The ‘Box’: Television Takes Over

Abstract

On June 7, 1946, television in Britain came on the air again, showing the same cartoon as when it had shut down 7 years before. The presenter, Jasmine Bligh, reintroduced herself to viewers with the words: “Do you remember me?”¹ It was as though there had just been a slight interruption. The government (as usual) had set up a committee under Lord Hankey to investigate what to do with television after the war, but in the ensuing austerity period it was inevitable that the existing system should be resurrected. Hankey did propose that the system should be rolled out to other parts of the country, and higher resolution systems should be investigated.

Television is a bomb about to burst.

Grace Wyndham Goldie, shortly after her appointment to the Television Talks department of the BBC in 1948

It will be of no importance in your lifetime or mine.

Bertrand Russell in reply