229:
281:
of a rotary switch, usually mounted on a wall or window frame close to the point of entry of the cable into the home. From this a two-wire cable led to the TV or radio. The TVs used on this system were stripped-down TV sets with no tuner or RF front-end and the radios were little more than a loudspeaker with a step down transformer and volume control. Rediffusion abandoned this system of TV and radio distribution by the end of the 1980s. The wall mounted switches, external junction boxes and street cable ducts are still visible in places that have not been redeveloped since the late 1980s.
290:
273:
361:
432:
From 1980, the company designed, manufactured, sold, installed and maintained online shopping systems mainly in the UK and achieved a significant number of world firsts. The company's name was changed to
Rediffusion Computers in 1981. During the 1980s, a large part of the company's revenue came from
300:
BET and
Rediffusion Limited had strong links with the former British colonies. These included holding the concessions for wired and over-the-air radio and television stations. A subsidiary company, Overseas Rediffusion, operated these stations and also sold advertising time and programming for them.
280:
Rediffusion also offered a low-bandwidth cable TV and radio distribution system. This was based on connecting homes with multiple twisted-pair cables. Each pair carried a single TV or radio channel. The system was provided in most United
Kingdom towns. Selection of TV or radio station was by means
209:
During the partnership's first year, Associated-Rediffusion was losing money so fast that by the end of 1956, Associated
Newspapers sold 80% of its stake back to BET and Rediffusion at a severe loss. Around this time, Associated-Rediffusion struck a very lucrative deal with
441:
who used the systems on the
Siberian Gas Pipeline project. In addition there was a steady stream of Polish engineers attending the Crawley training facility to enable them to support and maintain this equipment mainly in Russia but also in other countries in the
379:
On 14 February 1975, the employees of the
Rediffusion (Malta) Ltd staged a sit-in strike at the company's premises in Malta and they even started to run the company. On 30 July 1975, an agreement was reached between Rediffusion Group of Companies and the
479:
Reditronics Jersey was sold to SCK Holdings
Limited in 1986, and following BET's retreat from cable and the consequent loss of associated contracts, it ceased trading in 1987. The Rediffusion Jersey cable network was sold to Jersey Cable Limited (now
218:. Granada was also losing money, and lacked the financial resources of BET; the deal guaranteed Granada a certain level of financial security, at the cost of Associated-Rediffusion receiving the vast majority of future profits from their arrangement.
259:, with ABC given the controlling interest (despite its generally weaker financial position) and Rediffusion holding 49%. Thames Television was given the new weekday London franchise, with ABC's existing franchises awarded to other companies.
70:
to customers frustrated with the difficulties of tuning in weak radio broadcasts. In the customer premises, nothing more than a selector switch and loudspeaker were needed. Initially, the service consisted primarily of rebroadcasts of the
170:
in 1950. It also opened a manufacturing division in Jersey, Television
Research Limited (TVR) which also provided research facilities for the wired network. This was established in 1952, and was renamed Reditronics Limited in 1976.
242:
By 1964, when
Associated-Rediffusion changed its name to Rediffusion London, the efforts of the owners had left them sitting on a substantial cash pile, and it is arguable that this success may have led to the 1967 decision by the
468:
networks. BET (from 1983 the sole owners of
Rediffusion) began divesting and sold off its overseas interests, and at the end of the 1980s, the company was broken up, The rentals business went to
174:
BET's financial resources enabled Rediffusion to capitalise on the growth in post war television, which restarted in 1946. Initially, the company installed cable TV systems in blocks of flats in
421:, then moved to produce minicomputers ("R range"), departmental Unix Servers and microcomputers ("teleputers"), specialising in data capture, enterprise accounting for local government and
391:
The company also experimented with its local cable operations: a local community station in Bristol ("Bristol Channel") from 1973 to 1976, and an optical fibre system in Hastings in 1976.
48:
Redifon was the name used, until 1981, for companies in the capital goods businesses of Rediffusion, namely Redifon Computers, Redifon Flight Simulation and Redifon Telecommunications.
78:
Rediffusion quickly branched out into making, renting, and selling radios, both receivers for its cable services and conventional models. With the arrival of the first experimental
437:
and Russia. Equipment that met the CoCom directive for the sales of high performance technology to the Soviet Block was supplied to a number of customers the largest of which was
453:. It was one of the first companies to sell a turnkey solution that utilised the newly available Post Office database (PAF) for postcode recognition. In 1984, Aldrich led a
108:
on 11 November 1935, under the name of "Broadcast Relay Service Malta Limited", with Charles Whotcroft and George Powler the first manager and chief engineer, respectively.
