Rediffusion
Encyclopedia
Rediffusion was a business which distributed radio and TV signals through wired relay networks. The business gave rise to a number of other companies, including Associated-Rediffusion
, later known as Rediffusion London, one of the first companies to win a terrestrial ITV
(commercial television
) franchise in the UK. Rediffusion also spawned a record label, Rediffusion International Music, in 1968. Redifon was the name used until 1981 for companies in the capital goods businesses of Rediffusion, viz Redifon Computers, Redifon Flight Simulation and Redifon Telecommunications.
service, which was reflected in the trading name: Rediffusion simply means "broadcasting again".
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 television
broadcasts in the 1930s, Rediffusion began manufacturing TV sets and supplying "Pipe TV
", an early form of cable TV, service to its customers, until the cessation of television broadcasts during the Second World War.
acquired a substantial minority interest in Rediffusion. BET acquired a controlling interest in 1967, and the remaining 36% of equity in 1983.
In 1948 Rediffusion established Redifon Ltd as a manufacturer of naval (and later flight) telecommunications equipment.
After the war, Rediffusion began operations in several of the then 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. Stations included the radio station Rediffusion Barbados
(ref), Singapore
, Malaysia
, Thailand and the wired television service Rediffusion Television
in Hong Kong
, the latter now known as Asia Television. It also opened a company in Jersey in 1949, Rediffusion (Channel Islands) Limited, which obtained a licence to relay radio broadcasts from the States of Jersey
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.
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 London, and over the next few years expanded outside London. The company was also involved in the sale and rental of television sets.
, Rediffusion joined forces with Associated Newspapers
, a subsidiary of Daily Mail and General Trust
, to form Associated-Rediffusion
, and won the coveted London weekday ITV
broadcast franchise. They began broadcasting on September 22, 1955.
At the beginning, Associated-Rediffusion was losing money amazingly fast; so fast, in fact, that by the end of 1956, Associated Newspapers sold 80 percent of its stake back to BET and Rediffusion at a severe loss. Around that same time, Associated-Rediffusion struck a very favorable deal with Granada Television
, the franchise holder for weekday broadcasts in the North of England. Granada was also losing money hand over fist, 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.
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 Independent Television Authority
to effectively break up the company. Rediffusion London was ordered to merge with Associated British Corporation
, the holder of the weekend Midlands
and North of England franchises, to form Thames Television
, 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.
The Rediffusion brand was also a name in aircraft simulation
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 Rediffusion Simulation
to capitalise on the name. The company was sold in 1988 to Hughes Aircraft
, which kept the Rediffusion name until it sold the company in 1994.
Redifon (later Rediffusion) Computers was also part of the group and was based in Crawley
, West Sussex
. It initially started in the production of analogue computers to control flight simulator
s, then moved to produce minicomputers ("R range"), departmental Unix Servers and microcomputers ("teleputers"), specialising in data capture, enterprise accounting for local government and videotex
systems. Michael Aldrich
joined the company as Marketing Director in 1977 and became Managing Director and CEO in 1980. In 1979 Aldrich invented online shopping a form of electronic commerce
. 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 its sales in Eastern Europe 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 Gazprom
who used the systems on the Siberian Gas Pipeline project. In addition there was a steady stream of Russian engineers attending the Crawley training facility to enable them to support and maintain this equipment.
The company was highly innovative and amongst other things developed a signature recognition system for detecting cheque fraud. It was one of the first companies to sell a turnkey solution that utilised the newly available Post Office database (PAF) for Post Code recognition. In 1984 Aldrich led a management buyout
and the company became ROCC Computers (Rediffusion's Old Computer Company). Aldrich was the largest shareholder and he subsequently bought-out the other shareholders.
In the 1980s, Rediffusion's cable operations were left behind by the new generation of cable TV networks. BET (from 1983 the sole owners of Rediffusion) began divesting. Rediffusion sold off its overseas interests, and at the end of the 1980s the company was broken up, The rentals business went to Granada
, and the cable network systems were sold to the Maxwell Communications
.
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 Newtel Solutions
) in 1988.
Associated-Rediffusion
Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion, London, was the British ITV contractor for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 1954 and 29 July 1968. Transmissions started on 22 September 1955.-Formation:...
, later known as Rediffusion London, one of the first companies to win a terrestrial ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
(commercial television
Commercial Television
Commercial Television was the third free-to-air broadcast television station in Hong Kong. It first went on air in 1975, and ceased transmissions in 1978.-History:...
) franchise in the UK. Rediffusion also spawned a record label, Rediffusion International Music, in 1968. Redifon was the name used until 1981 for companies in the capital goods businesses of Rediffusion, viz Redifon Computers, Redifon Flight Simulation and Redifon Telecommunications.
Early history
Rediffusion was the trading name of Broadcast Relay Service Ltd, formed in 1928. In 1929 the company introduced its first cable radio service in Hull to customers frustrated with the difficulties of tuning in weak radio broadcasts. Initially, the service consisted primarily of rebroadcasts of the BBC RadioBBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
service, which was reflected in the trading name: Rediffusion simply means "broadcasting again".
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 television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
broadcasts in the 1930s, Rediffusion began manufacturing TV sets and supplying "Pipe TV
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
", an early form of cable TV, service to its customers, until the cessation of television broadcasts during the Second World War.
Post war
In 1947 British Electric TractionBritish Electric Traction
British Electric Traction Company Limited, renamed BET plc in 1985, was a large British industrial conglomerate. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was acquired by Rentokil in 1996, and the merged company is now known as Rentokil Initial.- Early history :The company was founded as...
acquired a substantial minority interest in Rediffusion. BET acquired a controlling interest in 1967, and the remaining 36% of equity in 1983.
In 1948 Rediffusion established Redifon Ltd as a manufacturer of naval (and later flight) telecommunications equipment.
After the war, Rediffusion began operations in several of the then 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. Stations included the radio station Rediffusion Barbados
Starcom Network
Starcom Network began its life as Radio Distribution Limited, with the introduction of the first broadcast station then located at Wildey, St. Michael in 1935. At that time, the company transmitted its broadcast signal using a cable network system, known as subscription radio...
(ref), Singapore
Rediffusion Singapore
Rediffusion Singapore is a company which originally pioneered cable radio in Singapore, and is currently a digital radio service. The company has touted itself as Singapore's only subscription radio service and the "1st in the WORLD to broadcast on .....
, Malaysia
Red FM (Malaysia)
Red FM is a private radio station that broadcasts across Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. It is managed by , a wholly owned subsidiary of Star Publications Bhd...
, Thailand and the wired television service Rediffusion Television
Rediffusion Television
Rediffusion Television was the first television station in Hong Kong, established on May 29, 1957, making it both the first British colony and the first predominantly Chinese city to have television...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, the latter now known as Asia Television. It also opened a company in Jersey in 1949, Rediffusion (Channel Islands) Limited, which obtained a licence to relay radio broadcasts from the States of Jersey
States of Jersey
The States of Jersey is the parliament and government of Jersey.The Assembly of the States of Jersey has exercised legislative powers since 1771, when law-making power was transferred from the Royal Court of Jersey....
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.
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 London, and over the next few years expanded outside London. The company was also involved in the sale and rental of television sets.
Expansion into broadcasting
With the passage of the Television Act 1954Television Act 1954
The Television Act 1954 was a British law which permitted the creation of the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom, ITV....
, Rediffusion joined forces with Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers is a large national newspaper publisher in the UK, which is a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust. The group was established in 1905 and is currently based at Northcliffe House in Kensington...
, a subsidiary of Daily Mail and General Trust
Daily Mail and General Trust
Daily Mail and General Trust plc is a British media conglomerate, one of the largest in Europe. In the UK, it has interests in national and regional newspapers, television and radio. The company has extensive activities based outside the UK, through Northcliffe Media, DMG Radio Australia, DMG World...
, to form Associated-Rediffusion
Associated-Rediffusion
Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion, London, was the British ITV contractor for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 1954 and 29 July 1968. Transmissions started on 22 September 1955.-Formation:...
, and won the coveted London weekday ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
broadcast franchise. They began broadcasting on September 22, 1955.
At the beginning, Associated-Rediffusion was losing money amazingly fast; so fast, in fact, that by the end of 1956, Associated Newspapers sold 80 percent of its stake back to BET and Rediffusion at a severe loss. Around that same time, Associated-Rediffusion struck a very favorable deal with Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
, the franchise holder for weekday broadcasts in the North of England. Granada was also losing money hand over fist, 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.
