History of Television

1922 18 October: British Broadcasting Company Ltd formed 1 November: Broadcasting licence fee introduced - initially costing 10 shillings 14 December: John Reith appointed General Manager of the British Broadcasting Company,  a few months  after the official start of British broadcasting. In 1927 he becomes director general of the  British Broadcasting Corporation. 1923 28 September: Radio Times first published 1925 30 October: First television transmission of a human face (William Taynton) made by  John Logie Baird in London 1926 26 January: John Logie Baird demonstrates wireless TV transmission to the Royal Institution in  London January: John Logie Baird demonstrates television 1927 1 January: British Broadcasting Corporation is established with newly-knighted Sir John Reith as  director general 24 May: John Logie Baird demonstrates transmission of television pictures over telephone lines from  London to Glasgow Royal Television Society formed in London. 1928 3 July: John Logie Baird transmits colour television images using a 15-line system 1929 5 March: John Logie Baird transmits television from a BBC transmitter in London 20 August: First television broadcasting trials by BBC, using John Logie Baird's 30-line equipment 1930 14 July: First experimental television play, The Man With a Flower in His Mouth 1931 3 June: First television outside broadcast - John Logie Baird televises the Derby 1932 15 March: First broadcast from Broadcasting House, London. 1936 26 August: Demonstrations of the John Logie Baird and Marconi-EMI systems at the Radiolympia  exhibition in London 2 November: BBC officially launches the world's first regular high-definition television service.  For a trial period, the 405-line Marconi-EMI system and the 240-line John Logie Baird system are used during alternate weeks 1937 12 May: George VI's coronation procession televised - the first use of TV outside broadcast van 21 June: Wimbledon tennis championships are televised for the first time              1938 21 March: The first television news bulletin is broadcast, although the transmission is voice-only  radio-style 2 April: The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race televised for the first time 3 April: BBC begins first Sunday broadcasts 30 April: FA Cup Final televised for the first time 9 June: Trooping of the Colour first broadcast on television 30 June: BBC director general John Reith resigns 16 November: First live television broadcast of a West End play, J.B. Priestley's 'When We Are Married'. 1939 1 September: BBC television service shut down at the outbreak of war. There are concerns that TV  transmissions could be used as a homing signal by the German airforce 3 September: BBC television transmissions cease for the duration of World War II 1941 23 December: John Logie Baird gives the first demonstration of 600-line electronic, stereoscopic  television in colour 1946 7 June: BBC television service resumes broadcasting after a seven-year hiatus. A combined £2  radio/TV licence fee is introduced 7 July: Children's television begins with For The Children 1947 11 February: Television broadcasts are temporarily suspended due to the fuel crisis 20 November: Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh broadcast 1948 29 July: Olympic Games are televised from Wembley 1949 29 July: First televised weather forecast 1950 12 February: European Broadcasting Union founded. 23 February: General Election results reported on television for the first time 1953 2 June: the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II is watched live by about 20 million people in  Britain and as many as 200 million worldwide 11 November: current affairs programme Panorama is launched; goes on to become the longest-running  programme on British TV 1954 1 January: the Tournament of Roses parade at Pasadena, California, USA, becomes the first programme ever  broadcast coast-to-coast 9 April: Britain's first TV soap opera, The Grove Family 1955 22 September: first TV advert in the UK, for Gibbs SR toothpaste 1957 25 December: the Queen's first annual TV Christmas message broadcast 1961 3 May: The first episode of Coronation Street aired. 1969 21 July: first live broadcasts from the Moon (Apollo XI) 15 November: BBC1 and ITV start broadcasting in colour 1981 1 August: MTV launched; The Buggle's Video Killed the Radio Star the first music video to be  broadcast 1989 5 February:  Sky begins satellite broadcasting in the UK 1997 9 November: BBC1 begins broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week 2000 18 July: the UK launch of the first series of Big Brother starts a fashion for reality TV 2006 Channel 4 starts 'catch up TV' by going on 4 on demand allowing free dowload using the wifi. 2007 BBC and ITV also become available online Netflix starts 2009 Netflix becomes available on iphone and ipad 2014 Netflix reports 50 m users