The British Broadcasting Century with Paul Kerensa

Happy 100th Birthday, Radio! Melba: The Voice

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Episode notes

Hip hip hurrah! Our centenary special, landing on the 100th birthday of professional public broadcast radio in Britain. Hear the best/only (possibly) re-enactment of the Melba Concert, sent from Chelmsford to the world on June 15th 1920 - exactly a century before this episode lands.

Relive the songs, the fire, a genuine joke, the panic when it goes off-air... and discover how an attempt at Daily Mail Radio sparked British broadcasting into being.

This podcast is here to inform, educate + entertain on the origins of the BBC, radio and life as we know it - but has no affiliation with either the British Broadcasting Corporation or the British Broadcasting Company (which, in fairness, ceased trading in 1926, so that was always unlikely).

Pleas rate and review wherever you got this podcast - it really helps spread word. It's a one-man operation!

Join Paul TONIGHT on Facebook Live, with a live talk/Q&A on The History of the BBC (basically this entire podcast series condensed into an hour). £Pay What You Want, details here or on our Facebook page.

Your questions/comments (written) or early broadcasting memories (recorded) are welcome via email

This episode's guest was Lorna Farrell, and her Facebook page of prayers and poems is here.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BROADCASTING! Here's to the next 100...