The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 was a historic event that marked a turning point in television history. For the first time, millions of people around the world could witness the classic ceremony that had taken place for over a thousand years. And it was all thanks to the modernization advocated by Prince Phillip and the pressure from the public to televise the event.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was at the forefront of this historic moment, sending a live feed to most of Europe via a microwave link. Kinescopes of the proceedings were made available to existing television stations around the world, including the U.S.A. But CBS and NBC were determined to beat each other to air the first pictures, with both networks sending separate teams to London to set up for the broadcast.
The lengths that these networks went to were astounding. CBS even enlisted the help of actor Jimmy Stewart and his World War II P51 Mustang to pick up the film in Goose Bay and fly it to CBS at Logan Airport. Meanwhile, NBC had a secret weapon in the form of English Electric’s Canberra jet bomber, which they had entered into a discussion with to deliver their film.
All in all, the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was a television event of international proportions, and it paved the way for the live broadcasts we take for granted today. It’s amazing to think that just a few decades ago, the only way to distribute television programming was through kinescope recordings. But thanks to the visionaries who pushed for modernization, we can now witness historic events as they happen, no matter where we are in the world.Get ready to travel back in time to the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II! In a fascinating agreement between NBC and a ferrying company, pilots flew early kinescopes to North America, dropped off the film in Boston while making a refueling stop, and continued on to Venezuela. The race was on to broadcast the coronation live, and over twenty million viewers watched as Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in a service conducted in Westminster Abbey. The “Today” show relayed the BBC’s radio coverage and still pictures using a device called “Mufax,” while CBS and NBC sent P51 planes to pick up the footage. But things didn’t go smoothly for NBC, as their Venezuelan jet had to turn back to London due to fuel line problems. Luckily, NBC continued with the arrangements for the P51 to pick up the footage from the morning ceremonies as a backup plan. The race was on, and CBS’s P51 landed at Logan International at 4:13pm, with the network going on the air with its edited BBC kinescope footage at 4:23pm. In the end, nobody technically won, but all three networks placed full-page ads in the New York Times the next day bragging about how they brought the coronation to the U.S. first. It’s a fascinating story of innovation, determination, and the race to be the first to broadcast a historic event.Looking for insights from PVC Roundtable Discussion with fellow creatives? Check out our latest post featuring their thoughts and ideas. Plus, don’t miss our review of the CrumplePop Audio Suite from BorisFX, a game-changer for audio editing. And if you’re interested in virtual production, Cannes is hosting a global summit with talks from industry experts and a free course for filmmakers. Sony is also making waves with their VENICE 2 high frame rate modes and Rialto 2, showcased in two new films. And finally, Pixotope Pocket is revolutionizing virtual production education with their new mobile app. Stay up-to-date with all the latest news and trends in production by following our blog.
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