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The BBC: A People's History
In 1922, three men - only one of whom had previously heard of 'broadcasting' - founded the BBC. In doing so, Arthur Burrows, Cecil Lewis, and John Reith set out to accomplish something utterly bold: using what had been a weapon of war - Marconi's wireless - to remake culture for the good of humanity.
In The BBC: A People's History, professor and historian David Hendy traces the BBC from its maverick beginnings through war, the creation of television, changing public taste, austerity and massive cultural change. The BBC has constantly evolved, developing from one radio station, to television, then multiple channels and now the competition with the internet and streaming services.
This is a history of a now global institution that defines Britain and created modern broadcasting; it is also a reflection of 100 years of British history.
In The BBC: A People's History, professor and historian David Hendy traces the BBC from its maverick beginnings through war, the creation of television, changing public taste, austerity and massive cultural change. The BBC has constantly evolved, developing from one radio station, to television, then multiple channels and now the competition with the internet and streaming services.
This is a history of a now global institution that defines Britain and created modern broadcasting; it is also a reflection of 100 years of British history.
657 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2022
62 people are currently reading
2339 people want to read
About the author
David Hendy
8 books25 followersI'm a writer, broadcaster and Emeritus Professor of Media and Cultural History at the University of Sussex, England.
I studied history at St Andrews and Oxford before joining the BBC in 1987 as a trainee reporter, later working as a producer on The World Tonight and Analysis. After leaving the BBC in 1993 I taught at the University of Westminster and the University of Sussex, and held visiting fellowships at Yale, Cambridge, and Indiana-Bloomington.
'The BBC: A Century on Air' (published in the UK as 'The BBC: A People's History) is my latest book. My four previous publications include 'Life on Air: a History of Radio Four' (2007), which won the Longmans-History Today Book of the Year Award and was nominated for the Orwell Prize.
In 2010, I co-wrote with Adrian Bean 'Between Two Worlds', a Drama on 3 for the BBC based on the life of the Victorian scientist and spiritualist Oliver Lodge. Since then, I've appeared regularly on BBC Radio. For Radio 3 I wrote and presented the five-part series of essays, 'Rewiring the Mind', as well as 'The Power of Three', which featured seventy highlights from the Third Programme’s archives. And in 2013 I wrote and presented the thirty-part series 'Noise: A Human History' for Radio 4.
I studied history at St Andrews and Oxford before joining the BBC in 1987 as a trainee reporter, later working as a producer on The World Tonight and Analysis. After leaving the BBC in 1993 I taught at the University of Westminster and the University of Sussex, and held visiting fellowships at Yale, Cambridge, and Indiana-Bloomington.
'The BBC: A Century on Air' (published in the UK as 'The BBC: A People's History) is my latest book. My four previous publications include 'Life on Air: a History of Radio Four' (2007), which won the Longmans-History Today Book of the Year Award and was nominated for the Orwell Prize.
In 2010, I co-wrote with Adrian Bean 'Between Two Worlds', a Drama on 3 for the BBC based on the life of the Victorian scientist and spiritualist Oliver Lodge. Since then, I've appeared regularly on BBC Radio. For Radio 3 I wrote and presented the five-part series of essays, 'Rewiring the Mind', as well as 'The Power of Three', which featured seventy highlights from the Third Programme’s archives. And in 2013 I wrote and presented the thirty-part series 'Noise: A Human History' for Radio 4.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 27, 2022
I received a free publisher's review copy, via Netgalley.
I read a lot of fiction and nonfiction about World War II, particular the war in Europe. In that context, the BBC seems almost like an indispensable weapon of national defense. Used to keep up morale, to send out coded messages to resistance fighters, get accurate news its audience, including clandestine listeners in enemy countries, and just to entertain, the BBC seems omnipresent and as if it had always been there. As Hendy explains at the start, though, the BBC wasn’t even two decades old when WW2 began. But war was a part of its origin, as its impetus was, to a certain extent, a reaction to WW1, a feeling that mass culture and education could heal the wounds of war and knit together the UK’s people.
Hendy’s main focus in this book is institutional; how the BBC has survived its challenges, whether political/governmental, cultural, or technological. The BBC is an independent organization, but funded by mandatory license fees. Conservatives claim it is too left-wing, liberals say it’s too conservative. That’s usually a sign of success, isn’t it? There have been attempts over the years to remove the license fee system, forcing the BBC to sell advertising to finance itself. Those efforts were a particular focus of Margaret Thatcher and her government, and have continued to this day, as the BBC is also dragged into the culture wars. The attacks have largely failed so far, but the right-wingers haven’t given up.
Hendy makes clear arguments in favor of retaining the license fee. He notes the simple fact that when more people pay, all get more for less. Under the license-fee system, for the equivalent of 43 pence per day, all Britons get nine TV channels, 56 radio stations, BBC online, the iPlayer streaming service, BBC Sounds, the BBC World Service and several other services. Those who argue that the license fee should be replaced with a voluntary subscription service, make the same argument as I hear from some locally for why the municipalities shouldn’t provide property-tax-based funding for the local public library and that instead, individuals should buy their own library cards, possibly with some local government subsidy. Hendy makes the same counter as I do: that will inevitably mean you will pay more for less, and those who have money will get better access to the knowledge, information and entertainment that should be recognized as a public good or—as he calls it, a “passport to equality.”
Though I’m an American, I’ve always admired and been interested in the BBC. One aspect of the book that may be striking for Americans is that it dispels any notion that the BBC is equivalent to our NPR/PBS. The BBC is a much larger part of Britons’ lives. Hendy notes that in 2020, it was reported that in a given week, over 91% of British households were using at least one BBC service (TV, radio, online), and nearly half a million people in the rest of the world watching, reading, listening. A few years ago, in response to complaints about the license fee, the BBC offered to refund the fee to those who agreed to be deprived of all BBC services. By the second week, two-thirds of those who accepted the offer changed their minds about the bargain. The BBC is far more integrated into Britons’ everyday lives than public TV, radio and online services are in the US. After 100 years, it is an indispensable part of British life.
