October 18, 1922, marked the emergence of a new kind of institution in Britain. It became one that would revolutionize communication, culture, and public trust. Today in history marks the founding of the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), a collaboration between leading wireless manufacturers, including Marconi. At the time, few could have predicted just how powerful and far-reaching this new broadcaster would become.

But the world was listening.

From Sparks to Soundwaves

The early 1920s were a time of experimentation in radio technology. Britain had closed down many amateur stations after World War I, and companies were eager to create a national broadcasting service that could inform, educate, and entertain.

With support from manufacturers and government oversight, the BBC was established as a private company, not yet the public institution we know today. Its goal: to consolidate radio broadcasting in the UK and provide structured programming to a growing audience of radio enthusiasts.

The BBC’s first official broadcast took place on November 14, 1922, from the London station 2LO, based in the Strand. The broadcasts, just a few hours each day, featured music, news (carefully filtered through government guidelines), and spoken-word “talks.” It was modest, but it was a start.

The Reith Revolution

At the end of 1922, the BBC appointed John Reith, a 33-year-old Scottish engineer, as its first general manager. Reith famously admitted, “I hadn’t the remotest idea as to what broadcasting was.” Yet, under his leadership, the BBC underwent rapid evolution.

Reith believed broadcasting should serve a higher purpose. His vision gave the BBC its enduring motto: “Inform, educate, entertain.” He emphasized moral integrity, public service, and independence from commercial interests, a philosophy that continues to guide the BBC today.

Building a National Institution

• In January 1927, the BBC transitioned from a private company to a public corporation under Royal Charter, officially becoming the British Broadcasting Corporation. Reith became its first Director-General.
• In 1924, the famous six “pips” of the Greenwich Time Signal were first broadcast on the air, an innovation that linked precision with public trust.
• By 1929, John Logie Baird was using BBC frequencies to test early television broadcasts.

What began as a small group of engineers and dreamers quickly became a global model for public broadcasting. The BBC became the voice of Britain through war, peace, and political change.