pay annually. This includes viewers who watch real-time streams or catch up services online or via mobile phone. International television channels are funded by advertisements and subscription instead. The Corporation's flagship network broadcasts mainstream entertainment, comedy, drama, documentaries, films, news, sport, and children's programmes. BBC One is home to main news programmes with BBC Breakfast airing every morning from 06:00. Bulletins air at 13:00, 18:00 and 22:00 on weekdays.
High definition simulcast BBC One HD launched on the 3rd of November 2010. BBC Two offers specialist programming including comedy, documentaries, dramas, and minority interest programmes. Newsnight airs each weeknight at 22:30 as a thirty-minute analysis programme. A high definition simulcast for BBC Two launched on the 26th of March 2013. BBC Three targets 16-34-year-olds with new comedies and LGBTQ+ related programs. It moved as an online-only content channel on the 16th of February 2016 before relaunching as broadcast in February 2022. BBC Four provides niche intellectual programming including foreign language films and archive repeats.
BBC Studios operates several international television channels under BBC branding. BBC America showcases British television programming distributed in cooperation with AMC Networks. BBC Brit features male-skewed factual entertainment launching in Poland in February 2015. BBC Canada showed Canadian and British programming until closing down on the 31st of December 2020. BBC Earth features premium factual programming available across Europe and Asia. BBC Entertainment broadcasts comedy, drama, light entertainment and children's programming to regions like Turkey and Israel.
BBC First kicked off in Australia on the 3rd of August 2014 featuring drama, crime and comedy. The channel is currently available in Asia, Benelux, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and North Africa and South Africa. BBC HD remains available in Turkey while other channels replaced it. UKTV serves as a commercial network in the United Kingdom broadcasting mainly BBC archive and specially produced programming. BBC Japan operated between December 2004 and April 2006 but ceased after its distributor folded. In November 2024, six BBC FAST channels added to Australia's 9Now platform. On the 3rd of April 2023, the BBC merged BBC News and BBC World News into a single networked news channel.
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Common questions
When did John Logie Baird make the first experimental television broadcast for the BBC?
John Logie Baird made the first experimental television broadcast for the BBC on the 30th of September 1929 from a studio in Long Acre, Covent Garden. This transmission used an analog signal propagated via the BBC's London radio transmitter with a vertically scanned image of 30 lines.
What date did the BBC Television Service officially launch at Alexandra Palace?
The BBC Television Service officially launched at 3:00 pm on the 2nd of November 1936 from a converted wing of Alexandra Palace in London. The opening day programming started using the Baird System followed by British Movietone Newsreel and variety shows before switching to the Marconi-E.M.I. System.
Why did the BBC Television station go off the air on the 1st of September 1939?
The government ordered the station off the air because VHF transmissions were feared to act as a beacon for enemy aircraft homing in on London. Many technical staff and engineers were also needed for the war effort particularly on the radar programme which halted production of television sets.
When did BBC Two become the first European channel to broadcast regularly in colour?
BBC Two became the first television channel in Europe to broadcast regularly in colour on the 1st of July 1967. They used the West German PAL system that lasted decades before digital systems superseded it while offering eclectic and diverse programmes instead of soap operas or standard news.
What date did Ceefax close down completely after being the first teletext service?
Ceefax closed down completely on the 22nd of October 2012 after launching on the 23rd of September 1974 as the first teletext service. Viewers could view textual information like latest news on their televisions until CEEFAX was gradually replaced by the interactive BBCi service.