The British Broadcasting Century with Paul Kerensa

Thank Eckersley for the BBC! It's almost entirely down to him. Never heard of him? Then listen on, to the original PPE... We chat to broadcasting historian Tim Wander (who knows more about Eckersley than anyone on the planet). Plus hear clips from Captain Eckersley himself, both in wild action on air, and looking back over his amazing career as first BBC Chief Engineer, first regular voice on British radio, and pioneer of air traffic control. Oh yes, he also built an airport. And he was a spy in WW2. What a tale! It's all here on this unaffiliated-to-the-BBC-we-have-to-make-that-clear podcast. Support the podcast:  - ko-fi.com/paulkerensa buys me a coffee - patreon.com/paulkerensa has tiers and benefits - thanks to Mel, Chris and Andrew who've joined up this month! - and thank you for sharing, rating, reviewing, tweeting + talking about this podcast. It really helps. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for extra bits and pieces.  Original music is by Will Farmer - wrangler of notes. Your host Paul's Mailing list | Books | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Website 

A minisode that somehow ends up longer than a normal episode... Instead of telling you all about 1922's pioneer extraordinaire P.P. Eckersley, we're putting him back a week. Well, the radio hams of the day had to wait 18 months - you can wait 7 days. Before him, we bring a tale of William Le Queux, amateur broadcaster of 1921 - oh and he was a writer from Guildford. Like your host... Plus a tale of hospital radio, and a TV memory from illustrator Rachel Berman. Support the podcast:  - ko-fi.com/paulkerensa buys me a coffee - patreon.com/paulkerensa has tiers and benefits - and your sharing, rating, reviewing and talking about this podcast is hugely appreciated. Follow our Facebook page and Twitter handle for pictures and things to go with this podcast.  Original music is by Will Farmer - if you need music, visit his page. Paul's Mailing list | Books | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Website 

Meet the guv'nor: BBC's first newsreader, children's presenter, actor, Head of Programmes... but before all that Arthur Burrows was one of broadcasting's lone prophets, convincing journalists, ministers and future listeners-in that mass entertainment from a small box was A Good Thing. Plus we exclusively hear from a pirate radio legend. Emperor Rosko tells us his journey from naval ship DJ to Radio Caroline, Radio Luxembourg and the first line-up of BBC Radio 1. This podcast has nothing by the way to do with the BBC. We're talking about them, not with them... It's just a one-man band here. If you'd like to support that one-man band:  - ko-fi.com/paulkerensa buys me a coffee - patreon.com/paulkerensa has tiers and benefits - and your sharing, rating, reviewing and talking about this podcast is hugely appreciated. Follow our Facebook page and Twitter handle for pictures and things to go with this podcast.  Original music is by Will Farmer - if you need music, visit his page. Paul's Mailing list | Books | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Website 

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. Support the show at Patreon / Ko-fi ...Please? Then we can pay people, like composer of our original music, Will Farmer   Visit BBCentury on Facebook / Twitter Paul's Mailing list | Books | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Website  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BROADCASTING! Here's to the next 100...

The 1st woman on British radio! Radio's 1st professional artiste! The 1st listings! The 1st programme with a title! Journey back to early 1920 for episode 3 of the story of pre-BBC broadcasting, and meet W.T. Ditcham, Captain H.J. Round and Winifred Sayer - the girl from the ball-bearings factory who brought song to our radio sets.  Monday 15th June 2020 (soon! In fact, probably in the past...) Paul's doing a Facebook Live talk on The History of the BBC (basically this entire podcast series condensed into an hour), with Q&A. It's £Pay What You Want, details here or on our Facebook page. We're here to inform, educate + entertain on the origins of the BBC, radio and life as we know it. I say 'we'. It's just me.  Oh, and original music by Will Farmer   Oh, and our guest is Emily Jeffery, who presents the fab Edge of England podcast. (To be our guest, email an audio clip of your early broadcasting memories.) Support the show at Patreon / Ko-fi Visit BBCentury on Facebook / Twitter Please Share/Rate/Review wherever you got this podcast. It really helps. Paul's Mailing list | Books | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Website  BTW, we have no affiliation to the BBC, or to the BTW, whatever that is.

Episode 2 of our journey towards British broadcasting's birth: Dr Crippen, Titanic, war, a ghost + 2 brilliant engineers.  Be informed, educated + entertained on the origins of the BBC, radio and life as we know it. (We've no affiliation with the BBC, to be clear.) Original music by Will Farmer   - Email an audio clip of your early broadcasting memories, or send your questions/comments Support the show at Patreon / Ko-fi  Visit BBCentury on Facebook / Twitter Please Share/Rate/Review wherever you got this podcast. It really helps. Paul's Mailing list | Books | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Website  Pip pip!  

Episode 1: Morse, Marconi + Reg Fessenden's first entertainment show.  This episode covers 1830-1906, yes, we're not even in the last 100 years yet... but first we have to invent wireless telephony. Be informed, educated + entertained on the origins of the BBC, radio and life as we know it. (We've no affiliation with the BBC, to be clear.) - Email an audio clip of your early broadcasting memories, or your questions/comments  Visit BBCentury on Facebook / Twitter Support the show at Patreon / Ko-fi  Guest Philip Simon's Youtube  Original music by Will Farmer   Paul's Mailing list | Books | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Website  Closing down now...

Happy 100th Birthday Radio! Welcome to the podcast that informs, educates + entertains on the origins of the BBC, radio and life as we know it.  (Oh, we've no affiliation with the BBC, to be clear.)  Original music by Will Farmer. All other clips are public domain, by our understanding, due to their vast age. If we're wrong and you own a clip, get in touch.  Be on the podcast: Email an audio clip of your early broadcasting memories, or send your questions/comments  Support the show at Patreon / Ko-fi  Visit BBCentury on Facebook / Twitter  Please Share/Rate/Review wherever you got this podcast. It really helps. Paul's Mailing list | Books | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Website  Pip pip!