The first-ever BBC news bulletin lasted just 20 minutes (Picture: BBC)
Today is not only a momentous day in British political history but also marks 70 years since news TV came into the nation’s lives.
On July 5, 1954, the BBC launched its first daily television news programme, News and Newsreel, with presenters Richard Baker and John Snagge.
It is hard to imagine the world without 24/7 coverage, with many high-profile anchors now bleary-eyed after an all-nighter reporting on the General Election, but the 20-minute bulletin was panned.
According to the BBC, News and Newsreel was slammed as ‘absolutely ghastly’ and ‘as visually impressive as the fat stock prices.’
So, what new stories did it actually cover?
The main story was truce talks being held in Hanoi, Vietnam after The First Indochina War, which lasted for a decade between 1946 and 1956. The war was fought between the French and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
The second major news item was the movement of French troops in Tunisia which came shortly before the French premier Pierre Mendès-France agreed to grant the North African country complete autonomy.
The concluding segment of News and Newsreel was dedicated to newsreel films, while the short bulletin ended with a report on the end of rationing after the Second World War.
Baker and Snagge presented the whole show off-camera as the BBC said it was decided at the time their appearances would be off-putting to audiences.
The BBC director general at the time, Sir Ian Jacob, admitted there were teething issues with News and Newsreel.
The first BBC news broadcast covered updates on the Indochina War and France – Tunisia tensions (Picture: PA)
He said: ‘News is not at all an easy thing to do on television. A good many of the main news items are not easily made visual – therefore we have the problem of giving news with the same standards that the corporation has built up in sound.’
However, Sir Ian added: ‘This is a start on something we regard as extremely significant for the future.’
Despite initial grumblings over the show, more and more people began tuning into TV during the mid-50s so the broadcaster decided to up its news content – and has never looked back.
Now, BBC News holds a special place in viewers’ hearts – particularly for its hilarious blunders.
Now, there are 24/7 dedicated BBC News channels (Picture: BBC/James Stack)
Among the BBC’s gaffe are the likes of newsreaders not realising they’re still on air and technical issues leaving the studio in darkness.
Most memorably, the internet went into meltdown when BBC News anchor Maryam Moshiri appeared to give the middle finger live on air last year.
Maryam later apologised for the gaffe, explaining she had jokingly counted down to the bulletin while larking around with some of the crew, and had not expected the moment to air.
‘Again, so sorry it went out on air. It was meant to be a private laugh,’ she wrote on X.
The world is certainly much more colourful now we have TV news.
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