839:
641:
29:
was a business that distributed radio and TV signals through wired relay networks. The business gave rise to a number of other companies, including
398:
in both the UK and the US. Redifon, established in 1948, had become a manufacturer of flight simulators and in 1981, BET changed Redifon's name to
45:. Rediffusion also spawned a record label, Rediffusion International Music, in 1968 (which was also responsible for the short-lived Koala label).
357:
Rediffusion's television sale and rental operations continued to grow, particularly following the start of colour television broadcasts in 1967.
120:
acquired a substantial minority interest in Rediffusion. BET acquired a controlling interest in 1967, and the remaining 36% of equity in 1983.
345:
The Rediffusion retail chain, renting and servicing TVs, radios, VCRs and hi-fi systems, was common on high streets until it was bought by
51:
The Rediffusion brand has been revived and is currently used in China on consumer electrical products and on LED televisions in the UK.
859:
683:
874:
869:
658:
138:, operated these stations and also sold advertising time and programming for them. Stations included the radio station Rediffusion
854:
461:(Rediffusion's Old Computer Company). Aldrich was the largest shareholder and he subsequently bought-out the other shareholders.
178:, and over the next few years expanded outside London. The company was also involved in the sale and rental of television sets.
864:
849:
302:
698:
306:
844:
134:. These included holding the concessions for wired and over-the-air radio and television stations. A subsidiary company,
793:
638:
244:
449:
The company was highly innovative and amongst other things developed a signature recognition system for detecting
399:
618:
507:. The prints were in good condition, and the episodes were thought to have been lost for roughly fifteen years.
648:
The assertion on some websites that BET controlled Rediffusion from its inception does not appear to be right.
166:
in 1949, Rediffusion (Channel Islands) Limited, which obtained a licence to relay radio broadcasts from the
82:
broadcasts in the 1930s, Rediffusion began manufacturing TV sets and supplying "Piped TV", an early form of
318:
195:
20:
783:
322:
388:
government of Malta for the transfer of all Rediffusion's assets in Malta to the Maltese government.
117:
493:
294:
75:
service, which was reflected in the trading name: Rediffusion simply means "broadcasting again".
19:
This article is about the original radio and TV relay company. For other related businesses, see
429:
joined the company as marketing director in 1977, and became managing director and CEO in 1980.
228:
526:
516:
326:
199:
143:
30:
521:
310:
221:
On 29 September 1962, Rediffusion (Malta) Ltd. inaugurated a television service covering the
191:
147:
38:
385:
662:
289:
8:
187:
293:
Long deactivated speaker for the Rediffusion located at the police station in Hastings,
464:
In the 1980s, Rediffusion's cable operations were left behind by the new generation of
272:
234:
211:
67:
819:
789:
454:
365:
314:
256:
151:
481:
418:
395:
252:
215:
203:
167:
131:
86:
service, to its customers, until the cessation of television broadcasts during the
83:
34:
702:
409:
Redifon (later Rediffusion) Computers was also part of the group and was based in
247:
to effectively break up the company. Rediffusion London was ordered to merge with
645:
488:
426:
403:
334:
159:
139:
360:
473:
434:
248:
372:
63:
Limited, founded in March 1928 for Joshua Powell (9 May 1871 – October 1946).
833:
127:
as a manufacturer of naval (and later flight) telecommunications equipment.
469:
450:
443:
346:
276:
A Rediffusion junction box installed in the exterior wall of a London house
87:
417:. It initially started in the production of analogue computers to control
414:
381:
66:
In January 1929, the company introduced its first cable radio service in
597:
499:
79:
154:, Thailand and the wired television service Rediffusion Television in
406:, which kept the Rediffusion name until it sold the company in 1994.
330:
155:
72:
547:
757:
465:
422:
206:
broadcast franchise. They began broadcasting on 22 September 1955.
130:
After the war, Rediffusion began operations in several of the then
94:
572:
659:"STARCOM Network Inc.: Media Group - One Caribbean Media Limited"
438:
410:
824:
97:
in 1934, when Radio Distribution (Barbados) Limited was formed.
