when everything that could go wrong did go wrong still at least hardly anyone at the time saw it. if you wanted to get BBC 2 you needed a special tv arial my family had one installed in 1968
I remember performing on BBC2 when I was 18 or so. It was on Spike Milligan's show "Q2": I was one of the Scottish pipers on his 'Dr. Finlay's Casebook' sketch !
But my family didn't have BBC 2 at that time, so when it was broadcast, mum, dad, and brother Steve went down the road to watch our neighbours' TV, but, because I had to study for my A-level Maths retake, my mum forbade me to come along. So I never saw the broadcast !
What was the actual purpose of the telephone? I thought it was to give the newsreader 'breaking news', but it seems to be more like instructions from the floor manager [something that could be more discreetly done with an idiot board?]
Yes, that's what it is for. all newsreaders had a phone next to them until very recently. as did in vision continuity announcers. Nowadays they get messages in their earpieces and on computer screens
What a way to open a TV station. Nearly 3 minutes of audio failure, broken by a deeply emphasised quotation of extreme racial offense. Surely the worst launch in the worldwide history of broadcasting, no contest.
I feel really proud & privileged that I had the chance 2 work 4 the BBC at Ally Pally 4 a while thanks 2 my Dad 4 me getting a foot in the door there (God bless him).
Gerald Prestland went on to become one of the most obnoxiously arrogant news presenters ever, on Radio 4. He departed so much from the objectivity which should inform news reporting that every week there were vociferous cmplaints from the listeners. He also had the irritating habit of inflicting the life and times of his family on the listener, who simply wanted to hear the news.
I love how Gerald tells the viewer as he's picking up the phone excuse me just like Channel One say's hello to silence and then say's Unlike Channel One there's no one there. LMFAO
The BBC did what they could in the face of adversity that night. A catastrophic electrical disaster wasn't planned for and in spite of everthing they managed to fill the evening - even thought it looks now very staged and monty python-ish! The wiping of many shows is now considered the ultimate crime, but at the time it was seen as being economical - something that the BBC is now acused of needing to be!
I was in London last week and went down to TVC. From there i walked to White City and saw Mr Yentob get his Coffee from Starbucks and get into his very large Chauffeur driven Mercedes Limo.This in a time when the BBC, daily rams down my throat to think of Global warming and trade down to a smaller car.
A miricle that this survived. Amazing to think that the Beeb had a machine (or two) that could play this... i wonder what that person's face was when this came on as clear as crystal
One of these days (in my retirement, so another 15 years or so...) I hope to take the trip from Oz & visit Ally Pally and have a look, provided that naturally they will have tours by then. Ihave friends in England that also work in the industry and often tell me of a few historical TV locations I should visit and AP is way up on the list. I can hear Baird now in a broad Scottish accent saying 'but 30 lines looks great to me, what's wrong with it!'. Great work again... more as usual please :)
I think I have seen snippets from this somewhere. It is the utmost in calmed panic. In fact, with all respect, it would not look out of place in a 'Python sketch'. The professional side of me would have 'loved to have lived through that experience'. The closest I have come to this was during a strike at my network and managent had to carry on with everything going against us. Extremely frustrating but loads of fun at the same time. These clips are so clean I presume they came from v/tape?!
Thanks for your comment Mark. I would love to have lived through so many of these times! The excitement, the living on your nerves - it must have been so amazing. When I go to Alexandra Palace I walk around the studios and can feel the history and nostalgia in the air! I know it sounds daft but that is the only way I can describe it!! It is really quite amazing. I am so fortunate to have met some of the these television pioneers and feel so fotunate!
The first complete piece of news, about the Church of Scotland etc. could be part of a Monty Phyton show script without changing any damn word!
BilisNegra 1 week ago
when everything that could go wrong did go wrong still at least hardly anyone at the time saw it. if you wanted to get BBC 2 you needed a special tv arial my family had one installed in 1968
xandy1959 2 months ago
This is just like a Python sketch! Has anyone managed to work out what the bloke on the other end of the phone is saying?
Flickyhecky 3 months ago
I remember performing on BBC2 when I was 18 or so. It was on Spike Milligan's show "Q2": I was one of the Scottish pipers on his 'Dr. Finlay's Casebook' sketch !
But my family didn't have BBC 2 at that time, so when it was broadcast, mum, dad, and brother Steve went down the road to watch our neighbours' TV, but, because I had to study for my A-level Maths retake, my mum forbade me to come along. So I never saw the broadcast !
piperbob2 11 months ago
Gerald Priestland, I read one of his books, "The Case Against God".
Feisty1967 1 year ago
Can anyone lip read and tell me what was being said for the first 3 mins? Please write word for word. This is historicly important. Thanks.
