Broadcast Relay Service Ltd.
Pembroke Lodge, Wellesley Road, Clacton-on-Sea (1928)
Carlton House, Lower Regent Street, London, SW1 (1947)

Rediffusion Ltd.
Broomhill Road, Wandsworth, London, SW18 (1946)
Victoria Station House, Victoria Street, London SW1 (1945)
Carlton House, Lower Regent Street, London, SW1 (1947)

Rediffusion, founded in 1928, was a pioneering company in British broadcasting. Initially, it redistributed radio signals via cable networks. Later, it expanded into manufacturing radio sets and diversified into television and telecommunications. In the 1950s, It secured a London ITV franchise and launched Associated-Rediffusion. While the company faced challenges and underwent mergers, its impact on British broadcasting remains significant. Rediffusion's international operations, particularly in Singapore, further solidified its legacy in the global media landscape.

It is closed in the late 1980s.

Origins and Early Years
In December 1927, Joshua Powell (1871 -1946), an advertising agent from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, started a radio relay service from his garage. His innovative idea was to use a single large wireless set with a good aerial in the town centre, connecting wires to extension loudspeakers in people's homes, making radio more affordable and accessible. By March 1928, the service had grown to about 200 subscribers, leading to the founding of Broadcast Relay Service Ltd.[1]

The company, soon known as Rediffusion, was formed by British Electric Traction (BET) in March 1928.

Early Challenges and Expansion
Rediffusion faced several initial hurdles:

• Patent issues with Marconi
• Licensing difficulties with the British Post Office
• Financial crisis
• Technical problems with the single-wire system picking up relayed programs on telephone lines during rain

Despite these challenges, the company expanded to other towns:

• Braintree (November 1928)
• Ramsgate (December 1928)
• Hull (January 1929)

A breakthrough came with the introduction of a more affordable loudspeaker, allowing for lower rental rates and rapid subscriber growth, especially in the South.

Diversification and International Growth
Rediffusion quickly diversified its operations:

• Manufacturing and selling radio sets
• Expanding into British colonies with wired television and radio services
• Establishing Overseas Rediffusion, providing both wired and over-the-air broadcasting stations in places like Barbados and Hong Kong
• In 1934, Rediffusion began operations in Barbados, followed by Malta in 1935. The company expanded to other territories, including Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Post-War Development and Redifon

In 1947, British Electric Traction (BET) acquired a substantial minority interest in Rediffusion, marking a significant shift in the company's ownership structure. A pivotal moment came in 1948 when Rediffusion established Redifon Ltd. as a subsidiary. This new entity focused on specialized telecommunications equipment, initially manufacturing naval telecommunications systems. Redifon's scope expanded over time, branching out into flight telecommunications equipment. This diversification allowed Rediffusion to tap into new markets and technologies. The Redifon name became a significant brand within the Rediffusion group, used until 1981 for several capital goods businesses, including:

• Redifon Computers
• Redifon Flight Simulation
• Redifon Telecommunications

After the war, Rediffusion also expanded its operations into several British colonies, establishing wired and over-the-air radio and television stations. This international expansion was managed by a subsidiary called Overseas Rediffusion.

In the UK, Rediffusion began offering a low-bandwidth cable TV and radio distribution system, using multiple twisted-pair cables to connect homes. This system became widespread in many UK towns.

Entry into Commercial Television
With the passage of the Television Act 1954, Rediffusion joined forces with Associated Newspapers to form Associated-Rediffusion, winning the London weekday ITV broadcast franchise. They began broadcasting on September 22, 1955.

Rebranding and Challenges
In 1964, the company rebranded as Rediffusion London, adopting a more modern style. However, in 1968, Rediffusion faced a significant change when it lost its franchise but merged with ABC Weekend TV to form Thames Television.

International Operations
Rediffusion continued to operate internationally, with notable success in Singapore, where it established a cable radio service in 1949 that peaked at over 100,000 subscribers.0

Legacy and Later Years
By 1935, Rediffusion was well-established in Britain and expanding rapidly. The company's success was largely due to its ability to make radio accessible during the Great Depression when most people couldn't afford wireless sets.

In the 1980s, Rediffusion's cable operations were overtaken by new cable TV networks. BET began divesting its interests, and by the end of the 1980s, the company was broken up.[2]

Rediffusion played a crucial role in shaping the broadcasting landscape in the UK and former British colonies, leaving a lasting legacy in the industry.

[1] The Electrical Review Mar 9, 1928, Page 480.
[2] Rediffusion, a short-history, Russ J Graham   4 Oct 2016.