By Samantha Jones-
The British Broadcasting Corp. marked 100 years of broadcasting on Tuesday, a century after a group of wireless manufacturers founded the company and began filling the airwaves with its first daily radio service.
The BBC was founded on Oct. 18, 1922, in London and daily broadcasting began a month later. The broadcaster is marking its centenary with a series of special programs, including a guest appearance from King Charles III on “The Repair Shop,” a program featuring expert craftspeople restoring antiques
The BBC has had many milestones in its history. In 1932, King George V was the first British monarch to broadcast on radio, and his voice was heard for the first time by millions simultaneously. The broadcast inaugurated the start of the BBC Empire Service, the forerunner to the BBC World Service.
The broadcaster launched the world’s first regularly scheduled TV service in 1936.
Among the special commissions there will be royal appearances, reflective poetry and the last scenes of the current Doctor Who Time Lor
Strictly Come Dancing will also mark the occasion this Saturday with routines to classic BBC theme songs and references to popular shows.
While this Sunday, Jodie Whittaker will make her last appearance as the Time Lord on Doctor Who in a feature-length special before Ncuti Gatwa takes over the role.
Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and Scottish-Caribbean poet Courtney Stoddart have also been commissioned to write poems reflecting on the BBC’s relationship with the nation and 100 years of poetry broadcasting.
Across 2022, the broadcaster has aired a host of new dramas and comedies for the anniversary year with BBC Three also returning as a broadcast channel.
A new 50p coin commemorating the occasion has also been created by the Royal Mint featuring an image of the late Queen as they were produced before her death in September.A new 50p coin commemorating the occasion has als
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Sir John Reith was also appointed as the first general manager of the company in 1922 and later became the first director-general of the new British Broadcasting Corporation after it was established by the Royal Charter in 1927
On January 22 1927, the broadcaster aired a football match live on the radio for the first time with Henry Blythe Thornhill Wakelam commentating the Division One game between Arsenal and Sheffield United at Highbury, which ended 1-1.
Sheila Borrett became the first female radio announcer on the BBC’s national service in July 1933, but she was removed three months later due to thousands of complaints from listeners who were uncomfortable with her role.
Annie Nightingale later became the first female presenter on BBC Radio 1 in 1970 and is the station’s longest-serving host.
The BBC’s coverage of the Queen’s coronation in 1953 also marked a milestone for broadcasting history, being the first service to be televised and for most people it was the first time they had watched an event on television.
The broadcaster has generally been the most prominent of all its competitors for many decades, but has faced controversies, notably the 1995 Panorama interview between Diana, Princess of Wales, and journalist Martin Bashir.
The BBC has previously issued an apology for the circumstances in which the interview was obtained and the £1.42 million of proceeds derived from sales of the coverage were donated to seven charities.
The broadcaster has had its serious lows, coming under fire for its connection to disgraced entertainers including Jimmy Saville and Rolf Harris.
The gender pay gap also rocked the corporation , after its annual report for 2021/22 showed that the median gap increased from 5.2% to 5.9%.
The broadcaster now faces competition from the rise of streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon.
Reflecting on the milestone, BBC chairman Richard Sharp said: “The BBC is one hundred today – it’s a time to celebrate, but also to embrace the future.
“I believe its best days are ahead. We have always innovated, changed and adapted. Our path has always been guided by the needs of audiences. We are just as mindful of that today as we have always been. By continuing to put the public first, we will continue to inform, educate and entertain for another century.”
BBC director-general Tim Davie added: “With the BBC reaching the milestone of 100 years, our mission to inform, educate, and entertain, has never been more relevant or needed.
“For a century, the BBC has been a beacon of trusted news and programming across the world, as well as being part of the fabric of the UK and one of its key institutions.
“It has been a story of a devotion to public service and constant reinvention – which those in the BBC today remain utterly committed to. We exist to serve the public – doing that will guide the next 100 years.”