It was sometimes hard for me to maintain my interest in the book’s lengthy presentations of institutional and political topics. I think this focus is going to make the book of less interest to general readers, especially non-Britons. Hendy is less focused on the Corporation’s programming, which for me is a disappointment. But there is a large part of this long book devoted to WW2, so that made me happy.
The WW2 chapters are riveting. I didn’t know that much of BBC radio production was secretly moved to a country house in Worcestershire during the war, though the famous “This is London” intro never changed. During the war, the BBC established a couple of dozen foreign-language broadcasts and set up a monitoring station so that their personnel could listen to broadcasts from other European countries and even far further afield, like Japan. The monitoring units expanded to break into communications between German pilots as they flew over Britain. Records were made and important information was forward to government intelligence units as well as the BBC’s news group. Key-word messages were given out in regular broadcasts to signal operations information to resistance groups and agents throughout Europe. The peak was on June 5, 1944, when a very long list of these messages went out, sparking over a thousand acts of railroad sabotage and letting agents know that D-Day was about to start.
Hendy discusses the BBC’s work to provide more programming for Britain’s residents with Indian, Pakistani, and West Indies backgrounds. It didn’t hesitate to the country’s racial issues in its news and other programming. But Hendy also doesn’t stint on coverage of some lowlights relating to the BBC, such as the Jimmy Savile scandal, the broadcasting by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand of an obscene voicemail they left, the 2017 revelation of a serious gender pay gap within the BBC, and the investigation spurred by the revelation that Martin Bashir had obtained his famous Diana, Princess of Wales, interview via trickery.
This is an impressive socio-political history of an institution that I hope will continue for many years to come.
I read a lot of fiction and nonfiction about World War II, particular the war in Europe. In that context, the BBC seems almost like an indispensable weapon of national defense. Used to keep up morale, to send out coded messages to resistance fighters, get accurate news its audience, including clandestine listeners in enemy countries, and just to entertain, the BBC seems omnipresent and as if it had always been there. As Hendy explains at the start, though, the BBC wasn’t even two decades old when WW2 began. But war was a part of its origin, as its impetus was, to a certain extent, a reaction to WW1, a feeling that mass culture and education could heal the wounds of war and knit together the UK’s people.
Hendy’s main focus in this book is institutional; how the BBC has survived its challenges, whether political/governmental, cultural, or technological. The BBC is an independent organization, but funded by mandatory license fees. Conservatives claim it is too left-wing, liberals say it’s too conservative. That’s usually a sign of success, isn’t it? There have been attempts over the years to remove the license fee system, forcing the BBC to sell advertising to finance itself. Those efforts were a particular focus of Margaret Thatcher and her government, and have continued to this day, as the BBC is also dragged into the culture wars. The attacks have largely failed so far, but the right-wingers haven’t given up.
Hendy makes clear arguments in favor of retaining the license fee. He notes the simple fact that when more people pay, all get more for less. Under the license-fee system, for the equivalent of 43 pence per day, all Britons get nine TV channels, 56 radio stations, BBC online, the iPlayer streaming service, BBC Sounds, the BBC World Service and several other services. Those who argue that the license fee should be replaced with a voluntary subscription service, make the same argument as I hear from some locally for why the municipalities shouldn’t provide property-tax-based funding for the local public library and that instead, individuals should buy their own library cards, possibly with some local government subsidy. Hendy makes the same counter as I do: that will inevitably mean you will pay more for less, and those who have money will get better access to the knowledge, information and entertainment that should be recognized as a public good or—as he calls it, a “passport to equality.”
Though I’m an American, I’ve always admired and been interested in the BBC. One aspect of the book that may be striking for Americans is that it dispels any notion that the BBC is equivalent to our NPR/PBS. The BBC is a much larger part of Britons’ lives. Hendy notes that in 2020, it was reported that in a given week, over 91% of British households were using at least one BBC service (TV, radio, online), and nearly half a million people in the rest of the world watching, reading, listening. A few years ago, in response to complaints about the license fee, the BBC offered to refund the fee to those who agreed to be deprived of all BBC services. By the second week, two-thirds of those who accepted the offer changed their minds about the bargain. The BBC is far more integrated into Britons’ everyday lives than public TV, radio and online services are in the US. After 100 years, it is an indispensable part of British life.
It was sometimes hard for me to maintain my interest in the book’s lengthy presentations of institutional and political topics. I think this focus is going to make the book of less interest to general readers, especially non-Britons. Hendy is less focused on the Corporation’s programming, which for me is a disappointment. But there is a large part of this long book devoted to WW2, so that made me happy.
The WW2 chapters are riveting. I didn’t know that much of BBC radio production was secretly moved to a country house in Worcestershire during the war, though the famous “This is London” intro never changed. During the war, the BBC established a couple of dozen foreign-language broadcasts and set up a monitoring station so that their personnel could listen to broadcasts from other European countries and even far further afield, like Japan. The monitoring units expanded to break into communications between German pilots as they flew over Britain. Records were made and important information was forward to government intelligence units as well as the BBC’s news group. Key-word messages were given out in regular broadcasts to signal operations information to resistance groups and agents throughout Europe. The peak was on June 5, 1944, when a very long list of these messages went out, sparking over a thousand acts of railroad sabotage and letting agents know that D-Day was about to start.
Hendy discusses the BBC’s work to provide more programming for Britain’s residents with Indian, Pakistani, and West Indies backgrounds. It didn’t hesitate to the country’s racial issues in its news and other programming. But Hendy also doesn’t stint on coverage of some lowlights relating to the BBC, such as the Jimmy Savile scandal, the broadcasting by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand of an obscene voicemail they left, the 2017 revelation of a serious gender pay gap within the BBC, and the investigation spurred by the revelation that Martin Bashir had obtained his famous Diana, Princess of Wales, interview via trickery.
This is an impressive socio-political history of an institution that I hope will continue for many years to come.
