'Radio Times' volume 119 (Coronation Edition)

'Coronation Edition' of the Radio Times, published by BBC Magazines, London, 1953. No. 1542 Special Coronation number, North of England Edition.

The Radio Times was a listings magazine for radio, and later television, first published in 1923. This special Coronation number of the listing magazine, for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, covered the week commencing 31 May to 6 June 1953.

As well as a full radio and television listing for the week, including coronation day itself, all the articles and opinion pieces were on different aspects of the coronation. These include an article by the Archbishop of Canterbury, a history of the coronation ceremony, details on the music of the coronation service, and a two-page illustrated map of the coronation route, listing which broadcaster would be commentating at different stages.

The issue states that it expects it to establish a new circulation record, with predicted sales in excess of 9 million copies. The pressure of this huge circulation was given as a limiting factor for the number of pages they could produce in the magazine and in not having a full colour front cover.

The broadcast of the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953 was a huge moment in the development of television. It marked the first time in Britain that more people had watched an event on the television than listened to it on the radio, and many people bought a television especially to watch the events unfold. Although the coronation procession of George VI had been televised in 1937, this was the first time that the full coronation ceremony had been broadcast to viewers.