TonyW1000 1 year ago
What was the actual purpose of the telephone? I thought it was to give the newsreader 'breaking news', but it seems to be more like instructions from the floor manager [something that could be more discreetly done with an idiot board?]
ggeudraco 1 year ago
@ggeudraco
Yes, that's what it is for. all newsreaders had a phone next to them until very recently. as did in vision continuity announcers. Nowadays they get messages in their earpieces and on computer screens
LuthansaTerminal 1 year ago
Are you sure that isn't John Cleese? lol
simonguitarman 1 year ago
@simonguitarman Seriously. That's what went through my mind, too. :D
TheSophera 9 months ago
"There was believed to be no recording ever made of this bulletin, but one was discovered in early 2003."
It should be noted that BBC Sound Archives preserved the sound from much of this clip on an LP. But yes, the videotape was only found in 2003.
lupinofan 1 year ago
What a way to open a TV station. Nearly 3 minutes of audio failure, broken by a deeply emphasised quotation of extreme racial offense. Surely the worst launch in the worldwide history of broadcasting, no contest.
97channel 1 year ago
I feel really proud & privileged that I had the chance 2 work 4 the BBC at Ally Pally 4 a while thanks 2 my Dad 4 me getting a foot in the door there (God bless him).
Rockage1960 1 year ago
the beatles were robbed.
jeffcool78 1 year ago
Excellent job with this old clip!!!
pancakeman22 1 year ago
I recall the opening night of bbc2 and the great disappointment , it took some time for it to establish itself .
missdeebates 1 year ago
Gerald Prestland went on to become one of the most obnoxiously arrogant news presenters ever, on Radio 4. He departed so much from the objectivity which should inform news reporting that every week there were vociferous cmplaints from the listeners. He also had the irritating habit of inflicting the life and times of his family on the listener, who simply wanted to hear the news.
WJCairns 2 years ago
lol at the phone ringing live on tv
DenisAndrejev 2 years ago 2
There's no sound
Dimonddove 2 years ago
Sound kicks in at 2.45. It was missing from the master tape of the opening night.
aptsarchive 2 years ago
@aptsarchive correction: 2:54
fanatix2008 6 months ago
@aptsarchive You mean 2:54!
quizman1967 2 months ago
I love how Gerald tells the viewer as he's picking up the phone excuse me just like Channel One say's hello to silence and then say's Unlike Channel One there's no one there. LMFAO
IATM29 2 years ago
What would the British "stiff upper lip" be without the BBC?
Great clip of yet another cock up from TV history.The BBC's wiping of many shows must be the main one.
The line "this summary will be repeated in one minute" is stunning.
ivorbigunzz 2 years ago 2
The BBC did what they could in the face of adversity that night. A catastrophic electrical disaster wasn't planned for and in spite of everthing they managed to fill the evening - even thought it looks now very staged and monty python-ish! The wiping of many shows is now considered the ultimate crime, but at the time it was seen as being economical - something that the BBC is now acused of needing to be!
aptsarchive 2 years ago 2
I was in London last week and went down to TVC. From there i walked to White City and saw Mr Yentob get his Coffee from Starbucks and get into his very large Chauffeur driven Mercedes Limo.This in a time when the BBC, daily rams down my throat to think of Global warming and trade down to a smaller car.
ivorbigunzz 2 years ago
When, precisely, has there been any BBC editorial which has explicitly advised it's license payers to downsize their car?
pronatorgator 2 years ago
You obviously don't watch BBC Breakfast (they dropped the word News) Mr Yentob
ivorbigunzz 2 years ago
A miricle that this survived. Amazing to think that the Beeb had a machine (or two) that could play this... i wonder what that person's face was when this came on as clear as crystal
Trek001 1 year ago
One of these days (in my retirement, so another 15 years or so...) I hope to take the trip from Oz & visit Ally Pally and have a look, provided that naturally they will have tours by then. Ihave friends in England that also work in the industry and often tell me of a few historical TV locations I should visit and AP is way up on the list. I can hear Baird now in a broad Scottish accent saying 'but 30 lines looks great to me, what's wrong with it!'. Great work again... more as usual please :)
tubeie07 2 years ago
I think I have seen snippets from this somewhere. It is the utmost in calmed panic. In fact, with all respect, it would not look out of place in a 'Python sketch'. The professional side of me would have 'loved to have lived through that experience'. The closest I have come to this was during a strike at my network and managent had to carry on with everything going against us. Extremely frustrating but loads of fun at the same time. These clips are so clean I presume they came from v/tape?!
tubeie07 2 years ago
Thanks for your comment Mark. I would love to have lived through so many of these times! The excitement, the living on your nerves - it must have been so amazing. When I go to Alexandra Palace I walk around the studios and can feel the history and nostalgia in the air! I know it sounds daft but that is the only way I can describe it!! It is really quite amazing. I am so fortunate to have met some of the these television pioneers and feel so fotunate!
aptsarchive 2 years ago