BBC celebrating 90 years of radio broadcasting


Today, 14th November 2012, the "Auntie Beeb" (the BBC's affectionate nickname) are celebrating 90 years of radio broadcasting. Damon Albarn has produced a musical piece "snapshot of the airwaves" based around the iconic BBC time pips. It will be broadcast today simultaneously across the British airwaves at 17:33 GMT, the first scheduled simultaneous broadcast since the BBC was established in 1922.
More information on BBC Radio's 90th on their website.
So with a big "happy birthday" here's some pages featuring ribbon microphones from a BBC technical manual.
Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone - BBC Training Manual 1962
These pages come from the microphone section of a long out of print but excellent book entitled:
BBC Programme Operations Training Manual.
High-Quality Sound Production and Reproduction by H Burrell Hadden.
A "Wireles World" Book published 1962.
The pages feature the Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone along with a BBC Type AXBT ribbon microphone, BBC PGS pressure-gradient single ribbon microphone, STC 4038 ribbon microphone, STC 4101 lip ribbon microphone, STC 4033A joint ribbon and dynamic microphone as well as a Neumann condenser microphone.
The BBC had a custom Reslo RB made to their specification, this was later made available to the public and was known as the Reslo VRT Broadcasting Ribbon Microphone.
Reslo on set for Grandstand, BBC tv
The BBC also used the Reslo RB/VRT Ribbon Microphone as an unobtrusive on screen microphone for live broadcasts. For many decades the BBC's flagship sports programme was the influential Grandstand.

First broadcast on the 11th October 1958 from the BBC Lime Grove Studios, London. After just three programmes David Coleman took over the presentation and became the most popular and recognised face and voice of Grandstand, he remained for a further 20 years.


Also starting today is the second series of the BBC drama "The Hour" which is set in the 1950s/60s and follows the trials and tribulations of a cutting edge news programme which was (fictionally) broadcast from the same BBC Lime Grove Studios as the Grandstand programme, ah serendipity!  

The programme also features actress Oona Chaplin, grand daughter of a certain Charlie Chaplin!
Marnie played by Oona Chaplin
BBC Lime Grove Studios
Pictures courtesy of the BBC.

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