A History of the BBC in 100 Blog Posts: 1962.


The first time I heard the music of Oasis was past midnight on Radio City.  The DJ introduced them as a new band who sounded a bit like The Beatles.  On reflection, having listened to everything the fabulous foursome recorded during my pandemic year, this is only really true if you watch the Don't Look Back in Anger video and don't listen to the actual music which is only connected with The Beatles in the same way that every guitar band's music contains some genetic fragment.


The Beatles


"In November 1981 a letter arrived on the desk of Derek Chinnery, the Controller of Radio One. The letter, from listener John Walker, pointed out that 8 March 1982 would be the twentieth anniversary of the Beatles' first broadcast on BBC Radio and asked whether this would be celebrated."
[World Radio History]

"On 7 March 1962 The Beatles recorded their radio debut at the Playhouse Theatre, Hulme, Manchester."
[Beatles Bible]

"On a 1963 episode of their 'Pop Goes the Beatles show,' the group covered their idols and showed that they were ready to surpass them."
[Rolling Stone]

"Between 1962 and 1965, The Beatles were featured on 53 BBC radio programs. For The Beatles: The BBC Archives, executive producer Kevin Howlett had to search for many of these recordings, and they weren't easy to find."
[npr]


Archive


"BBC Television documentary on the life and work of John Constable and his relationship with his native village."
[East Anglian Film Archive]

"Langston Hughes tells how he first came to write poetry, and how his career as a writer developed. He also discusses how his work has been influenced by spirituals, Blues, and work songs."
[BBC Clips][BBC Programme Index]


Programmes


"Satire has always been scarce on television; this new programme shows that wit and mockery can be successful."
[The Guardian]

"This booklet is a summary of the Report of the Committee on Broadcasting, published on 27th June, 1962, as Cmnd. 1753 (H.M.S.O., price 18s. net), to which reference should be made for further study."
[World Radio History]

"The staff in the BBC Radiophonic Workshop at work, as the experimental broadcast Private Dreams and Public Nightmares is recorded.  This clip is from World of Sound."
[BBC Archive]


Politics


"Steady progress was made during the year in the further improvement of the domestic broadcasting services, in sound and television, and in extending their coverage."
[hathitrust]

"The year 1963 confronts the BBC with new tasks in Sound and Television which will call for the resources of enterprise and skill as great as any in the BBC's history."
[World Radio History]