Opening of BBC Television Transmitter - Sutton Coldfield

On December 17, 1949, the transmitter at Sutton Coldfield became the first television transmitter to broadcast outside London and the Home Counties, bringing BBC Television to viewers outside of the south-east of England for the first time.

MacDonald Hobley makes an in-vision announcement apologising for a technical hitch, then Syvlia Peters introduces viewers to the new transmitting station.

This film footage is from the Archive Collection held and administered by the Alexandra Palace Television Society.

http://www.apts.org.uk

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Preserving the televisual past for the digital future

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[Voxac100b]

Any thing before 1950 in TV footage is rare. Thanks for posting this classic.

[aptsarchive]

Indeed. Due to lack of recording methods before the late 1940's most of the formative years of television have gone for good. The only television that is preserved prior to this date are the items that were recreated especially for the film cameras.

[thomasking55]

It's perhaps a shame that this means the death of cinema.

What a lot of pride they had over British Television quality! Makes me think what a lot of rubbish is on half of the digital channels today. (I am aware that TV in other English-speaking countries is worse, which makes our good half quite good I suppose).

TV for All is gone since pay-to-view content is now for the people with a bit more cash to pay for it.

[danielearwicker]

@ytcomposer Yorkshire is a good guess I think.

[ytcomposer]

@danielearwicker: Would I be mistaken if I assumed that the Postmaster General's accent is a northern one? Perhaps... Yorkshire or Newcastle? (I'm guessing blindly, you understand.)

[Sheri451]

@TheCaleyman That's terrible.

[TheCaleyman]

Even BBC radio announcers were still probably wearing "formal evening wear" in 1949. People knew there place then. The slum dwellers had little food, and no hot water, and 50 people had to share the outside toilet, but they were proud to support the local minor royals in ANYTHING they did.

NOT!

[TheCaleyman]

@visaman I agree. How about "Carry On Knob Twirling" or, "Carry On Warming Up My Tubes!" Although from 1949, it's like something from about 20 or more years previous. e.g. The UK programme "Upstairs Downstairs", or the similar comedy version, "You Rang M'Lord?" Both set way back. I mean "The Dowager Marchioness" etc. Straight out of an old fashioned comedy! I'm sad to say I was born just one month later!

[TheCaleyman]

@Sheri451 Analogue (UK spelling) has all but gone now. It has recently completely disappeared from Scottish screens. We have a choice of cable where available, Freeview through the existing antenna system or satellite, dominated by BSKYB, known as SKY which Rupert Murdoch is trying to own outright. We now have a multitude of channels, lots of repeats and I'm glad I'm in Scotland and not England because there they have lost a lot of regional broadcasting.

[danielearwicker]

This is wonderful. I love the look on The Dowager Marchioness Lady Reading's face when the PG is saying "it 'ad to be closed down suddenly" and his own accent breaks through. Watch from 5:10 - is she trying not to smile? Also around 7:32 the facial expressions of the chap on the left are quite nerve-wracking. What a gem this is!

[Sheri451]

Does The United Kingdom still have analog broadcasting? Here in America, we are under the rule of Digital TV broadcasting. It really sucks, you used to get a stsion thats miles away with an antenna or a roof top one now you have to take the local channels plus what THEY decide to put on cable subscriptions.

[patc161]

I am so proud of the midland television mast at Four Oaks has opened and has let the people of Birmingham who do not deserve reception, receive it on their paltry sets. Oh yes, the poor people of Aston, do not or should not get it!