BBC Home Service Radio News Bulletin on JFK Assassination | Nov 23rd 1963

Saturday, November 23rd 1963.
The 10 O'Clock evening news bulletin covering the aftermath of the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
It refers to the preparations for his funeral, the lying in state and a tribute from the Soviet leader, Nikita Khruschev.
Credit: BBC Home Service Radio (1963).

[@johnking5174]

Originally at 10.10pm on this night, the BBC Home Service would have aired "The World of Books" a review of the latest book releases. That programme was dropped and a special tribute programme to JFK aired instead at 10.10pm.

[@MatthewOkot]

Excellent upload.
I wish there was more BBC TV footage from that weekend. There was a video a while back on UA-cam of a BBC News report from the night of the assassination but it seems to have disappeared.

[@johnking5174]

Archives from both the BBC and ITV of the 1960s and 1970s were regularly wiped, and the tapes reused again as they were very expensive to keep.

[@jamesbomd3503]

THAT WAS TO DO WITH RIGHTS ! NOT THE PROUDEST MOMENT FOR THE BBC AS THEY WERE ALL AT A PARTY INCLUDING ALL THE TOP NEWS REPORTERS OF THE DAY
GRANADA REPORTS IN MANCHESTER WERE THE FIRST TV NEWS PROGRAM TO BREAK IT LIVE ON AIR ! TO THE NATION

[@MrJoeybabe25]

@@johnking5174 You would think that the BBC would keep this momentous event and/or home tape enthusiasts would have coverage.

[@onekie5787]

@@MrJoeybabe25 home taping was non existant in 1963. the only way that couldve been possible was if someone pointed an 8mm home camera at the tv. and the results are awful

[@paulhayes5724]

@@MrJoeybabe25 There is a fair bit - from the 22nd, the 11pm Kennedy tribute programme (also broadcast on all BBC radio networks), and the 11.31pm news special (which even features NBC footage from Dealey Plaza sent via Cablefilm, the inauguration photo from the plane and a photo of Oswald, also sent by wire).
From the 23rd, the 75-minute special programme from 7.26 that evening exists, as does the famous "That Was The Week That Was" Kennedy tribute special from the end of the evening.
The BBC commentary by Richard Dimbleby on the half-hour section of the funeral from Monday 25th which was able to be broadcast live while Relay 1 was in the right position also survives.

[@cumomsandcureloms]

C.S. Lewis died the same day as JFK and Aldous Huxley

[@glenlay]

I remember that tragic day vividly, we closed all our curtains in respect and they remained closed throughout that day, a practice I still do to this day.
May he forever rest in peace and God's blessings be upon him.

[@lukebrown9001]

Great upload.

[@crispycart1976]

One day after the death of President Kennedy The BBC aired the first episode of Doctor Who.

[@mAiSiEbOOOO]

The first episode was repeated just before the second episode went out the following week. The television audience figures for BBC TV the Saturday it premiered were unusually low and that was due to a national mental preoccupation with the shock and horror of the assassination.

[@johnking5174]

@@mAiSiEbOOOO The first episode was repeated on the following Saturday November 30th 1963 at 5.05pm followed by the second episode at 5.30pm.

[@test-ru2jo]

God Bless BHS

[@emjp3163]

Where is the youtube video of the breaking bbc radio news of this? It was there now gone?

[@Rayoscope]

Correct, inexplicably now gone...odd.

[@user-Colette01251]

R I P JFK you didn’t deserve to be assassinated

[@thewkovacs316]

poor aldous huxley
had to die on the same day jfk was assassinated....so no one cared

[@user-Colette01251]

Great Upload