Short History Of BBC

British Broadcasting Company was founded in 1922, when the government transferred Britain's six largest radio manufacturers to form the new outfit. 

It had a staff of four, and was funded by a postal license fee of $ 10, payable by everyone who owns a beneficiary and supplemented by royalties on radio sales. 

The first broadcast came from London on 14 November, and "listening-in" quickly became a popular pastime.

John Reith, the BBC's first Director General.

John Reith became general manager a month later, after the baptism of fire, covering the 1926 general strike - the company was dissolved and the British Broadcasting Corporation is founded by Royal Charter.

Radio listening watch is spreading dramatically in the 1930s, people gather together to listen to the national and sporting events, while the BBC was also a great patron of the arts, commissioning music and drama.

It also took up home at Broadcasting House in London in 1932, the same year as the Empire Service - a precursor to World Service, began broadcasting.

TV comes:

BBC Television Service arrived on 2 November 1936 - but was suspended at the outbreak of war in 1939.

Wartime brought enormous challenges for the corporation - that would deal with the government's Ministry of Information, while finding himself a target for German bombs. 

Newsreader Bruce Belfrage was in the air when 500 pounds of explosives hit Broadcasting House in October 1940. He paused when he heard the bomb go off during his nine o'clock bulletin - but continued as usual as he was not allowed to respond to air because of security reasons. Seven people were killed.

Broadcasting House after the 1940 bombing.

Entertainment and drama at Home Service kept up morale - especially, it is again I wonder, featuring comedian Tommy Handley. Meanwhile, the Empire Service - settling into new headquarters at Bush House - broadcast to occupied Europe.

Peacetime as the resumption of TV service and a reorganization of the radio - which now boasted of Home Service, Light program and from 1946, highlighted the third program of music, drama and art.

Empire Service continued as external service is now receiving grants-in-aid "from the government, a situation which continues today with the World Service.

Coronation Boost:

Television made steady progress from his base at Alexandra Palace, north London - the radio for 30 hours each week in 1950 and 50 in 1955. Families rushed to buy sets to see the Queen's coronation in 1953.

But in 1955 as competition from ITV - BBC Radio answers launch night by killing Grace Archer in the five-year-old radio drama archers.

Competition proved difficult - as many BBC staff left to join the new ITV companies - but confidence grew with the start of many programs that are still familiar today: grandstand, the sky at night, and it is your life.

BBC Two hopped along in 1964.

The opening of the Television Center in Shepherd's Bush, west London came in 1960 hosted the groundbreaking satire That Was the Week That Was two years later. 

After careful planning, BBC Two was launched in 1964 - but a blackout interrupted transmissions on the first night.

Popular TV dramas as Cathy Come Home and Up the Junction captured the nation's attention, while the playwrights Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard were getting their breaks on the radio.

The success of pirate pop stations prompted the launch of Radio 1 in 1967, and the re-organization of light, and third internal network Radio 2, 3 and 4, the same year as color TV comes to BBC Two.

More competition:

1970 as the Open University programs come to the BBC, and at the end of the Post Office with television hours. Teletext came in 1974 with early Ceefax transmissions - subtitling for deaf people - coming five years later.

The Decade was also strong for the BBC programs, with Fawlty Towers, The Generation Game, and the Antiques Roadshow, Question Time, Top Gear and Not the Nine O'Clock News.

More competition came in the form of commercial radio in 1973, followed by Channel 4 television in 1982.

1982: Brian Hanrahan of the Falkland Islands

Falklands War as a reporter Brian Hanrahan telling the audience: "I counted them all out and I counted them all again," as he saw Harrier jump jets return to their aircraft carrier after a raid.

But Margaret Thatcher's government complained the BBC's reports were biased against the Argentine perspective.

1984 miners' strike with similar complaints of bias - this time from the left. Further clashes with politicians took place in the 1980s.

Michael Buerk reports from Ethiopia inspired Band Aid and Live Aid fund-raising activities, while the East Enders was the BBC's answer to Coronation Street.

In the 1990s there was another change, as new Director General John Birt reorganized much of the BBC's internal workings, amid great controversy. 

Expansion:

BBC expanded with new channels - World Service Radio will be complemented by a BBC World Service TV and satellite channel UK Gold helped it exploit its valuable archives.

East Enders hit screens in 1985

A new Radio 5 was launched in 1990, news and sports network Radio 5 Live in 1994. 

Late 1990s, the BBC came to invest in new Internet services - such as BBC News Online - and prepare for the launch of digital television by introducing new channels. 

Now, under Greg Dyke, launched the new children's' television services CBeebies and CBBC, a cultural network, BBC Four, as well as a collection of digital radio services. 

Yes, Mr Dyke's appointment was confirmed by BBC chairman Sir Christopher Bland in a BBC Online chat forum - just shows how much the BBC now considers its role to be.