February 19, 2022
The best single volume history of the BBC out there. As is often the case with BBC histories, stronger in dealing with the smaller Corporation of the pre-war and war years than the larger one of more recent decades. There's an exceptionally good (and nuanced) chapter on how the BBC has dealt with immigration and race relations, and it lives up to its promise of delivering 'A People's History', making it a welcome accompaniment to Briggs' more exhaustive history which considers the BBC from a very different perspective. Only two minor complaints - the structure loses a bit of coherence towards the end of the narrative, from the 1990s onwards, and the 1970s are only briefly mentioned. Highly recommended for anybody interested in the history of twentieth century Britain.
May 13, 2022
Until it reaches the end of the 1950s, this was a near-perfect look at the BBC. After that, its structure becomes more thematic than chronological, and while the research remains first rate, there is a disjointed feel to the rest of the book that disappointed me. You'll never be able to pack everything into a history of the BBC, but as this moment what we have here is the definitive examination.
October 21, 2022
A DENSE but reliable book on over 100 years of BBC history — I definitely couldn’t read this all in one sitting, but I’m glad I made it through in chunks. Definitely puts a lot of British media news into perspective.
April 21, 2024
This book was a fascinating look by David Hendy at the BBC's history, and particularly its early years, taking into account the successes and failures of the corporation through the one-hundred years since its formation in 1922. I loved the book up to the end of the 1960s; from that point, I still found it interesting but was less fascinated by the political events than in the earlier years.
The exciting and adventurous early days of the BBC are described in amazing detail: the new technology of radio and the opportunities it presented John Reith and his fellow men and women during the first ten years are explained in a captivating and fascinating way. The role of the BBC during the Second World War is brilliantly explained as well, with the balance between high internal politics and on-the-ground technology and reporting being just right for my tastes. The Second World War actually takes up a significant portion of the book, which I think is necessary just to be able to include the vast number of innovations made by the BBC during that six-year period.
The post-war period, up to and including the countercultural decade of the 1960s, made for fascinating reading as well, with the age of televised satire coming into being in the form of That Was The Week That Was and the rest. Reading about the end of the age of deference felt like reading about the earliest days of the BBC, such was the exciting nature of events, excellently portrayed by the author. However, going into the 1970s and 1980s, I felt the book (by nature of the way events actually played out) got stuck on political matters, and conflict between the BBC and the government: it was presented well and made several good points about BBC impartiality, but I just don't find that period as interesting as that before it.
The advent of the internet was wonderfully described, in a similar way to the 1920s and 1960s. It made for an appreciated break in the political wranglings of that section of the book, which continued through to the end. David Hendy treats the BBC's adoption of the brand-new internet as he did the adoption of television when that was new in the 1930s, and does a wonderful job of conveying yet again another era of optimism at the corporation.
The book ends with what is essentially a call-to-arms to protect the BBC from governments which don't necessarily have its best interests at heart. I wholeheartedly agreed with everything Hendy had to say at this point: the whole book is essentially a love-letter to the BBC and what it represents about Britain and the British public, and so it felt fitting for it to end in this way. The author explicitly argues against the idea that the BBC is superfluous to modern life by presenting a study wherein a group of people were refunded their licence fee payments in exchange for not being able to access any BBC products. Within a matter of days, all participants wanted the BBC back - they hadn't realised how much it did (alongside its TV channels, you've got radio, BBC News and the BBC website, BBC Sounds, BBC Bitesize, BBC Good Food - the lot).
This book should be compulsory reading for any government minister or other individual who somehow thinks that the abolition or defunding of the BBC would be a good idea, in order to persuade them that they are unbelievably misguided in holding such an opinion.
The exciting and adventurous early days of the BBC are described in amazing detail: the new technology of radio and the opportunities it presented John Reith and his fellow men and women during the first ten years are explained in a captivating and fascinating way. The role of the BBC during the Second World War is brilliantly explained as well, with the balance between high internal politics and on-the-ground technology and reporting being just right for my tastes. The Second World War actually takes up a significant portion of the book, which I think is necessary just to be able to include the vast number of innovations made by the BBC during that six-year period.
The post-war period, up to and including the countercultural decade of the 1960s, made for fascinating reading as well, with the age of televised satire coming into being in the form of That Was The Week That Was and the rest. Reading about the end of the age of deference felt like reading about the earliest days of the BBC, such was the exciting nature of events, excellently portrayed by the author. However, going into the 1970s and 1980s, I felt the book (by nature of the way events actually played out) got stuck on political matters, and conflict between the BBC and the government: it was presented well and made several good points about BBC impartiality, but I just don't find that period as interesting as that before it.
The advent of the internet was wonderfully described, in a similar way to the 1920s and 1960s. It made for an appreciated break in the political wranglings of that section of the book, which continued through to the end. David Hendy treats the BBC's adoption of the brand-new internet as he did the adoption of television when that was new in the 1930s, and does a wonderful job of conveying yet again another era of optimism at the corporation.
The book ends with what is essentially a call-to-arms to protect the BBC from governments which don't necessarily have its best interests at heart. I wholeheartedly agreed with everything Hendy had to say at this point: the whole book is essentially a love-letter to the BBC and what it represents about Britain and the British public, and so it felt fitting for it to end in this way. The author explicitly argues against the idea that the BBC is superfluous to modern life by presenting a study wherein a group of people were refunded their licence fee payments in exchange for not being able to access any BBC products. Within a matter of days, all participants wanted the BBC back - they hadn't realised how much it did (alongside its TV channels, you've got radio, BBC News and the BBC website, BBC Sounds, BBC Bitesize, BBC Good Food - the lot).
This book should be compulsory reading for any government minister or other individual who somehow thinks that the abolition or defunding of the BBC would be a good idea, in order to persuade them that they are unbelievably misguided in holding such an opinion.
March 15, 2024
A deep dive into the history of the world’s most important media organisation. The book starts with the BBC’s origins and how it functioned during WW2 which is very interesting and definitely its strongest section.
Once it reaches the 60s and beyond it (at times) follows more of a thematic approach to the story rather than a chronological one. This can be to its detriment or its benefit.
