The first daily television news in Britain was the BBC's Television News & Newsreel, which began at 7.30pm on 5th July 1954. Transmitted from Alexandra Palace it was introduced by Richard Baker, whose voice over a view of Nelson's Column intoned: "Here is an illustrated summary of the news. It will be followed by the latest film of events and happenings at home and abroad." The programme stove to be entirely illustrative with a series of stills, captions, maps, charts and diagrams., yet reflected the BBC's fear that if the newsreaders were actually allowed to appear their personalities would colour the impartiality of the news.

The BBC's first illustrated news bulletin to show newsreaders in-vision began on 4th September 1955, 18 days before the advent of Independent Television News (ITN). The first newsreaders to be seen were Richard Baker and Kenneth Kendall, who presented the late night summary on alternate nights. However, they were not identified to the viewing public and were seen only during the headlines.

The photographs on this page were donated by the family of Florence Powney. (Flo can be seen sitting on the right behind the "News & Newsreel" sign in the first photograph). Flo sadly died in September 2000 after a career spanning 30 years with the BBC. She joined the Corporation on 17 November 1941 being based in the Central Control Room at Bush House. She joined the Television Service at Alexandra Palace in October 1948 and took early retirement in August 1971, by which time she was a Vision Mixer at Television Centre.