5 of The Best Moments in Television History
It’s World Television Day, and to commemorate the occasion, we’ll look back at some of the most memorable TV moments in history. The television was invented by a Scotsman named John Logie Baird, and the first television broadcast occurred in March of 1925. There have undoubtedly been many memorable moments since the show’s initial broadcast!
By 1953, nearly 56 percent of the entire British population was watching their favorite programs on television. When it came to owning a television in their home, people had reached a degree of agreement by the 1970s. With that in mind, it’s reasonable to assume that the events on this list were witnessed by millions of people all over the world!
The 1969 Moon Landing
Despite being one of humanity’s greatest achievements, the 1969 moon landing has always been the subject of conspiracy theories. In 1969, nearly 500 million people around the world witnessed astronaut Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. There was even a memorable television countdown to the event. Everyone who tuned in was engrossed, and the BBC allotted more than 24 hours of televised coverage for this event.
The 1969 moon landing was also the first all-night television broadcast in the United Kingdom. Even though images of the landing were murky by today’s standards, many people were taken aback at the time. Without a doubt, television deserves a lot of credit for ushering in a new era of scientific discovery!
1985 Live Aid
The Live Aid concert is a trans-Atlantic charity event that was broadcast to over 150 countries in 1985. As a result, over 1.9 billion people saw the concert, making this iconic television moment the largest television audience to date. Overall, the 1985 Live Aid concert raised approximately £150 million for Ethiopian poverty relief.
The event featured performances by various music icons from the time, including Led Zeppelin, Queen, Phil Collins, and many others. Collins, interestingly, was able to perform at London’s Wembley Stadium before taking a Concorde flight to Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy Stadium. The 1985 Live Aid concert was without a doubt one of the most memorable events ever broadcast on television.
1966 Football World Cup
The 1966 World Cup featured England’s historic victory, which is regarded as one of the greatest moments in television history. Over 400 million people worldwide witnessed England win gold, which is a mind-boggling figure by any standard. Surprisingly, this was also the first time that each match was covered by a full camera crew. It is also the first time that images from the entire event have been shared by the BBC and ITV.
Given that only 15 million households had televisions, the numbers for this event were certainly impressive. Over 32.3 million people tuned in to see England’s historic 4-2 victory over West Germany. As a result, the event claimed credit for bringing communities together. Today, England’s 1966 World Cup victory remains the most-watched event in British television history.
1979 Life on Earth
It’s safe to assume that everyone has heard of David Attenborough. Attenborough is a well-known naturalist and broadcaster who is the only person to have won a BAFTA in black and white, color, HD, and 3D. Life on Earth allowed him to catapult himself into the spotlight in the late 1970s. He’s certainly succeeded, and he’s built a stellar career out of it.
One of the most memorable television moments involving Attenborough was his encounter with a gorilla. Originally, Attenborough hoped to get close enough to the Gorilla to discuss and demonstrate the Gorilla’s human-like thumbs. Instead, when he crawled towards the group, he drew the attention of a female Gorilla. He then demonstrated an impressive degree of improvisation by whispering to the camera about the similarities between humans and gorillas.
1958 Blue Peter
Who would have guessed that Blue Peter first aired in October of 1958? It’s no surprise that this show has the distinction of being the world’s longest-running children’s television show. It’s impressive to learn that the core components and values of a Blue Peter episode haven’t changed since it was first broadcast on television.
The audience continues to set challenges for the show’s presenters, which is a tradition on the show. It also features celebrity interviews, performances, and even craft tutorials. Aside from these, Blue Peter is also known for the Blue Peter badge, which is unquestionably one of the most memorable aspects of this iconic television show.