Kai Rivers
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was established in 1927 to develop radio broadcasting and soon expanded into television in 1936. The first public demonstration of television in the UK was in 1926, and by 1951, only 9% of British homes owned a television set. The expansion of television in the United Kingdom was slow, and it wasn't until 1972 that restrictions on broadcasting hours were lifted. As television became more accessible, companies like Radio Rentals offered TV sets for rent to those who couldn't afford to buy them. By the 1970s, Radio Rentals was a well-known name on the British High Street, providing rental services for those who wanted to experience the latest in television technology without the upfront cost of purchasing a set.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did the British rent TV sets? | Yes, the British rented TV sets from companies such as Radio Rentals, Rediffusion, and Webb's. |
| Rental companies | Radio Rentals was founded in 1930 in the UK and expanded to Australia in 1937. It offered radio and television rentals and later merged with other companies to form Thorn EMI and then Boxclever. |
| Rental period | Renting TVs was popular in the 1970s and 1980s, with some people recalling renting TVs during this period. |
| Rental costs | The rental cost for a 14-inch portable TV in the 1950s was £2 per month. |
| TV licensing | In the UK, a TV licence is required to watch live TV transmissions, and the BBC is authorised to carry out surveillance to detect unlicensed use. |
| TV technology | The rental market for TVs grew with the introduction of colour TV in the late 1960s and early 1970s. |
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What You'll Learn
The BBC's involvement in TV
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was established in 1927 to develop radio broadcasting and became involved in TV in 1936. The BBC is funded by income from a "Broadcast Receiving Licence" purchased by UK residents. The cost of this is set by agreement with the UK Government.
The first public demonstration of television in the UK took place in 1926 by John Logie Baird, who demonstrated the long-distance transmission of television pictures over telephone lines from London to Glasgow. Baird also made the first electronic image recordings on 78 rpm gramophone records, which he called 'Phonovision'.
The expansion of television in the United Kingdom was slow. By 1951, with only two transmitters near London and Birmingham, only 9% of British homes owned a television set. The United Kingdom was the first country in the world to have a regular daily television schedule direct to homes. Before the launch of ITV in 1955, the BBC was restricted by law to just five hours of television per day.
Up until 1972, television broadcasting hours were tightly regulated by the British government, under the control of the Postmaster General. On January 19, 1972, the Minister for Posts and Telecommunications, Christopher Chataway, announced that all restrictions on broadcasting hours would be lifted, with broadcasters allowed to set their own hours.
The BBC has played a role in the development of television technology in the UK. When colour TV appeared in the late 1960s, the BBC used the state-of-the-art 700 series Baird colour receivers for display purposes. The design of the 700 series was also used as the basis for the Decca Bradford chassis used in their colour TV receivers.
The BBC has also been involved in the rental of television sets. While there is no information specifically about renting TV sets from the BBC, there were rental companies in the UK, such as Radio Rentals, that offered television sets for rent. These rental companies were well-known in the 1970s, and the growth of BBC Television encouraged the expansion of the rental market.
The BBC has also created services like iPlayer to keep up with new technologies and has explored 3D TV during its brief popularity. The BBC is aware that new technologies, such as television transmissions over the Internet, represent a threat to its revenue from licence fees.
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TV rental companies in the UK
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was established in 1927 to develop radio broadcasting and became involved in TV in 1936. By 1951, only 9% of British homes owned a television set. The expansion of BBC Television encouraged the growth of TV rental companies in the UK.
Radio Rentals, founded in 1930 by Percy Perring-Thoms in Brighton, Sussex, UK, started by renting out radio sets and later offered television and video recorder rentals. By 1952, it had established itself as the largest company in the television rental business. In 1964, Radio Rentals merged with RentaSet, Joseph Robinson's similar company. In 1968, it was acquired by Thorn Electrical Industries and became part of Thorn Television Rentals (TTR). Radio Rentals supplied the last Baird TV models with genuine Baird-manufactured chassis, the dual-standard 710 series. In 1980, TTR merged with EMI, and in 2000, it merged with Granada Limited to form Boxclever.
Other TV rental companies in the UK included Multi-Broadcast and Vistavision, which were acquired by Thorn Television Rentals. In the 1970s, these companies were well-known names on the British High Street.
Today, TV rental companies in the UK include Forbes Rentals, which offers LCD, Smart TV, and appliance rentals. They provide inclusive installation, complimentary demonstrations, and same-day repair services. Hughes Rental is another option, offering Smart TVs ranging from 24" to 75" screens, with brands like Samsung, LG, Sony, and TCL.
TV rental provides access to the latest technology and annual upgrade opportunities. Additionally, it offers flexibility and a more sustainable alternative to purchasing, as highlighted by the option to rent rather than buy from companies like Express Appliances.