487:
In 1991, a Hong Kong-based branch of the company, now known as
175:
163:
105:
688:, Indrajit Banerjee, Kalinga Seneviratne, AMIC, 2006, page 245
402:
to capitalise on the name. The company was sold in 1988, to
368:
222:
101:
93:
The first British colony to have the Rediffusion service was
619:
Family Tree for Joshua Farr POWELL & Sarah Jane CHARMAN
504:
820:
History of Radio and Television Relay Services in Jersey
491:, returned telerecording copies of all four episodes of
685:
Public Service Broadcasting in the Age of Globalization
42:
214:, the franchise holder for weekday broadcasts in the
723:
Ix-xandir F'Malta, Tony C. Cutajar, Malta 2001, 63.
840:Defunct mass media companies of the United Kingdom
472:, and the cable network systems were sold to the
831:
629:Ix-Xandir F'Malta, Remig Sacco, Malta 1985, 24.
100:A year later, Rediffusion started operating in
33:, later known as Rediffusion London, the first
788:. Reed Business Publishing. pp. 117–118.
598:"1928–1978: The first 50 Years of Rediffusion"
181:
775:
325:, Thailand and the wired television service
375:, built for Rediffusion (Malta) Ltd in 1958
301:Stations included the radio operations in
394:The Rediffusion brand was also a name in
255:and North of England franchises, to form
781:
747:, Francis Zammit Dimech, Malta 1986, 95.
735:, Francis Zammit Dimech, Malta 1986, 94.
359:
288:
271:
227:
284:
832:
785:Aliens' Guide to the Computer Industry
548:"Koala Label Discography - UK - 45cat"
340:
104:. Transmissions in Malta started from
371:now known as P.B.S Creativity Hub in
202:, and won the coveted London weekday
750:
267:
59:Rediffusion was the trading name of
639:Competition Commission report, 1985
13:
677:
14:
886:
860:Mass media companies of Hong Kong
813:
262:
232:Rediffusion London ticket for an
190:, Rediffusion joined forces with
123:In 1948, Rediffusion established
41:) franchisee to go on air in the
875:Mass media companies of Barbados
870:Defunct companies of the Bahamas
245:Independent Television Authority
238:dress rehearsal on 28 April 1964
54:
782:Kavanagh, John (October 1988).
738:
726:
717:
855:Defunct companies of Hong Kong
691:
651:
632:
623:
612:
590:
565:
540:
162:. It also opened a company in
1:
865:Defunct companies of Barbados
850:Mass media companies of Malta
758:"The Michael Aldrich Archive"
533:
352:
699:"starcomnetwork.net/aboutus"
251:, the holder of the weekend
196:Daily Mail and General Trust
158:, the latter later known as
21:Rediffusion (disambiguation)
16:Radio and television company
7:
510:
182:Expansion into broadcasting
111:
10:
891:
845:Defunct companies of Malta
333:, the latter now known as
18:
825:Revived Rediffusion brand
573:"RIM - Biography - 45cat"
118:British Electric Traction
494:The Tomb of the Cybermen
186:With the passage of the
644:25 October 2007 at the
600:. Rediffusion Ltd. 2010
457:and the company became
295:Christ Church, Barbados
61:Broadcast Relay Service
527:Rediffusion Television
517:Associated-Rediffusion
474:Maxwell Communications
400:Rediffusion Simulation
376:
327:Rediffusion Television
297:
277:
239:
200:Associated-Rediffusion
31:Associated-Rediffusion
522:Rediffusion Singapore
363:
292:
275:
231:
192:Associated Newspapers
39:commercial television
285:Overseas Rediffusion
136:Overseas Rediffusion
705:on 1 September 2009
396:aircraft simulation
341:Rediffusion Rentals
188:Television Act 1954
762:Aldricharchive.com
665:on 11 October 2011
377:
298:
278:
240:
235:Around the Beatles
212:Granada Television
194:, a subsidiary of
455:management buyout
419:flight simulators
366:Rediffusion House
268:Rediffusion Cable
257:Thames Television
882:
807:
806:
804:
802:
779:
773:
772:
770:
768:
754:
748:
745:The Untruth Game
742:
736:
733:The Untruth Game
730:
724:
721:
715:
714:
712:
710:
701:. Archived from
695:
