Bringing news of the world’s first ever OB

Featured, Outside Broadcast — By Ian on May 25, 2012 14:16

With thanks to. Mark Padfield for publishing it online, the three page typed document shown above is the original press release announcing the world’s first ever outside broadcast.

The event was the filming and transmission of the Coronation Procession for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Apsley Gate, Hyde Park Corner on 12 May, 1937 on the return journey from Westminster Abbey. The OB unit consisted of three vehicles, including a mobile control room containing the equipment required to manage the operation of three television cameras.

The picture signals were relayed to the television station at Alexandra Palace using both specially laid cables and a secondary vehicle which contained a complete ultra short wave vision transmitter with 1kw of power and a small easily erected aerial.

On 2 November 1936 the BBC had begun the world’s first regular televisiin service from studios and transmitters at Alexandra Palace, initially using the 405-line Marconi-EMI system and the 240-line Baird system on alternate weeks. The service had a range of about 35 miles.