Tonight’s show in Ealing was a total joy. Thanks to all who came. One more outing of An Evening of (Very) Old Radio this year - Petersfield Museum next Wednesday. But the podcast continues!

Since breakfast I've pulled on 6 different early BBC threads: - Aberdeen 2BD, 1923 - 1st OB drama, 1926 - 1st drama, 1922 - 1st sci-fi, 1928 - Reith begging George V to broadcast, 1923 + Ealing show prep tonight I'd do quicker on just one thing, but where's the fun in that...

Some lovely audience quotes just in from last week's shows with Creative Arts East - aw. If you'd like the show on the origins of broadcasting that's "so fascinating, and entertaining, and amusing...", "absolutely marvellous!" at your place... ...get in touch! (Ealing tomorrow)

New podcast episode soon, on the 7th BBC station Aberdeen 2BD in October 1923. Caught our latest episode? On the launch of the Radio Times: pod.fo/e/328f91 + a Substack to go with it: paulkerensa.substack.com/p/the-first-... + a Patreon video to go with it too: www.patreon.com/posts/vid-ra...

Do come. This is basically The British Broadcasting Century Podcast Live. And the more the literally merrier…

Survey o'clock! If you've ever heard The British Broadcasting Century Podcast, could you click to say what you like, don't, length of episodes, all that jazz? 8 questions, shouldn't take long. Cheers chums... if you can spare 5 mins? www.surveymonkey.com/r/GW7LDH6

Two days of afternoon shows in Norfolk with Creative Arts East rural touring & Arts for Health, plus the odd bit of bookshop-hopping, inc this ol’ marvel about early BBC drama. Lovely audiences, lovely weather, and a lovely day to you too.

On ITV's second day of broadcasting, Take Your Pick and Dragnet were amongst the treats on offer.

I'll be chatting to @bbcnorfolk.bsky.social 3:35pm today, about 'An Afternoon of (Very) Old Radio' Hunstanton (Wed) + Attleborough (Thu), part of @creativeartseast.bsky.social's Arts for Health All welcome, inc those with dementia + other health challenges. www.creativeartseast.co.uk/events/an-af...

Know anyone in Hunstanton/north Norfolk area? Free Wednesday afternoon? Send them to Hunstanton Methodist Church, 2pm, Wed 24th Sept, for An Afternoon of (Very) Old Radio. Includes tea and biscuits! My kind of event... #minesabourbon #orajammiedodger www.ticketsource.co.uk/creative-art...

It’s 70 years since 20 million people tuned in to hear the death of Grace Archer on The Archers while a few thousand watched something called “Associated-Rediffusion” on a funny new button on the TV.

West London radio/media/history fans assemble…

Next London performance of An Evening of (Very) Old Radio: The First Firsts of Broadcasting? Tue 30 Sept, Questors Theatre Ealing. Do come. Let's make history (that informs, educates and entertains) www.questors.org.uk/event.aspx?i...

A great #RADFest25 Radio Academy Festival - some helpful 1:1s and now a talk on the BBC’s first black producer Una Marson (we’ve featured her on episode 51 of the @bbcentury.bsky.social podcast) - and the day is young yet.

My latest Substack - on 10 things in the first Radio Times, from the inaccuracy in its first word to the back cover's headphones, via its first cartoon, dodgy ads and Reith's standing desk: open.substack.com/pub/paulkere...

I'll be going to the Radio Academy Festival tomorrow. Anyone else? As a first-timer + self-employed freelancer sole-trader, I'll be the guy in the corner sipping a coffee recognising no one but famous voices as they pass me by in live stereo.

'Mr Grumble' was Joe Baker's father - and the scriptwriter was Jack Douglas' brother.

BBC iPlayer asked me if l wanted to watch from the start and this came up.

Your occasional reminder that the deeds of Broadcasting House forbid certain trades and uses on the premises: "a meat slaughter-man" "a quasi-medical or quasi-surgical establishment" "a brothel or bagnio keeper" If those are your thing, see ITV.

2025’s remaining live shows of An Evening of (Very) Old Radio: The First Firsts of Broadcasting are: 24/25 Sept: Norfolk (afternoons) 30 Sept: Questors, Ealing 8 Oct: Petersfield Museum Do come and be informed, educated and entertained…

Charlie’s show is great - I caught it in Guildford last year. And I’ll be heading to Questors Theatre in a few weeks for my show on the BBC origin story. They are spoiled!

A nice article on songs banned by the Beeb (though despite its headline, I don't think it ever claims one as 'greatest'): faroutmagazine.co.uk/best-song-bb...

Our latest podcast is out now - on the first Radio Times. From that issue: - the front page - the first cartoon (on listening at a village hall) - the first letter (from Spain) - my favourite ad ("Height increased in 30 days"!) The podcast awaits your ears. Do it now, whatever your height.

🟦 CLEAN FEED | A 3-minute montage in celebration of 70 years of ITV was played during last night's National Television Awards. >> VIEW THE CLIP HERE: cleanfeed.thetvroom.com/23123/timeli...

