First Christmas Broadcast - King George V 1932

Although a Christmas Message was nothing new by 1932, the broadcasting of it certainly was. Reith was keen on transmission, just as he'd been eager for the proceedings of the House of Commons to be broadcast. He'd written personally to the King in 1923 to ask about "delivering a message to his people on a significant holiday such as Christmas, New Year or Easter".

King George V and the Palace were a touch reluctant, but their worries were eased by a conveniently timed trip to the BBC; and they gave him a wireless set to play with. The PM, Ramsay MacDonald also lent his weight to the case.

On Christmas Day in 1932, the Empire heard the festive address for the first time, as King George V spoke from a box room under the stairs at Sandringham. BT lines, or Post Office as it was back then, linked Sandringham to the Control Room at Broadcasting House. The Message could then be beamed to the UK via the Home Service, and to the Empire from the famous Daventry transmitters. Given far-off lands were being covered by Short Wave, the broadcast was transmitted at 3.05m p.m when propagation could be optimised.

Rudyard Kipling wrote the opening words "I speak now from my home and from my heart to you all.".

It was said the broadcast attracted an audience of 20m. Whilst Rajar diaries were not around, it;'s probably a safe bet that most folk did indeed make the effort to hear those first crackly words from their King.

After 22 years as Monarch, King George V had begun a tradition which lasts to this day.