The British Broadcasting Century with Paul Kerensa
#089 A History of Election Night Specials: 28 in 102 Years
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Episode notes
Vote The British Broadcasting Century!
Episode 89 is our Election Night Special special, covering Britain's 28 general election results broadcasts over 102 years.
Broadcasting in both USA and UK have both launched were pretty much launched with election results.
On 2 November 1920, KDKA Pittsburgh launched regular commercial broadcasting with the presidential election results, giving listeners-in the latest at the same time as journalists. Revolutionary! On 15 November 1922, the BBC went national with London, Birmingham and Manchester announcing the election results and Bonar Law as PM.
Joining us to tell the tale from here, dropping in at every election night special in Britain since, we have Gary Rodger (author of Swing: A Brief History of British General Election Night Broadcasting) and Harry White (host of The Modern British History Podcast).
...Hear first female liberal MP Margaret Wintringham on her gramophone election message...
...Discover the only person to have announced election results AND served as an MP...
...Find out how black-and-white TV converted the blues, reds and yellows of parties to the small screen...
...Meet pioneering producer Grace Wyndham Goldie, who created the TV election night special...
...Discover the origins of the swingometer...
...Oh and Dimblebys. There are many Dimblebys.
Vote with your ears by listening to this podcast - and vote with your vote by voting.
SHOWNOTES:
- Buy Gary Rodger's book Swing: A Brief History of British General Election Night Broadcasting.
- Listen to Harry White's Modern British History Podcast.
- The clips used are, we believe, beyond copyright due to age - but any BBC copyright content reproduced courtesy of the British Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
- Original music is by Will Farmer.
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- A walking tour of BBC's London landmark sites is coming this summer - from Broadcasting House to Savoy Hill via Marconi House and Bush House. Email Paul via the Contact link on his website for more details.
NEXT TIME: The first full-length Shakespeare on the BBC - and comedian John Henry.
More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio