OJ, June 17th, 1994
MSN: As such, the chase became a textbook 'where-were-you?' moment.
MSN: As such, the chase became a textbook 'where-were-you?' moment.
S-E: I think I'll stick with Dick's answer - he says it all really:
Death of Diana, August 31st, 1997
MSN: It being a Sunday, virtually the entire nation was having a lie-in.
Where was I? Haven't a fucking clue.
Death of Diana, August 31st, 1997
MSN: It being a Sunday, virtually the entire nation was having a lie-in.
S-E : Ah, yes, this could actually individually identify me (if there is a copy of the Duty Officer list still knocking around.) So let's just settle for "by an Aroflex terminal, having opened the safe, wondering how much trouble being really fucking useless at drill was going to get me in to during the planning of the state funeral". Which, thankfully, never happened.
Challenger disaster, January 28th, 1986
MSN: It being a Tuesday, this meant that the first report of it on British television occurred at 5pm in an edition of the BBC weekday children’s programme Newsround.
MSN: It being a Tuesday, this meant that the first report of it on British television occurred at 5pm in an edition of the BBC weekday children’s programme Newsround.
S-E: Britannia Royal Naval College. Basic Training. Far, far too busy to worry about anything else.
Resignation of Thatcher, November 22nd, 1990
MSN: Even so, for those at work or school during the day, word of mouth had to make do until a television set could be found.
S-E: On Operation Granby (Desert Shield for any American visitors). Completely TV free. Although we did get very good news through the int people.
England v West Germany, July 4th, 1990
MSN: It was said even Princess Diana, attending a social function in London, was being kept in touch of the score by telephone.
England v West Germany, July 4th, 1990
MSN: It was said even Princess Diana, attending a social function in London, was being kept in touch of the score by telephone.
S-E: Professional football? Does anybody seriously give a fuck? Anyway, I thought she was the Princess of Wales?
Queen Elizabeth's Coronation, June 2nd, 1953
MSN: The coronation was the first event in British history to be seen by a mass audience on the small screen.
S-E: Unborn.
Iranian Embassy siege, May 5th, 1980
MSN: Their dramatic rescue attempt took place in full view of the ITN cameras. Footage, however, was not broadcast live.
Iranian Embassy siege, May 5th, 1980
MSN: Their dramatic rescue attempt took place in full view of the ITN cameras. Footage, however, was not broadcast live.
S-E: I probably did watch this. Can't really remember though.
September 11th, 2001
MSN: It was a weekday afternoon, so most people didn’t see pictures of the attacks until they got home from school or work.
S-E: At a security conference, with a lot of financial and disaster recovery people. Watched it live - having asked the hotel to open the bar 'cause there were a lot of people in serious need of a stiff drink or 15.
Assassination of JFK, November 22nd, 1963
MSN: It wasn’t until 11pm that the BBC was sufficiently organised to broadcast a proper tribute programme.
Assassination of JFK, November 22nd, 1963
MSN: It wasn’t until 11pm that the BBC was sufficiently organised to broadcast a proper tribute programme.
S-E: Still not born. And he was the American President so you would expect the BBC to have a tribute programme lined up for the event of his assassination? I dunno ...
So, not really 'The whole world turning on the TV' at all. Or is it just me?
Nope, clearly not just you. BTW, in case you are (to my great surprise) interested, the first "famous event" I saw was the Apollo 11 landing - my parents took the infant me to a neighbour's house, that having a TV. It is not recorded whether I dribbled, blew bubbles or just slept through the performance.