British Progress Through The Years In Television: Climax At Royal Wedding

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 56, 16 June 1948, Page 6

British Progress Through The Years In Television: Climax At Royal Wedding

Although for many centuries men have dreamt of the possibility of observing events which are occurring far away from them. It is only a 100 years ago that scientists first worked out any theory for making this dream a practical reality. During the last part of the nineteenth century several attempts were made to develop schemes for the transmission of pictures, but due to the inadequacy of basic knowledge they all proved impracticable. The use of cathode ray tubes in television was first proposed in England by A. A. Campbell Swinton in 1908 and it is on many of his fundamental suggestions that much of the 8.8. C. system has been built up. Experiments were begun in 1923 and in 1925 crude images were transmitted between two points. In 1926 images of moving human faces were shown, not as plain black and white outlines, but with tone gradations of light and shade. Although the general effect was poor, it was nevertheless possible to recognise the individual faces. In 1927 low definition pictures were transmitted over telephone wires between London and Glasgow, and by radio between London and New York in 1928. In this year Baird gave the first demonstration of a method by which a simple image could be built up colours. John Logie Baird, television pioneer, formed a company to help finance his work and in conjunction with the 8.8. C. inaugurated an experimental television service in 1929. In 1932 the 8.8. C. took sole charge. The regular television service began in England in 1936 and the Coronation of King George IV and

Queen Elizabeth was one of the first big outside broadcasts to be attempted, providing a never-to-be-forgot-ten experience for thousands of viewers in London and the Home Counties. Through 1937, 1938 and 1939 the service grew from strength to strength. It became the hobby of the multitude instead of a luxury for the few, but was unfortunately curtailed during the war. However some work was maintained. Thanks to this foresight, recommendations for post-war procedure was soon formulated and it is on these that steady progress is now being made, both in the research laboratories of British radio and television manufacturers and also on the studio floors at Alexandra Palace. Within a year of the end of the European War the British Television Service came on the air again, and since June 7, 1946, the transmissions have brought to viewers daily three or more hours of first rate entertainment; cabaret, music hall, plays, ballet, picture page, talks, discussions, cartoons, documentary and newsfilms, outside broadcasts of every imaginable sports and social events, with a fine climax recently in the broadcast of the wedding procession of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip.