Jamie Medhurst is Professor of Media and Communication at Aberystwyth University

This is a deeply-researched and utterly absorbing account of a crucial phase in television history. Medhurst succeeds brilliantly in bringing to life the tangled story of the birth of a brand new medium as well as all the hopes – and failures - of television’s extraordinary, talented, and sometimes rather strange band of pioneers. It’s a book that firmly establishes Medhurst as an outstanding scholar in the field of broadcasting history.

• Introduction Early Television Developments Enter the BBC From Experiment to Service: 1929-1932 A Service and Two Rivals: 1932-1935 Preparing for the High-Definition Service The BBC Television Service: 1936-1939 Conclusions

Jamie Medhurst is Professor of Media and Communication at Aberystwyth University

This is a deeply-researched and utterly absorbing account of a crucial phase in television history. Medhurst succeeds brilliantly in bringing to life the tangled story of the birth of a brand new medium as well as all the hopes – and failures - of television’s extraordinary, talented, and sometimes rather strange band of pioneers. It’s a book that firmly establishes Medhurst as an outstanding scholar in the field of broadcasting history.

• Introduction Early Television Developments Enter the BBC From Experiment to Service: 1929-1932 A Service and Two Rivals: 1932-1935 Preparing for the High-Definition Service The BBC Television Service: 1936-1939 Conclusions

Jamie Medhurst is Professor of Media and Communication at Aberystwyth University

This is a deeply-researched and utterly absorbing account of a crucial phase in television history. Medhurst succeeds brilliantly in bringing to life the tangled story of the birth of a brand new medium as well as all the hopes – and failures - of television’s extraordinary, talented, and sometimes rather strange band of pioneers. It’s a book that firmly establishes Medhurst as an outstanding scholar in the field of broadcasting history.

• Introduction Early Television Developments Enter the BBC From Experiment to Service: 1929-1932 A Service and Two Rivals: 1932-1935 Preparing for the High-Definition Service The BBC Television Service: 1936-1939 Conclusions