There are some really insightful points raised about the importance of public broadcasting, and it’s thrilling to see how the corporation has managed to defend political attacks and adapt to an ever-changing media landscape.
However, at times the book can be a little dull, but that’s no fault of the writing, just the information presented.
All in all, it’s a solid book that I would definitely recommend to someone who’s interested in discovering the history of the BBC, but if the topic doesn’t interest you and you aren’t keen on big non-fiction history books, I’d give this one a miss.
Once it reaches the 60s and beyond it (at times) follows more of a thematic approach to the story rather than a chronological one. This can be to its detriment or its benefit.
There are some really insightful points raised about the importance of public broadcasting, and it’s thrilling to see how the corporation has managed to defend political attacks and adapt to an ever-changing media landscape.
However, at times the book can be a little dull, but that’s no fault of the writing, just the information presented.
All in all, it’s a solid book that I would definitely recommend to someone who’s interested in discovering the history of the BBC, but if the topic doesn’t interest you and you aren’t keen on big non-fiction history books, I’d give this one a miss.
November 30, 2024
Fascinating to learn about the BBC. It was interesting to realize how different the concept of broadcasting for all is in comparison to the American "create content for ratings" model.
Margaret Thatcher hated it. Boris Johnson hates it. Winston Churchill hated it. The average customer, however, goes back to it constantly because they cover everything, and have been doing so from early days.
This morning, after finishing the book, I read the BBC website with greater appreciation for the variety of subjects it covers, and actually understood better what the deal is with the battle for licensing... My opinion? Save the BBC...way better than all the cookie-cutter content people have become accustomed to from all the streaming services.
Margaret Thatcher hated it. Boris Johnson hates it. Winston Churchill hated it. The average customer, however, goes back to it constantly because they cover everything, and have been doing so from early days.
This morning, after finishing the book, I read the BBC website with greater appreciation for the variety of subjects it covers, and actually understood better what the deal is with the battle for licensing... My opinion? Save the BBC...way better than all the cookie-cutter content people have become accustomed to from all the streaming services.
May 6, 2023
An extensive history is found here of the creation of the BBC in the early 1920's through to the societal changes of the 1960's. However, I found the later parts of the book to skim over the television changes of the 70's and 80's, with programmes like Doctor Who given short mention. The last chapter on the current and future role of the BBC is interesting but I would like have liked to have read more substantive writing like what is seen in the postscript.
Read
December 21, 2022Well worth a read especially for the tensions between independence and cover me t I reference
April 8, 2023
Utterly superb. This well-researched and annotated volume isn’t for the faint hearted but it explores the technological advances that enabled the BBC, the cultural shifts that made it possible and the impact it’s had - but it doesn’t shy away from the negative impacts of Bashir and others. It’s massively well worth a read.
June 2, 2022
[4.5/5] A really fascinating look at the history and
possible future of the British Broadcasting Corporation. As an American, my early exposure to the BBC was in the form of imported programs on Boston’s public broadcaster, like “Are you Being Served?” When I later attended graduate school in the UK, I came to love the modern programs I had seen on delay at home and relied on their catch-up services that became available immediately after airing live (which the US still is largely not offering). My television paradigm is largely the US commercial model, where decisions are taken almost solely based on finances, and money spinners stay on air as long as they are lucrative, despite creative bankruptcy. The idea of a service designed to provide culture and uplift to the nation is a foreign concept, literally, and I find it admirable and inspiring, even if the BBC didn’t and doesn’t always live up to the lofty ideal.
I was intrigued to learn about the early history of television broadcasting in England; the standards they set for investigative journalism and world reporting; the origins of their much-imitated modern program formats like “Strictly Come Dancing,” “X Factor,” and “The Great British Bake-off”; and the rise of David Attenborough and his acclaimed documentarian eye on natural history.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, though the coverage across the decades can be a little uneven, and time jumps are not always well signaled or consistently followed. I also observed that while the approach was clearly intended to be scholarly (obvious given the volume of the book), much of the source material was more anecdotal in nature, which I suppose is not surprising but limits the ability to present a balanced look at the history. On the other hand, the personal stories entirely enliven the book, particularly the early chapters, but I feel it lets itself down in the 1970s and onward.
I’d recommend this for anyone interested in broadcasting or the BBC specifically, but anyone could find it enjoyable.
possible future of the British Broadcasting Corporation. As an American, my early exposure to the BBC was in the form of imported programs on Boston’s public broadcaster, like “Are you Being Served?” When I later attended graduate school in the UK, I came to love the modern programs I had seen on delay at home and relied on their catch-up services that became available immediately after airing live (which the US still is largely not offering). My television paradigm is largely the US commercial model, where decisions are taken almost solely based on finances, and money spinners stay on air as long as they are lucrative, despite creative bankruptcy. The idea of a service designed to provide culture and uplift to the nation is a foreign concept, literally, and I find it admirable and inspiring, even if the BBC didn’t and doesn’t always live up to the lofty ideal.
I was intrigued to learn about the early history of television broadcasting in England; the standards they set for investigative journalism and world reporting; the origins of their much-imitated modern program formats like “Strictly Come Dancing,” “X Factor,” and “The Great British Bake-off”; and the rise of David Attenborough and his acclaimed documentarian eye on natural history.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, though the coverage across the decades can be a little uneven, and time jumps are not always well signaled or consistently followed. I also observed that while the approach was clearly intended to be scholarly (obvious given the volume of the book), much of the source material was more anecdotal in nature, which I suppose is not surprising but limits the ability to present a balanced look at the history. On the other hand, the personal stories entirely enliven the book, particularly the early chapters, but I feel it lets itself down in the 1970s and onward.
I’d recommend this for anyone interested in broadcasting or the BBC specifically, but anyone could find it enjoyable.
March 1, 2022
The BBC is a massive subject to cover and Hendy shifts from intense detail to covering a decade in a page.
I enjoyed it and feel I understand this unique and wonderful organisation better. May the BBC keep going for another 100 years.
