2022 marked 100 years of the BBC - the first broadcaster in the world to provide a regular high-definition television service. Ryan Kamata, senior marketing manager at Canon Europe, looks back at some of the significant developments over the century and what this tells us about the future of television
By Contributor
Published: January 12, 2023
2022 marked 100 years of the BBC the first broadcaster in the world to provide a regular high-definition television service. Ryan Kamata, senior marketing manager at Canon Europe, looks back at some of the significant developments over the century and what this tells us about the future of television
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
One of the key moments in the history of the BBC is the first large-scale outside broadcast (OB), when it took its cameras to the Coronation of King George VI in 1937 using a mobile control van. Many other triumphs for the BBC's Outside Broadcast Department soon followed, with the televising of the Olympic Games for the first time in 1948 and the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 which crowned the 50s the decade of television'. Fast forward to 1958 and Canon introduced its first broadcast lens the IF-I 60-400mm zoom which helped to push the landscape of outside broadcast even further, reaching previously unheard-of focal lengths.
These key milestones in outside broadcast, alongside World War II reporting, ignited a demand for dedicated news services. The BBC's first rolling TV news service was launched in 1997 as BBC News 24. This paved the way for the future of news consumption, which is today driven by online websites, mobile apps and social media.
With a plethora of news available at our fingertips and many broadcasters competing in this space, quality and timeliness have become major focus points for Canon. Over the years, we have prioritised innovations that pushed technical boundaries and enabled broadcasters to better capture the story. With image quality at the root of what we do, this has allowed us to make the leap from black-and-white to the impeccable colour reproduction capable of our cameras now, and from SD, to HD and then on to 4K.
Since the BBC website officially launched a month after BBC News 24, we have entered a new age of television driven by the rise of on-demand streaming, which began with YouTube in 2005. The rise in streaming has meant that broadcasters and suppliers alike have had to incorporate cloud-based technologies and servers to keep up with an increased volume of content available to viewers globally, as well as higher expectations when it comes to image quality. To put into perspective how far we've come, BBC engineers invented the first means of recording live TV in 1947 and now, streaming services such as BBC iPlayer mean programmes are available to watch on demand as soon as they are broadcast.
During its history, the BBC has had to weather many storms, but most recently it, like other broadcasters and streaming services, had to contend with the pandemic. To keep pace with the content demand, they would have adopted remote production practices to overcome travel restrictions and the inability to work from one place. During this time, we saw the demand for PTZ cameras increase as broadcasters used them to connect remote studios with the main studio, using IP technology, and within multi-camera settings so that broadcasters could operate with streamlined crews. Their efficiency means PTZ cameras have become and will continue to be a mainstay in the broadcast industry.
Broadcasters have also started to notice the benefits of virtual and extended reality production. The use of high-resolution LED walls has become an alternative way to replicate life-like backdrops and therefore produce powerful content across a range of applications, without having to leave the studio. Over the next few years, VR production will remain high on the agenda as the industry continues to experiment with different virtual scenes while keeping travel costs low.
Streaming platforms are also exploring a range of new storytelling formats, such as interactive films and VR headsets, which will require greater agility and investment in futureproofed technologies. Broadcasters and suppliers alike will need to operate similarly and evolve their VR and Metaverse offerings to stay competitive in a content-rich world. Some broadcasters are already taking an interest in Canon's Free Viewpoint Video System, which creates an immersive experience for viewers.
However, when it comes to competing against agile streaming platforms that have access to a global market of content creators and talent, broadcasters have a trump card - regularly scheduled sports broadcasting. This year's FIFA World Cup has delivered record-breaking TV audience numbers, with almost 20 million Britons watching the final and BBC once again beating ITV in the ratings. It is clear that investing in futureproofed technologies that provide this high-quality content while maintaining efficient and versatile broadcast workflows will be the key to retaining viewers in the foreseeable future.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
18/08/2026
Riedel Communications has announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, ...
2022 marked 100 years of the BBC - the first broadcaster in the world to provide a regular high-definition television service. Ryan Kamata, senior marketing manager at Canon Europe, looks back at some of the significant developments over the century and what this tells us about the future of television
