History
of U.K. TV over the past 64 years Digitize
History
of U.K. TV over the past 64 years
The launch of The Digital Network ( digital terrestrial television ) will have the same - if not bigger - impact as the arrival of colour did 30 years ago, opening up a whole new viewing experience for the british public.
Viewers will be able to receive at least thirty channels, including 15 from British Digital Broadcasting, through their existing aerial. The advent of the digital Network will now take its place among the milestones.
1922
18 October: British Broadcasting
Company formed
1 November: Broadcasting Licence Fee of 10 shillings (£0.50) introduced
14 November: First daily transmission from 2LO (London)
15 November: Birmingham (5IT) and Manchester (2ZY) stations brought into service
14 December: John Reith made General Manager of the BBC
1923
8 January: First outside
broadcast
26 March: First daily weather forecast
28 September: Radio Times first published
8 November: First broadcast in Welsh from Cardiff
2 December: First broadcast in Gaelic from Aberdeen
1924
5 February: First Greenwich Time
Signal
17 February: First Big Ben daily time signal
23 April: First broadcast by King George V
1927
1 January: British Broadcasting Corporation established by Royal Charter
1929
20 August: First BBC transmission of 30-line experimental television using Baird's studio
1930
31 March : First transmission of 30-line television with synchronised sound
1932
12 March: First broadcast from
Broadcasting House
19 December: Short-wave Empire Service from Daventry inaugurated
1934
29 November: First broadcast of a Royal wedding, with world coverage (Duke of Kent and Princess Marina)
1936
2 November: Official
inauguration of world's first regular high-definition television service from
Alexandra Palace
9 December: First televised cookery demonstration
1937
12 May: Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (radio and television). First use of television outside broadcast van
1938
3 January: First BBC
foreign-language service (Arabic)
30 June: John Reith resigned
1939
1 September: TV Service closed down. Home Service replaced National and Regional radio programmes
1940
7 January: Forces Programme
began
15 October: Bomb exploded in Broadcasting House during nine o'clock news, seven
deaths
1941
17 March: European Service moved to Bush House
1942
29 January: Desert Island Discs first broadcast
1943
13 June: Empire Service became Overseas Service
1945
29 July: Regional broadcasts renewed and Light Programme began
1946
7 June: BBC TV resumes after shutdown during World War II
1955
22 September: Launch of ITV
1962
11 June: First satellite transmission from USA via Telstar
1964
21 April: BBC2 launched in London (first 625 lines service)
1966
2 June: TV pictures show live from moon's surface
1967
1 July: First regular BBC2 colour transmissions
1969
15 November: Colour begins on BBC1 and ITV
1982
2 November: Launch of channel 4
1989
5 February: Launch of Sky satellite television
1997
31 March: Launch of channel 5
1998
31 October : Sky digital launch
1998
15th November: U.K. Digital Terrestrial TV launch / ONdigital launch
The last quarter of 1998 launch of the Digital Network
1997
June: Licence awarded
1997
November: Set-top box specification agreed
1997
December: CTI awarded transmission and distribution contract
1997
December: Licence granted
1997
December: Multiplex Centre chosen
1998
January: Multiplex Centre construction begins
1998
February: CA system chosen
1998
February: AMV BBDO appointed as advertising agency
1998
March: Set-top box orders placed
1998
March: the Digital network unveiled
1998
April: Retail trade hotline begins