BBC Launches: A New Voice for Britain
The British Broadcasting Company was formed on October 18, 1922, by a consortium of wireless manufacturers who wanted to stimulate demand for radio receivers by providing something worth listening to. The first regular broadcast came from 2LO in London on November 14. John Reith, a Scottish engineer with no broadcasting experience, was hired as general manager. His vision transformed the BBC from a sales gimmick into a national institution. Reith believed radio should educate, inform, and entertain, in that order. The company became a public corporation in 1927 under a Royal Charter, funded by license fees rather than advertising. That model gave the BBC editorial independence from both government and commercial pressure, establishing a template for public broadcasting that dozens of countries eventually adopted.
October 18, 1922
104 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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