Lord (John) Reith

A bit like online, broadcasting started as a ‘techy thing’: radio manufacturers testing their transmissions. One , two, three, testing. Although a few engineers had actually also been rather good on-air, notably Peter Eckersley, they realised that some decent programmes were needed to fuel radio-set sales. Content was king even back then.

Accordingly, on 18th October, 1922, a group of six British and American companies formed what was then the British Broadcasting Company Ltd, based at the GEC buildings in London. It comprised Marconi, Metropolitan-Vickers, Radio Communication Company, British Thomson-Houston, General Electric and Western Electric. The Company boasted a merry band of four staff at the outset, financed by a licence fee of 10 shillings payable to the Post Office; and also benefited from royalties from the sale of radios. It’s often overlooked, that the BBC’s roots were indeed as a commercial company. Although there were no jolly double-glazing ads, there were programmes sponsored by newspapers.

After the earlier experimental broadcasts, 2LO began broadcasting officially from Marconi House to London, followed by 5IT in Birmingham and Manchester’s 2ZY. Programmes were on-air for just one hour a day with a break every seven minutes, just to check nothing was awry. Probably sounded a little bit like some stations’ automation does now.

John Reith was the first General Manager, aged 33, having replied to a newspaper ad; and possessing no relevant experience. In the interest of openness, I should add he reaped a salary of £1,750. Mind you, how did one get experience exactly when radio was so new?

After four years, the company was dissolved and its duties transferred to what became the Corporation. Reith became its Director General, remembered for his insight and for his values and vision; and for being the first. His relationship with Government though was far from smooth; and he even turned his nose up at the prospect of his Knighthood.

Here, he speaks with prescience on broadcasting’s ‘incalculable importance’.