New podcast ahoy! Episode 104 of The British Broadcasting Century - on the first Radio Times: pod.fo/e/328f91

The British Broadcasting Century podcast episode 104 lands tomorrow: a look through of the first issue of the Radio Times (I bought a copy recently for the price of a bottle of whisky) Subscribe and it will land in your pod-inbox, or whatever you call it: podfollow.com/bbcentury

A fine 1933 map showing music lines across Europe, made by the Bureau Unternational de l'Union Telegraphique, and shared with me by ex-BBCer Jeff Cohen. Merci, Jeff.

🟦 CLEAN FEED | Some changes to the imagery on the video walls in BBC News Studio B (London) from today. - New imagery in the balcony area. - New background in the desk area. - Overall, warmer colour scheme than previously, with less white in use.

Thanks to all patrons & matrons who support the British Broadcasting Century podcast project. (Do consider joining if you like all this - £5/mth, cancel whenevs) Here's a quick vid for them from after last weekend's walking tour - on/at Marconi House: www.patreon.com/posts/vid-ma...

100 years ago today it was the BBC’s first broadcast from the League of Nations in Geneva. That and other broadcasting landmarks from 100 years ago are listed here, in the BBC Yearbook 1930.

OTD in early British television Wednesday 6 September 1933 saw the second performance on the 30-line service of Rokoko, a musical comedy programme selected from operettas by Leo Fall, Millocker and Emmerich Kalman. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...

Unexpected "You Rang My Lord" radio sequel alert. "James and Ivy - A Boarding House By The Sea" coming soon. John D. Collins as Jerry Su Pollard as Ivy Teasdale Perry Benson as Henry Livingstone Susie Brann as Poppy Meldrum Jeffrey Holland as James Twelvetrees

Due to the way time works, this is now today…

The British Broadcasting Century podcast episode 104 lands next week, on the first Radio Times Our latest episodes tell of the BBC in Aug/Sept 1923: 103 = Rob Roy pod.fo/e/318dbb 102 = Simultaneous Broadcasting pod.fo/e/2fc9e8 101 = Sykes Report pod.fo/e/2ef292 Happy listening/happy weekend!

Last call for tomorrow's Walking Tour of Old BBC (+ pre-BBC) Buildings (outside only!) Join half a dozen of us, 2 miles, start at BH (well, All Souls Langham Place) at 3pm, end at Savoy Hill 4:40ish, via a dozen stops. Weather looks good! £PWYW Register: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pks-walkin...

How it Started. How it Finished.

The weather looks good this Saturday. Join my 90min walking tour of early BBC sites! Meet 3pm, steps of All Souls Langham Place, end at Savoy Hill approx 4:40ish, via the birthplace of the headphones, the first BBC studio + Room 101. £PWYW You're welcome: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pks-walkin...

Intriguingly BBC Culture's latest podcast promo uses this 1896 Electrophone pic. (L: BBC's; R: original) (see our podcast ep 91 for more on the Electrophone and how it connected theatres and churches to your landline, in our chat with @tashakitcher.bsky.social: bbcentury.podbean.com/e/091-the-el...)

A merry day with a magnificent cast recording WHATEVER THIS IS. Watch this space. Or listen. (And we had to pop by these gaffs after…)

Next weekend's walking tour of early BBC buildings inc this old place: birthplace of the Beeb at Marconi House. It's changed a little bit. Join us! 3pm Saturday... www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pks-walkin...

One more walking tour this year of early/pre-BBC landmarks: Sat 6th Sept, 3pm, £PWYW. We start at Broadcasting House, we end at Savoy Hill (first permanent BBC HQ), via the first OB, Room 101 + birthplace of the headphones. Details + to sign up: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pks-walkin...

ICYMI: Latest podcast inc TV themes from Gavin Sutherland's new album, plus Aug/Sept 1923 on the BBC: 📻 Reith reading the news 📻 New time signals 📻 Radio's first cat? 📻 Rob Roy, live from Glasgow with fight scenes Enjoy/share/subscribe/rate/THANKS bbcentury.podbean.com/e/103-sept-1...

"Hello world.! From August 2002 it's Steve Wright's BBC World Service show 'Wright Around the World'.

At @greenbeltfestival.bsky.social? Join me Sunday 11:30am (online, No Fly Zone) or 8:30pm (Forum) for 100+ years of God on air. From the 1st ever speech broadcast (Luke 2: “Do not be afraid!") to the sermon heard by 1/2 the planet, we'll inform/educate/entertain/equip - we're all broadcasters now.

New podcast ahoy! Ep 103: Sept 1923 on the BBC, Rob Roy and Gavin Sutherland + Reith reads the news (again), new time signals, radio's first cat + our guest Gavin's new album and the secret code hidden in The Two Ronnies theme. Listen, enjoy, share, thanks. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Calling historians and researchers. The BBC Written Archives Centre has changed its access rules without consultation. This means an end to proper independent research into the BBC's rich history. 178 have already signed the open letter. Please join the campaign here: tinyurl.com/bbcwaccampaign

Thanks to all patrons & matrons who chip in each month to support the British Broadcasting Century podcast. This video is for them! (I don't mean 'dedicated to' - I mean only they can watch it. It's just how Patreon works) (But it's also dedicated to them...) www.patreon.com/posts/vid-ma...

My latest Substack: ‘BBC bias? Such accusations pre-date the BBC itself… plus 2025’s Thought for the Day + 1923’s first BBC political debate (and its last for 25 years)’ open.substack.com/pub/paulkere...