IBC Wembley
IBC Wembley is a regional broadcaster owned by the Independent Broadcasting Corporation since its launch on October 6, 1957.
History[edit | edit source]
The assignment of the channel 4 frequency to the greater Wembley metropolitan area was awarded in May 1956, after a difficult and chaotic period dating back to 1952 when IBC Radio announced its first intentions at entering the television business.
Programming on launch night was, as follows:
- 18:45 - Opening speech provided by the president of Flarland and the president of the IBC Radio Network
- 18:50 - What to Expect from IBC: a look at upcoming programs by the end of the year
- 19:00 - Opening Ceremony of IBC Television
- 20:00 - Channel 4 (variety show that ran until the following year)
- 20:45 - The Importance of Being Me (televised play)
- 21:25 - IBC Television News: your newscaster is Dennis Hueman
- 21:40 - Professional Boxing: Richard Laynes vs. Lao Lawarakang
- 22:20 - What to Expect from IBC (repeat)
- 22:30 - High Life
- 22:50 - And So To Bed - a look at tomorrow's programs, followed by the reading of the weather report for the Wembley city and province, and the national anthem
That day was a Sunday, the following day, IBC Wembley started fixed broadcasts between 10:30 and 13:30 (daytime period) and between 17:00 and 23:00 (nighttime period), averaging nine hours a day. However the station was hit by the cash crisis of 1958 and the appearance of Screenworks as a production company, dwindling IBC's resources.
IBC also had a local news program for Wembley from October 7, 1957, at 18:45, a timeslot that was later set as the standard for the regional news slot on other companies. Lasting fifteen minutes in length, it was known as Wembley Tonight, a name that was dropped in January 2019, becoming IBC News Wembley.
In 1968, IBC reconverted its Wembley facilities to color, about six months before the start of regular color services.