I enjoyed it and feel I understand this unique and wonderful organisation better. May the BBC keep going for another 100 years.
March 8, 2022
A superb, thought-provoking book on the development of the BBC. Important reading as the Beeb faces ever-more strident Tory and right-wing attacks.
September 10, 2023
I feel slightly cheated. Despite the Daleks on the cover, Doctor Who barely rates a mention in this massive 571 page history the BBC. But there is lots of fascinating history, of which I found the second on WW2 most interesting. The last chapters were also fascinating, because it was about scandals I remember: the ‘sexed-up’ Iraq dossier; the horrors of the revelations of Jimmy Saville’s abuse; the Diana interview. But it was depressing to find that the BBC has the same issues as the ABC here in Australia.
P. 544 “Over the past decade, academic study after academic study has concluded that by most measures the BBC's news output - the area of programming that most people use to judge its political neutrality - has been, if anything, tilted slightly towards the right. A detailed survey of its coverage of immigration and Europe conducted in 2007 and 2012 showed that, under Labour, government voices had slightly more airtime than the Conservatives, while under the Conservatives, government voices dominated by a much wider margin. Another survey from 2017 showed that 7 per cent of the BBC News channel's late-night review of the front pages featured stories published in Conservative-supporting papers. Most striking of all has been the evidence for a shift over time. A Cardiff University study that looked at references in 30,000 BBC news and current affairs pro-grammes concluded that in 2009, when Labour was in power, there had been a broad balance in references to left- and right-leaning think tanks; by 2015, when a Conservative-led coalition was in power, a clear bias was shown towards those on the right.”
P. 547 “Since the days of Reith, the BBC had generally assumed good faith on the part of those it interviewed and that impartiality therefore required no more than giving equal treatment and equal airtime to opposing views. If the self-policing code of conduct that the historian Peter Hennessy memorably described as the 'good chap' theory of government really was now breaking down as Oborne suggested then a culture change was surely needed inside the Corporation's news departments.”
There is no point in public-service broadcasting trying to appease conservative governments that will never be appeased, nor in it simply reporting the lies of politicians who will misuse a commitment to ‘balance’.
P. 544 “Over the past decade, academic study after academic study has concluded that by most measures the BBC's news output - the area of programming that most people use to judge its political neutrality - has been, if anything, tilted slightly towards the right. A detailed survey of its coverage of immigration and Europe conducted in 2007 and 2012 showed that, under Labour, government voices had slightly more airtime than the Conservatives, while under the Conservatives, government voices dominated by a much wider margin. Another survey from 2017 showed that 7 per cent of the BBC News channel's late-night review of the front pages featured stories published in Conservative-supporting papers. Most striking of all has been the evidence for a shift over time. A Cardiff University study that looked at references in 30,000 BBC news and current affairs pro-grammes concluded that in 2009, when Labour was in power, there had been a broad balance in references to left- and right-leaning think tanks; by 2015, when a Conservative-led coalition was in power, a clear bias was shown towards those on the right.”
P. 547 “Since the days of Reith, the BBC had generally assumed good faith on the part of those it interviewed and that impartiality therefore required no more than giving equal treatment and equal airtime to opposing views. If the self-policing code of conduct that the historian Peter Hennessy memorably described as the 'good chap' theory of government really was now breaking down as Oborne suggested then a culture change was surely needed inside the Corporation's news departments.”
There is no point in public-service broadcasting trying to appease conservative governments that will never be appeased, nor in it simply reporting the lies of politicians who will misuse a commitment to ‘balance’.
July 16, 2023
David Hendy's history of the British Broadcasting Corporation makes a compelling case that the BBC is the premiere, and arguably most capable, media enterprise in the world. While being a media nut predisposes me to enjoy works like this, the work is so richly detailed and comprehensive that it should appeal to readers who have some knowledge of the BBC and wish to learn more about it.
One of my favorite aspects of Hendy's book is the way in which he consistently returns to the theme of the BBC's guiding ethos — its chartered mission to "educate, inform and entertain" Britons. Hendy paints a portrait of John Reith, the BBC's first director-general, who brought a faith-based, paternalistic attitude for what the Corporation ought to strive to fulfill, especially in comparison to commercially minded ventures in the U.S.
Hendy invokes this triad of values again and again throughout the book, and when he does so, it doesn't belabor the point so much as bring a much-needed awareness of the tension the BBC has always been subjected to, that is, striving to be better than mere sordid entertainment, but also making sure not to alienate audiences too much in the process.
In the last several dozen pages, Hendy adds his own voice into the narrative as he argues that no other media institution is equipped to handle issues as extensively or as experimentally as the BBC. The book ends with a monition that the citizens of Britain only have a national broadcaster if they can keep it safe from Conservative governments who decry the Corporation as anti-competitive and irrelevant.
The range of quotes from contemporary print documents, as well as spoken interviews and other primary-source material, is staggering. (The acknowledgements, which are actually worth the read, might be the longest I have ever come across.) The quotations — taken from BBC staff members, radio magazine archives, and even diaries of everyday people who listened to or watched the Corporation's programs — complement Hendy's narrative of events, rather than distracting from them.
The prose is lightweight, though this also means it is lacking in decoration. Even so, this helps make the boatload of facts and figures digestible to readers.
A rather hefty chunk of the book is dedicated to the BBC's efforts in the Second World War, which, in addition to its "regular" war-time broadcasting, also included interception and transcriptions of hundreds of pages of Nazi radio messages daily. While the organization's activity in the 1940s was extensive, this section could perhaps have stood to be in proportion to the more cursory examination of other parts of the 20th century. (The ’60s get only get around 25 pages or so, for instance.)
All in all, a wonderful book. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who likes to know how the sausage is made in the world of broadcasting, media, and news.
One of my favorite aspects of Hendy's book is the way in which he consistently returns to the theme of the BBC's guiding ethos — its chartered mission to "educate, inform and entertain" Britons. Hendy paints a portrait of John Reith, the BBC's first director-general, who brought a faith-based, paternalistic attitude for what the Corporation ought to strive to fulfill, especially in comparison to commercially minded ventures in the U.S.
