British Broadcasting Company (1922-1926)

The British Broadcasting Company Ltd (BBC) was a British commercial company formed on October 18, 1922 by British and American electrical companies doing business in the United Kingdom (and anxious to build sales of their products by ensuring that there were radio broadcasts to which their radio-buying customers could listen) and licensed by the British General Post Office.

On November 1, 1922, the ten shilling broadcasting licence was introduced.

From November 14, 1922, the BBC began radio broadcasting from stations based in various towns and cities, starting with 2LO, from Marconi House in London.

On December 14, 1922, John Reith was hired to become the Managing Director of the company. The company was based at the premises of the Marconi Company. The BBC as a commercial broadcasting company did not sell air time but it did carry a number of sponsored programmes paid for by British newspapers.

On January 18, 1923, the Postmaster-General grants the BBC a licence to broadcast. The Radio Times was first published on September 28, 1923. The first experimental broadcast to America was made on November 26, 1923 and, on December 30, 1923 the first continental programme was relayed by landline.

Scottish inventor John Logie Baird succeeded in transmitting television pictures on January 17, 1926.

On December 31, 1926, the company was dissolved and its assets were transferred to the non-commercial and Crown Chartered British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

Find out more at Wikipedia* and the History of the BBC (1920s)*

*20th Century Entertainment are not responsible for this website