689:
681:
675:
674:
672:
670:
661:. Archived from
655:
649:
636:
630:
627:
621:
616:
610:
609:
607:
605:
594:
588:
587:
585:
583:
569:
563:
562:
560:
558:
544:
482:Newtel Solutions
216:North of England
168:States of Jersey
132:British colonies
88:Second World War
890:
889:
885:
884:
883:
881:
880:
879:
830:
829:
816:
811:
810:
800:
798:
796:
780:
776:
766:
764:
756:
755:
751:
743:
739:
731:
727:
722:
718:
708:
706:
697:
696:
692:
682:
678:
668:
666:
657:
656:
652:
646:Wayback Machine
637:
633:
628:
624:
617:
613:
603:
601:
596:
595:
591:
581:
579:
571:
570:
566:
556:
554:
546:
545:
541:
536:
513:
503:serial, to the
489:Asia Television
427:Michael Aldrich
404:Hughes Aircraft
355:
347:Granada Rentals
343:
335:Asia Television
287:
270:
265:
184:
160:Asia Television
114:
57:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
888:
878:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
828:
827:
822:
815:
814:External links
812:
809:
808:
794:
774:
749:
737:
725:
716:
690:
676:
650:
631:
622:
611:
589:
564:
538:
537:
535:
532:
531:
530:
524:
519:
512:
509:
459:ROCC Computers
435:Eastern Europe
354:
351:
342:
339:
286:
283:
269:
266:
264:
263:Other ventures
261:
249:ABC Weekend TV
183:
180:
113:
110:
56:
53:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
887:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
837:
835:
826:
823:
821:
818:
817:
797:
795:1-85384-012-2
791:
787:
786:
778:
763:
759:
753:
746:
741:
734:
729:
720:
704:
700:
694:
687:
686:
680:
664:
660:
654:
647:
643:
640:
635:
626:
620:
615:
599:
593:
578:
574:
568:
553:
549:
543:
539:
528:
525:
523:
520:
518:
515:
514:
508:
506:
502:
501:
496:
495:
490:
485:
483:
477:
475:
471:
467:
462:
460:
456:
452:
447:
445:
440:
436:
433:its sales in
430:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
407:
405:
401:
397:
392:
389:
387:
383:
374:
370:
367:
362:
358:
350:
348:
338:
336:
332:
328:
324:
320:
316:
312:
308:
304:
296:
291:
282:
274:
260:
258:
254:
250:
246:
237:
236:
230:
226:
224:
219:
217:
213:
207:
205:
201:
197:
193:
189:
179:
177:
172:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
128:
126:
121:
119:
109:
107:
103:
98:
96:
91:
89:
85:
81:
76:
74:
69:
64:
62:
55:Early history
52:
49:
46:
44:
40:
36:
32:
28:
22:
799:. Retrieved
784:
777:
765:. Retrieved
761:
752:
744:
740:
732:
728:
719:
707:. Retrieved
703:the original
693:
684:
679:
667:. Retrieved
663:the original
653:
634:
625:
614:
602:. Retrieved
592:
580:. Retrieved
576:
567:
555:. Retrieved
551:
542:
498:
492:
486:
478:
463:
458:
451:cheque fraud
448:
444:Eastern Bloc
431:
408:
393:
390:
386:Labour Party
378:
356:
344:
307:Sierra Leone
299:
279:
241:
233:
220:
208:
185:
173:
135:
129:
124:
122:
115:
99:
92:
77:
65:
60:
58:
50:
47:
26:
25:
669:11 November
529:(Hong Kong)
484:) in 1988.
415:West Sussex
382:Dom Mintoff
373:Gwardamanġa
125:Redifon Ltd
27:Rediffusion
834:Categories
534:References
500:Doctor Who
353:Last years
198:, to form
80:television
767:23 August
709:23 August
577:45cat.com
552:45cat.com
425:systems.
349:in 1984.
331:Hong Kong
311:Singapore
225:islands.
156:Hong Kong
148:Singapore
144:Hong Kong
116:In 1947,
73:BBC Radio
642:Archived
604:26 March
511:See also
466:cable TV
423:videotex
315:Malaysia
303:Barbados
253:Midlands
152:Malaysia
140:Barbados
112:Post-war
95:Barbados
84:cable TV
801:12 July
470:Granada
439:Gazprom
411:Crawley
323:Liberia
223:Maltese
792:
582:19 May
557:19 May
176:London
164:Jersey
106:Hamrun
369:Malta
319:Malta
102:Malta
803:2024
790:ISBN
769:2020
711:2020
671:2011
606:2011
584:2021
559:2021
497:, a
384:led
68:Hull
505:BBC
364:Ex-
329:in
204:ITV
35:ITV
836::
760:.
575:.
550:.
476:.
446:.
413:,
337:.
321:,
317:,
313:,
309:,
305:,
150:,
146:,
142:,
90:.
43:UK
805:.
771:.
713:.
673:.
608:.
586:.
561:.
37:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.