Hendy invokes this triad of values again and again throughout the book, and when he does so, it doesn't belabor the point so much as bring a much-needed awareness of the tension the BBC has always been subjected to, that is, striving to be better than mere sordid entertainment, but also making sure not to alienate audiences too much in the process.
In the last several dozen pages, Hendy adds his own voice into the narrative as he argues that no other media institution is equipped to handle issues as extensively or as experimentally as the BBC. The book ends with a monition that the citizens of Britain only have a national broadcaster if they can keep it safe from Conservative governments who decry the Corporation as anti-competitive and irrelevant.
The range of quotes from contemporary print documents, as well as spoken interviews and other primary-source material, is staggering. (The acknowledgements, which are actually worth the read, might be the longest I have ever come across.) The quotations — taken from BBC staff members, radio magazine archives, and even diaries of everyday people who listened to or watched the Corporation's programs — complement Hendy's narrative of events, rather than distracting from them.
The prose is lightweight, though this also means it is lacking in decoration. Even so, this helps make the boatload of facts and figures digestible to readers.
A rather hefty chunk of the book is dedicated to the BBC's efforts in the Second World War, which, in addition to its "regular" war-time broadcasting, also included interception and transcriptions of hundreds of pages of Nazi radio messages daily. While the organization's activity in the 1940s was extensive, this section could perhaps have stood to be in proportion to the more cursory examination of other parts of the 20th century. (The ’60s get only get around 25 pages or so, for instance.)
All in all, a wonderful book. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who likes to know how the sausage is made in the world of broadcasting, media, and news.
March 20, 2025
Washing auntie’s laundry: readable, well-informed and with a gently pro stance, David Hendy, who authored Life On Air about Radio 4 is a good historian of the BBC. He captures its contradictions and paradoxes, perhaps best summarised by Clive James: “The Beeb is a great institution, always to be defended against its enemies, which include itself.”
Starting with that group including John Reith who “gazed in wonder at the limitless ether” and felt it could and should be used for the good of society, through a century of change, innovation and strife, to the current era of everything on demand everywhere but at the price of non-stop advertising on everything except the corporation, it is a full if not comprehensive account (even Asa Briggs, doyen of broadcasting history, took four volumes to cover the Beeb’s first 50 years, so 100 in 500 pages is going to take some compacting).
Like a lot of people, I suspect, and certainly of my age, I have a complex relationship with the BBC. I grew up on its diverse mix of high culture (opera, Shakespeare and Arena) and low farce (Nationwide and Esther Rantzen’s veg). I find the licence fee irritating but can’t think of a better solution that would enable the end results currently delivered, and though I rarely watch live TV now, when it’s endless trailers, inescapable coverage of some sporting tournament I’ve no interest in, or rolling news whipping itself up into a lather over something or other, I wonder whether it’s all worth it. Then I remember that it costs me less than most of the streamers and offers so much more - Attenborough, Fleabag, my Ghosts, the Wolf Hall series, the chance to be irritated by Fiona Bruce on Question Time or the latest non-plot in The Archers.
For all the scandals, genuine debate - and phoney outrage - about the licence fee, and constant complaints from politicians of both sorts about bias, it is worth asking the questions: who benefits if the Corporation is dismantled (clue: it’s not Netflix or Disney+), and what would the world, or at least this corner of it, look like without old Auntie? Hendy goes some way to providing some answers.
Starting with that group including John Reith who “gazed in wonder at the limitless ether” and felt it could and should be used for the good of society, through a century of change, innovation and strife, to the current era of everything on demand everywhere but at the price of non-stop advertising on everything except the corporation, it is a full if not comprehensive account (even Asa Briggs, doyen of broadcasting history, took four volumes to cover the Beeb’s first 50 years, so 100 in 500 pages is going to take some compacting).
Like a lot of people, I suspect, and certainly of my age, I have a complex relationship with the BBC. I grew up on its diverse mix of high culture (opera, Shakespeare and Arena) and low farce (Nationwide and Esther Rantzen’s veg). I find the licence fee irritating but can’t think of a better solution that would enable the end results currently delivered, and though I rarely watch live TV now, when it’s endless trailers, inescapable coverage of some sporting tournament I’ve no interest in, or rolling news whipping itself up into a lather over something or other, I wonder whether it’s all worth it. Then I remember that it costs me less than most of the streamers and offers so much more - Attenborough, Fleabag, my Ghosts, the Wolf Hall series, the chance to be irritated by Fiona Bruce on Question Time or the latest non-plot in The Archers.
For all the scandals, genuine debate - and phoney outrage - about the licence fee, and constant complaints from politicians of both sorts about bias, it is worth asking the questions: who benefits if the Corporation is dismantled (clue: it’s not Netflix or Disney+), and what would the world, or at least this corner of it, look like without old Auntie? Hendy goes some way to providing some answers.
April 7, 2022
There weren’t many people tuned in on November 14, 1922, for the first broadcast of the BBC. The announcer began, “This is the British Broadcasting Company. 2LO. Stand by for one minute, please!” He then read the news and weather twice. The second time he read the information slowly so people could take notes. A lot has changed during the BBC’s first one hundred years, and it is chronicled in David Hendy’s fascinating book “The BBC: A Century on Air.”
As someone who has studied American broadcasting, it was interesting to read about the evolution of broadcasting in the UK. From its early days of plays, concerts, and lectures when announcers wore dinner jackets to the present day when the BBC competes on various platforms.
A Royal Charter created the BBC, and contrary to what many think, the Government has never run it, yet it must answer to the Government. We learn that Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher were critics even while the staff attempted to define its editorial independence. As a senior news editor said during World War II, it had an obligation to tell “the truth and nothing but the truth, even if the truth is horrible.”
Wartime broadcasts took place from a safer location than London despite the announcers beginning their broadcasts with, “This is London.”
The book chronicles the BBC’s efforts to appeal to different demographics, face increased competition, and the advent of television. We learn how the BBC responded to the pirate ration stations that popped up in international waters off the United Kingdom and various scandals throughout the years.
