Thursday 18 April 2024

Ice Pop

 

On the eighteenth of April 1930, absolutely nothing of any importance happened. At least, according to the British Broadcasting Service, there was nothing newsworthy to report. It was the start of the regularly scheduled radio news broadcast at 8:45 p.m. Listeners all over the British Isles tuned in and heard, “Good Evening. Today is Good Friday. There is no news.” This unexpected announcement was followed by fifteen solid minutes of pre-recorded piano music. Then at 9:00 p.m. the radio station resumed its broadcast of Wagner’s opera Parsifal. I don’t know if anyone was annoyed there weren’t any news stories to follow, but I do know no one switched stations. I know this because the BBC had a nationwide monopoly on radio news until 1972. I’m guessing the listening audience was surprised, but not genuinely distressed. After all, no news is good news.

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