A Day Without News Day commemorates the historic moment when the BBC announced “There is no news” during their evening bulletin, highlighting a simpler time before the 24-hour news cycle.
Quick Facts
When is it: April 18
Tagged as: Media History Observance
What’s the hashtag: #DayWithoutNews
When was it founded: 1930
Who founded it: BBC (unintentionally)
History of A Day Without News
On April 18, 1930, at 8:45 PM, the BBC made history by announcing there was no news to report. Instead of the regular bulletin, they played piano music for 15 minutes before returning to their scheduled programming of Wagner’s Parsifal opera. Interestingly, there actually was news that day – including nationalist activities in India – but communication difficulties prevented the BBC from receiving these reports.
Timeline
- 1930: BBC makes the famous “no news” announcement
- 1954: BBC loses TV news monopoly in UK
- 1972: BBC loses radio news monopoly
- 2018: First social media celebration of the historic “no news” day
Dates 2025-2030
| Year | Month and Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | April 18 | Friday |
| 2026 | April 18 | Saturday |
| 2027 | April 18 | Sunday |
| 2028 | April 18 | Tuesday |
| 2029 | April 18 | Wednesday |
| 2030 | April 18 | Thursday |
How It’s Observed
People commemorate this day by reflecting on modern media consumption, taking news breaks, and discussing the evolution of journalism. Some participate in “digital detox” activities or organize discussions about media literacy.
Fun Facts About News Broadcasting
- The BBC’s news department in 1930 had only four staff members
- Early BBC announcers wore dinner jackets while broadcasting
- The BBC maintained a monopoly on TV news until 1954
- Announcers were anonymous in the early days of broadcasting
Quiz
- What time was the “no news” announcement made?
- How long did they play piano music?
- What opera was playing that evening?
Answers: 8:45 PM / 15 minutes / Parsifal
FAQs
- Was there really no news that day? No, there were events happening, but communication issues prevented reporting
- Why did they play piano music? It was considered appropriate filler content
- Could this happen today? Unlikely, given the 24/7 news cycle and multiple news sources
Related Days
- World Press Freedom Day
- National Radio Day
- International Day of Democracy
- Media Literacy Week
- World Television Day