This comprehensive volume ends with the author speculating how future challenges might impact the BBC. The book ponders whether subscriptions could replace the current license model. Hendy notes, “The logical conclusion is that the bigger the scale and reach of the BV, the better. But the air of the corporation's critics remains resolute to make it smaller – and they hope, a lot smaller.”
As someone who has studied American broadcasting, it was interesting to read about the evolution of broadcasting in the UK. From its early days of plays, concerts, and lectures when announcers wore dinner jackets to the present day when the BBC competes on various platforms.
A Royal Charter created the BBC, and contrary to what many think, the Government has never run it, yet it must answer to the Government. We learn that Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher were critics even while the staff attempted to define its editorial independence. As a senior news editor said during World War II, it had an obligation to tell “the truth and nothing but the truth, even if the truth is horrible.”
Wartime broadcasts took place from a safer location than London despite the announcers beginning their broadcasts with, “This is London.”
The book chronicles the BBC’s efforts to appeal to different demographics, face increased competition, and the advent of television. We learn how the BBC responded to the pirate ration stations that popped up in international waters off the United Kingdom and various scandals throughout the years.
This comprehensive volume ends with the author speculating how future challenges might impact the BBC. The book ponders whether subscriptions could replace the current license model. Hendy notes, “The logical conclusion is that the bigger the scale and reach of the BV, the better. But the air of the corporation's critics remains resolute to make it smaller – and they hope, a lot smaller.”
August 6, 2022
If Mr. Hendy wrote the history of Chevrolet he wouldn't mention the Corvette. If he wrote the history of Hollywood he wouldn't mention John Wayne, Marlon Brando, or Humphry Bogart. This is a ponderous academic history of prime ministers, managing directors, critics, racism, sexism, and the BCC ignoring progressive politics. All of these topics allow the author to complain for tens of thousands of words on end.
Occasionally he actually covers subjects like the birth of radio, television or the BBC's coverage of World War Two. On these occasions, the book becomes interesting until the author spontaneously begins to complain for thousands of words interrupting an otherwise fascinating story.
If you excised one percent of the book you wouldn't know that the BBC ever made entertainment programs and would assume that they were a news-gathering organization that quarreled with the government and didn't offer enough diversity. That picture on the front cover from Doctor Who is slightly misleading as the book spends one paragraph on the multi-decade show. At 200 years maybe it will get two paragraphs?
I wish someone would interview Mr. Hendy and ask him to name any actor who ever played Doctor Who, who the star of Fawlty Towers was, or what show Del-boy was from. Pounds to poundcake he couldn't answer any of those questions. No one relying on this con job of a book about the history of the BBC could answer those questions nor explain anything about producers, directors, cameramen, set designers, or any of the other talented humans who actually are the BBC. None of these people exist in the world of The BBC: A Century on Air.
Occasionally he actually covers subjects like the birth of radio, television or the BBC's coverage of World War Two. On these occasions, the book becomes interesting until the author spontaneously begins to complain for thousands of words interrupting an otherwise fascinating story.
If you excised one percent of the book you wouldn't know that the BBC ever made entertainment programs and would assume that they were a news-gathering organization that quarreled with the government and didn't offer enough diversity. That picture on the front cover from Doctor Who is slightly misleading as the book spends one paragraph on the multi-decade show. At 200 years maybe it will get two paragraphs?
I wish someone would interview Mr. Hendy and ask him to name any actor who ever played Doctor Who, who the star of Fawlty Towers was, or what show Del-boy was from. Pounds to poundcake he couldn't answer any of those questions. No one relying on this con job of a book about the history of the BBC could answer those questions nor explain anything about producers, directors, cameramen, set designers, or any of the other talented humans who actually are the BBC. None of these people exist in the world of The BBC: A Century on Air.
June 5, 2022
Almost certainly the finest single volume history of the BBC. Handy guides us through a broadly based history of politics, personalities and programmes without over stressing a periodisation which we might be tempted to add with the benefit of hindsight but which will not have been apparent as one decade slipped into the next. At the core of this very readable and accessible text are the essential essence and purpose of the BBC which, Hendy demonstrates, have been consistent through all the radical changes to the broadcasting landscape over the century. While my one critique would be the weighting of the first half century at the expense of the second - a multivolume history would have been entirely justified given the volume of material and the author’s dexterity in presenting it - the value of the single volume is in the stout arguments which Hendy can present for the BBC at this moment of grave threat to its existence by drawing on the century’s history to date. I have never read such a cogent explanation of the value of the holistic nature of the BBC and the perils of shutting down or selling off individual pieces of it. Timely and important, especially as the BBC’s would-be destroyers circle with the intention of demolishing perhaps Britain’s finest ever creation.
August 6, 2022
An interesting centenary study of the BBC. From first beginnings to the war years to the present day. Inevitably there isn’t much homing in on specific programmes or trends but there is interesting material on the journey away from patriarchy to a more socially reflective approach as well as race relations, as well as development of drama .
Here are the failures too, such as Sachsgate. The scandals of David Kelly and jimmy Saville and been disproportionately dished on the BBCs head even though organisations and governments were just as culpable .
The book ends with a sombre look at the future as the Tory party from Hatcher onwards declares open war. For thatcher the BBC was an easy internal foe. For Johnson it was ideology. As internet broadcasting expanded the BBC was he,d back by the government to allow the likes of Netflix to stream ahead . In a expanding landscape everyone’s slice of the audience is less and funding modems might need reviewing - but fairly, not maliciously . I’m a defender of the BBC, and I am enjoying the treasures of its centenary.
Here are the failures too, such as Sachsgate. The scandals of David Kelly and jimmy Saville and been disproportionately dished on the BBCs head even though organisations and governments were just as culpable .
The book ends with a sombre look at the future as the Tory party from Hatcher onwards declares open war. For thatcher the BBC was an easy internal foe. For Johnson it was ideology. As internet broadcasting expanded the BBC was he,d back by the government to allow the likes of Netflix to stream ahead . In a expanding landscape everyone’s slice of the audience is less and funding modems might need reviewing - but fairly, not maliciously . I’m a defender of the BBC, and I am enjoying the treasures of its centenary.