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The first TV rentals in the UK
The history of television in the United Kingdom dates back to 1926, when John Logie Baird performed the first public demonstration of television for members of the Royal Institution. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was established a year later, in 1927, to develop radio broadcasting, and it inevitably expanded into television in 1936.
However, television only became popular in the United Kingdom in 1947, with very slow expansion. By 1951, only 9% of British households owned a television set, as there were only two transmitters near London and Birmingham. The United Kingdom was the first country to have a regular daily television schedule broadcast directly to homes and to have technical professionals dedicated to working on TVs.
The rental of television sets in the UK became popular in the 1950s, with companies like Radio Rentals and Rediffusion offering this service. Radio Rentals, founded in 1930 by Percy Perring-Thoms in Brighton, Sussex, initially rented out radio sets, but later expanded into television and videorecorder rentals. By 1952, Radio Rentals had established itself as the largest television rental company in the UK. In 1960–61, Radio Rentals acquired the Baird Company name from Hartley Baird Ltd. and changed the name of its manufacturing subsidiary in Bradford to Baird Television. They developed their own 700 series Baird colour receivers, which were considered state-of-the-art and were even used by the BBC for display purposes.
Another company, Thorn, introduced the world's first all-transistor dual-standard colour television chassis in the late 1960s. The rental market truly took off after 1969 when ITV and BBC1 began colour transmissions on UHF. Receivers employing the Thorn modular solid-state 3000 receiver chassis were marketed, and thousands were manufactured well into the late 1970s.
In the 1970s, there were also coin-operated TVs supplied by a company called Telebank, often found in guest houses.
By the 1980s, the UK was nearing saturation point with colour TV sales, and the initial rush to buy or rent was tapering off as consumer demand was fulfilled.
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The cost of renting a TV
In the early days of television, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was the sole broadcaster in the UK, having been established in 1927 for radio broadcasting and expanding into television in 1936. The BBC introduced a licence fee for TV sets in 1946, which applied to all households with a TV set. This fee was not specifically for renting a TV but was required by law for any household watching broadcast television.
The cost of a TV licence in the UK as of 2020 is £174.50 per year for colour TV sets and £58.50 for black and white TV sets. This fee is not a rental cost but a mandatory charge for any household watching or recording live TV programmes or using the BBC iPlayer service.
Historically, TV sets were available for rent in the UK, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. Companies like Radio Rentals and Thorn Television Rentals offered television sets for rent during this period. However, specific cost details for renting a TV during those times are not readily available.
Today, TV rental services still exist in the UK, but they are often part of a broader package that includes subscription and purchase options for online TV services. These services usually require a specific broadband provider and may be bundled with other services like Amazon's Prime Video. The cost of these packages can vary, and they are typically offered by internet service providers or streaming platforms rather than traditional TV rental companies.
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The decline of TV rentals
The introduction of colour TV in the late 1960s and the subsequent launch of colour transmissions on UHF by ITV and BBC1 in 1969 marked a significant shift in the TV rental market. The rental market took off, with receivers employing the Thorn modular solid-state 3000 receiver chassis being marketed. However, as more people bought or rented colour TVs, the initial rush started to taper off as consumer demand was fulfilled.
By the early 1970s, the UK was nearing saturation point with colour TV sales and rentals. At the same time, Japanese imports entered the market, further increasing competition. The British government initially restricted these far-eastern imports to protect British production, but once the restrictions were lifted, the market dynamics changed significantly.
The growth of streaming services has also contributed to the decline of TV rentals. The international rollout of streaming giants like Netflix in 2012 dramatically inflated the production costs of high-end TV shows. As a result, UK broadcasters like the BBC and ITV have struggled to fund high-quality TV dramas that viewers now expect in the streaming era.
Additionally, traditional TV viewing in the UK has seen a sharp decline, with older audiences also switching to streaming services. According to Ofcom, the proportion of people tuning in weekly decreased from 83% in 2021 to 79% in 2022. This decline is also evident in the average time spent watching TV daily, which dropped by 12% from 2021 to 2022.
The decline in TV rentals is part of a broader shift in viewer habits and the increasing dominance of streaming platforms, creating challenges for traditional broadcasters and rental businesses.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the British did not rent TV sets from the BBC. The BBC is funded by income from a "Broadcast Receiving Licence" purchased by UK residents. The cost of this is set by agreement with the UK government.
Yes, in the 1970s, it was common for British people to rent television sets from companies such as Radio Rentals, Rediffusion, and Webb's.
Radio Rentals was founded in 1930 by Percy Perring-Thoms in Brighton, Sussex, UK, initially to rent out radio sets. By 1952, Radio Rentals was the largest company in the television rental business.
Rediffusion and Webb's were two companies that rented TV sets. Rediffusion was a rental shop, and Webb's rented out black-and-white and colour TV sets in the 1970s and 1980s.
Coin-operated TV sets were also available, often found in guest houses.
