80 Years of BFBS TV 1943-Present
BFBS TV is specially created for British Forces communities overseas which offers you the best of current UK TV, and more, all in one place. With postings overseas sometimes lasting several years, familiar home comforts for the families of service personnel are crucial.
It is a historic moment for us in BFBS as we open up our first television service.
Spoken by Hilary Osborn on 18 September 1975, these were the first words heard on BFBS Television.
It was the success of BFBS Radio, which launched in 1943, that led to the proposal for a television service as far back as 1959. Initially a collaboration between BFBS, the BBC and ITV contractor London Weekend Television, the programmes were recorded in the UK and the adverts were removed using two very large video tape machines and an editing unit designed by a BFBS engineer.
It took another 16 years before BFBS TV was eventually on air in September 1975.
Over the years the armed forces personnel serving have grown up with BFBS TV as a constant in their lives – from celebrating their birthdays with a shout-out on children's TV, learning to speak the local language while watching ‘Instant German’ with Corinna Schnabel, to watching today's Forces News on BFBS Extra, and all packaged with a bespoke mix of familiar and popular TV shows from home.
Today, as the world of digital has evolved so has BFBS TV's offering. As well as a satellite service of 16 channels we now have a TV Player app that offers 30 channels live and on-demand! We can even reach remote locations and ships at sea to provide you with a variety of entertainment, media and more.
So, whether it be the biggest movie premiers, big ticket live sport from all the major providers, new headline series as well as your favourite soaps, dramas and more - we'll do our best to get you a great selection of entertainment, accessible in a way that suits you wherever you are around the world.