April 28, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this history of the BBC. Begun in 1922 after WWI, the BBC has become one of the most prominent and respected broadcasters in the world for its news and particularly coverage of events like the Coronation of Elizabeth II, dramatic programs from Dr. Who to Jane Austen to Shakespeare, to its musical offerings. The book provides not just a history of the BBC but a history of modern Britain. I particularly enjoyed the stories of the BBC’s early years, when literary luminaries like Virginia Wolff and George Bernard Shaw read their work on the air. Also fascinating was the discussion of the BBC and its role in WWII ( and how it worked with the government to determine that role) and its post- war posture particularly in the wake of commercial competition from ITV as well as its attempts to cover sports, music, and drama that appealed to a broad range of Britons. The story of the BBC and its employee’s survival during the Blitz is riveting. I did have to look up some items that the author assumed knowledge of (what is Radio 4 exactly) but that just added to the experience. It was a great read and I enjoyed it immensely.
January 7, 2023
A dense, detailed and often fascinating history of a unique institution. More than half the book concentrates on the BBCs founding and the war years, so at times the latter half can feel rushed but it’s great reading nonetheless. The author is firmly on the side of the BBC, though not blind to its faults, he recognises it’s singularity and it’s breadth, and how despite many attempts to destroy it it still survives, meaning that this book reads with a celebratory, optimistic, but often frustrated tone. Particularly maddening is the extent to which government interference, backed up by, and sometime directly at the behest of other commercial and media interests (often guilty of far worse misdemeanours but without anywhere near the same level of scrutiny and culpability) has systematically attempted to weaken the corporation to the point it can no longer provide the services it can. As the book concludes, you won’t know what you’ve had till it’s gone.
October 19, 2022
A fascinating history of the great British institution and national broadcaster on its centenary.
The difficult balancing acts of being popular and challenging, of holding the government to account but also keeping it onside (for funding purposes), and of making programmes that appeal to all sections of an ever-changing diverse society have been constants throughout its history.
My only gripe is that - somewhat appropriately - the war years went on for too long. The post-war period meanwhile seemed to be covered in the blink of an eye.
This book reminds us of why - although it might at times be imperfect and frustrating - we must defend the BBC from those who wish to destroy or dilute it. Sometimes you don't appreciate what you've got until it's gone, and then it's too late.
The difficult balancing acts of being popular and challenging, of holding the government to account but also keeping it onside (for funding purposes), and of making programmes that appeal to all sections of an ever-changing diverse society have been constants throughout its history.
My only gripe is that - somewhat appropriately - the war years went on for too long. The post-war period meanwhile seemed to be covered in the blink of an eye.
This book reminds us of why - although it might at times be imperfect and frustrating - we must defend the BBC from those who wish to destroy or dilute it. Sometimes you don't appreciate what you've got until it's gone, and then it's too late.
February 24, 2023
An excellent book, looking at the people who made the BBC from its humble beginnings to the present day.
In 1922, a tiny group came together to found what is now one of the beloved British institutions. In doing so, they brought us such classics such as Morecambe and Wise, Monty Python, Desert Island Discs, and the Archers, amongst many other classic programmes and shows. It is at the forefront of British entertainment and has covered some of the top news stories on programmes such as Panorama and its own dedicated news channel. Its evolution from just one radio station to a multi channel television service - dealing with austerity, cultural change on a massive scale - and now competition from streaming services has made the BBC just as much a national treasure as the NHS.
In 1922, a tiny group came together to found what is now one of the beloved British institutions. In doing so, they brought us such classics such as Morecambe and Wise, Monty Python, Desert Island Discs, and the Archers, amongst many other classic programmes and shows. It is at the forefront of British entertainment and has covered some of the top news stories on programmes such as Panorama and its own dedicated news channel. Its evolution from just one radio station to a multi channel television service - dealing with austerity, cultural change on a massive scale - and now competition from streaming services has made the BBC just as much a national treasure as the NHS.
August 14, 2023
The most fascinating part of this book, is the early ramshackle years of the twenties and thirties when TV was still very much in its infancy and radio ruled. It was interesting to note that political interference is not a modern phenomenon with Churchill in particular coming across as a tyrant who thought the BBC should always bend to his will. It’s a balanced account which deals with missed opportunities as well as castigating the blinkered modern press & social media intolerance.
October 3, 2023
A century of BBC requires a big read, and this is quite a long, and at times, long winded book to read. But it gives you quite an in depth look at the history of the BBC, from the very early days of radio, the brief foray into television before WWII, quite an in depth look at the WWII years before moving at a more brisk pace through the remaining years of the BBC. It’s a marathon to read, but there’s a sense of accomplishment finishing the book.
June 10, 2025
This was a terrific read. Hendy is an excellent storyteller, and takes the reader through the BBC’s ups and downs in the past hundred years. The chapters on early experimentations with radio and television were particularly captivating. The only thing I felt was missing was some consideration of celebrity—the rise of TV celebrities from the 1950s especially. Ultimately, Hendy seems fond of the BBC and hopeful that it can be protected and nurtured towards a better future.
August 25, 2023
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I loved this one. I have a family member that spent their career with the BBC. I think any media fan will enjoy this. It is very well written and often hard to put down. I have spent many nights enjoying the BBC products so to speak so this was like old home week for me but I feel this could have a wide audience. Highly recommended, very readable.
October 16, 2023
A really interesting read especially considering everything that is happening in the world right now. Déjà vu, swings and roundabouts as well as rollercoasters. It's all here in the 100+ year history of the BBC. All good things must come to an end. Is it really heading that way? Either that or return to basics. Never Give Up. Protect the people. All the people.
June 19, 2023
It was good but way too long. There was too much on the 20s-60s and very very very little on the 70s onwards. It felt like there was 400 pages for the first 50 years but then only 100 for the second 50 years.
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