Party Election Broadcasts (1951-1959)

One of Ralph Negrine's main interests is the archiving of Party Election Broadcasts (PEBs) from 1951 to 1959.

Click her for the PEBs website

Party election broadcasts (PEBs) are a form of unmediated political communication. They are made on behalf of the political parties and are then simply transmitted by the broadcasters in the course of the election campaign.

The first television party election broadcast was transmitted in 1951. Although they have changed in style and length, they continue to feature at every British general election.

Why study Party Election Broadcasts?

There are many reasons, including:

  • Their historical value
  • What they contribute to our knowledge of developments in political (broadcast) communication
  • Understanding different styles of communication, then and now

Why set up an archive?

Before this website was created, it was extremely difficult for anyone to have an opportunity to look at PEBs in full and to be able to explore the nature and content of Party Election Broadcasts with ease and speed.

This archive has made that possible and so opens up a whole new field of analysis for those interested in the early years of political communication.