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 Independent Television Authority
Independent Television Authority
The Independent Television Authority was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" , the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom...
to effectively break up the company. Rediffusion London was ordered to merge with Associated British Corporation
Associated British Corporation
Associated British Corporation was one of a number of commercial television companies established in the United Kingdom during the 1950s by cinema chain companies in an attempt to safeguard their business by becoming involved with television which was taking away their cinema audiences.In this...
, the holder of the weekend Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and North of England franchises, to form Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
, 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.
Last years
Rediffusion's television sale and rental operations continued to grow, particularly following the start of colour television broadcasts in 1967. 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.The Rediffusion brand was also a name in aircraft simulation
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
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 Rediffusion Simulation
Thales Training & Simulation
Thales Training & Simulation Ltd is an international company with experience in simulation and training. It is part of the Thales Group.- Overview :...
to capitalise on the name. The company was sold in 1988 to Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
, which kept the Rediffusion name until it sold the company in 1994.
Redifon (later Rediffusion) Computers was also part of the group and was based in Crawley
Crawley
Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. It initially started in the production of analogue computers to control flight simulator
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
s, then moved to produce minicomputers ("R range"), departmental Unix Servers and microcomputers ("teleputers"), specialising in data capture, enterprise accounting for local government and videotex
Videotex
Videotex was one of the earliest implementations of an "end-user information system". From the late 1970s to mid-1980s, it was used to deliver information to a user in computer-like format, typically to be displayed on a television.In a strict definition, videotex refers to systems that provide...
systems. Michael Aldrich
Michael Aldrich
—Michael Aldrich is an English inventor, innovator and entrepreneur. In 1979 he invented online shopping to enable online transaction processing between consumers and businesses, or between one business and another, a technique known later as e-commerce...
joined the company as Marketing Director in 1977 and became Managing Director and CEO in 1980. In 1979 Aldrich invented online shopping a form of electronic commerce
Electronic commerce
Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce, eCommerce or e-comm, refers to the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. However, the term may refer to more than just buying and selling products online...
. 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 its sales in Eastern Europe 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 Gazprom
Gazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
who used the systems on the Siberian Gas Pipeline project. In addition there was a steady stream of Russian engineers attending the Crawley training facility to enable them to support and maintain this equipment.
The company was highly innovative and amongst other things developed a signature recognition system for detecting cheque fraud. It was one of the first companies to sell a turnkey solution that utilised the newly available Post Office database (PAF) for Post Code recognition. In 1984 Aldrich led a management buyout
Management buyout
A management buyout is a form of acquisition where a company's existing managers acquire a large part or all of the company.- Overview :Management buyouts are similar in all major legal aspects to any other acquisition of a company...
and the company became ROCC Computers (Rediffusion's Old Computer Company). Aldrich was the largest shareholder and he subsequently bought-out the other shareholders.
In the 1980s, Rediffusion's cable operations were left behind by the new generation of cable TV networks. BET (from 1983 the sole owners of Rediffusion) began divesting. Rediffusion sold off its overseas interests, and at the end of the 1980s the company was broken up, The rentals business went to Granada
Granada Ltd.
Granada plc is a former British conglomerate which was best known as the former parent of the Manchester-based Granada Television....
, and the cable network systems were sold to the Maxwell Communications
Robert Maxwell
Ian Robert Maxwell MC was a Czechoslovakian-born British media proprietor and former Member of Parliament , who rose from poverty to build an extensive publishing empire...
.
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 Newtel Solutions
Newtel Solutions
Newtel Solutions is the operator of a cable television network in Jersey, Channel Islands. Newtel Solutions also provides telecommunications services including telephony and broadband....
) in 1988.
See also
- Associated-RediffusionAssociated-RediffusionAssociated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion, London, was the British ITV contractor for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 1954 and 29 July 1968. Transmissions started on 22 September 1955.-Formation:...
- Rediffusion SingaporeRediffusion SingaporeRediffusion Singapore is a company which originally pioneered cable radio in Singapore, and is currently a digital radio service. The company has touted itself as Singapore's only subscription radio service and the "1st in the WORLD to broadcast on .....
- Rediffusion TelevisionRediffusion TelevisionRediffusion Television was the first television station in Hong Kong, established on May 29, 1957, making it both the first British colony and the first predominantly Chinese city to have television...
(Hong Kong)