BBC celebrating 100 years
BBC’s first programme a hundred years ago was a short news bulletin about a robbery, a Shakespeare folio and fog. The British Broadcasting Company was officially launched on October 18, 1922. It was set up by the UK’s major radio manufacturing companies to promote the sale of radio sets. The broadcaster soon got the nick name Auntie,
The first short news bulletin was read twice – once at normal speed, once twice as slowly – and listeners were asked to say which speed they preferred.
It took until 1933 for the BBC to introduce its first woman radio announcer, Sheila Borrett. Sadly the broadcaster’s first woman was heard only during three months because of complaints from listeners with many of them being women, the BBC says in bullet points describing the company’s history.
“Platforming women’s voices from 1946, Woman’s Hour surfaced many key issues over the decades, though bizarrely its first presenter was a man, Alan Ivimey – though he was soon swapped for the more appropriate Mary Hill.”
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was a fan of 1980s satire Yes Minister. She actually appeared in one episode as herself, demanding the abolition of economists – and quickly. Today’s UK PM Liz Truss could probably agree with the demand having heard economists’ comments to her government’s trashed mini budget.
All You Need is Love sang The Beatles, commissioned by the BBC, on the world’s first ever live satellite international TV link up, in 1967.
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