One of the best books I've come across for a long time is a beautifully-produced 1960 hardback, celebrating the opening of the BBC Television Centre in White City, London. That might not sound terribly exciting, but aside from being a stunning piece of architecture, the Television Centre was also emblematic of Britain's changing identity.I was just going to post a succession of images from the book, but to really capture the energy and optimism of the period you need a bit of BBC Radiophonic music. This clip features a 1960 composition by Desmond Briscoe called 'TV March' :
The optimism of the clip is at odds with the reality of a country that was bankrupted by the Second World War and had only recently abandoned rationing, but modernity seemed to offer a new hope. If Britannia could no longer rule the waves, perhaps it could conquer the airwaves (I'm sorry, it's been a long day).
The following three decades were, arguably, the golden age of British broadcasting.
My favourite image from the book
It's hard to believe that the Television Centre is now over 50 years old, but someone in the BBC clearly feels that it is past its use-by date and in 2010, an official announcement stated that all broadcasting from White City would cease by 2013. Thankfully parts of the building are listed.
I have only been to the Television Centre once when, due to a horrible misunderstanding, I appeared on Radio Five as a science expert. The building felt like a powerhouse, packed with enthusiastic people in their 20s, rushing around in a very organised manner. I felt like plankton.
In a multi-channel, digital age, perhaps we no longer need a huge, modernist behemoth at the heart of the BBC, but I'm sure that I wouldn't be alone in mourning the demise of Television Centre.
