The Jutland television premiere in Skive was the first demonstration of what television could do. As part of a tour around Jutland, they wanted to show the public what benefits television could have, and thereby support the commercial opportunities for expansion. Skive was the first city on the tour and thus the first city in Jutland where television was broadcast.
Historical context
After a tentative start with public screenings in 1932, Denmark began broadcasting television regularly in October 1951. However, coverage was limited to an area around Copenhagen, and there was interest in being able to broadcast television to the whole country. In the years 1952-53, there were only 800 license payers. A nationwide rollout of the television signal was completed in 1960.
In Jutland, there was a desire to showcase television. “De Samvirkende Jydske Turistforeninger” (The Cooperating Jutland Tourist Associations) organized an event where a sample of the television would tour through Jutlandic cities, starting in Skive on March 10, 1952.
The event in Skive
The reason that the honor fell to Skive was due to the brainchild of power plant manager Høgh-Petersen, and a tour of the whole of Jutland was set in motion. With specialized equipment and the construction of new studios in each location, it was an extensive affair, but the idea was to explore the possibilities of rolling out TV to the whole country.
In Skive, visitors – the “peepers” as they were called back then – could go to Hotel Royal in Østergade on March 10 or 11 and see the live images.
A grand opening with speeches by Prime Minister Erik Eriksen, Chairman of “De Samvirkende Jydske Turistforeninger” Louis Rasmussen, and Skive Mayor Woldhardt Madsen kicked off the premiere.
Admission was 2 kroner for adults and 1 kroner for children. In Skive, 3000 people bought tickets to watch television. The show included an educational part from “the second Galathea expedition” and a short comedy.
For technical reasons, all the programs were broadcast live. Some of the sound was recorded, but the actual physical performance was broadcast live from the purpose-built TV studio in the hall downstairs.
With this event, Skive also made Danish history by having the perhaps dubious honor of broadcasting the first television commercial. Each 20-minute performance was accompanied by 2-3 minutes of commercials, which helped finance the project.
From Skive, the event traveled on to 13 other cities.
Source references
- TV 1930- (danmarkshistorien.dk)
- Skive Folkeblad: 5/3-1952, 6/3-1952, 7/3-1952 and 15/3 1952