The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the early days of Eurovision

Televising the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, now 50 years ago, not only highlighted the start of pan-European cooperation with regards to the exchange of TV programs, but was also instrumental in achieving a better understanding among European peoples. Several years earlier, in 1947, Marcel Bezengon, the director of Radio Lausanne, had proposed to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) the draft constitution of an international organization for radio and TV broadcasting. At that time, TV standards had been developed in Europe that differed from the earlier-implemented U.S. standards, mainly due to the difference in the electrical power frequency in Europe (50 Hz) compared with the 60-Hz power grid in the United States and some other countries. In addition, European TV standards also incorporated some further refinements of TV performance approaches by taking advantage of later innovations in technology.