Outside broadcasting

Outside broadcasting (OB) is the electronic field production (EFP) of television or radio programmes (typically to cover television news and sports television events) from a mobile remote broadcast television studio. Professional video camera and microphone signals come into the production truck for processing, recording and possibly transmission.

Some outside broadcasts use a mobile production control room (PCR) inside a production truck.

Outside radio broadcasts have been taking place since the early 1920s and television ones since the late 1920s. The first outside broadcast by the British Broadcasting Company was of the British National Opera Company production of The Magic Flute from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 8 January, 1923. The first large-scale outside broadcast was the televising of the Coronation of George VI and Elizabeth in May 1937, done by the BBC's first Outside Broadcast truck, MCR 1 (short for Mobile Control Room).

After the Second World War, the first notable outside broadcast was of the 1948 Summer Olympics. The Coronation of Elizabeth II followed in 1953, with 21 cameras being used to cover the event.

In December 1963 instant replays were used for the first time. Director Tony Verna used the technique on the Army–Navy Game which aired on CBS Sports on December 7, 1963.

The 1968 Summer Olympics was the first with competitions televised in colour. The 1972 Olympic Games were the first where all competitions were captured by outside broadcast cameras.

During the 1970s, ITV franchise holder Southern Television was unique in having an outside broadcast boat, named Southener.

The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981 was the biggest outside broadcast at the time, with an estimated 750 million viewers.