BBC began its daily radio broadcasts from the 2LO transmitter at Marconi House on November 14th, 1922. The British Broadcasting Company Ltd (BBC) was a British commercial company formed on 18 October 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.
Its original office was located on the second floor of Magnet House, the GEC buildings in London and consisted of a room and a small antechamber. The organisation was created by a group of wireless radio manufacturers, including the father of radio – Guglielmo Marconi.
Daily broadcasting by the BBC began in Marconi’s London studio, 2LO, in the Strand, on November 14, 1922. The first words we heard were “This is 2LO Calling” – Not exactly a top 10 hit, but iconic all the same. The first news bulletin is read by Arthur Burrows, the company's founding Director of Programmes. On 14 December 1922, John Reith was hired to become the Managing Director of the company at that address. The company later moved its offices to 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 31 December 1926, the company was dissolved, and its assets were transferred to the non-commercial and Crown Chartered British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Initially, the BBC focused on showcasing local talent – and people appreciated the programmes. However, in the early 1930s, the airwaves grew more competitive, and the BBC decided to abandon local radio in favour of regional and national services. The British Empire service also emerged in 1932, allowing the BBC to broadcast overseas.
The BBC isn’t just the oldest broadcasting station in the world; it’s also the largest according to number of employees. Overall, the BBC is home to 20,950 members of staff, and that only includes full-time workers.
The British Broadcasting Corporation is one of the most iconic facets of British culture. Over the years, this organisation has brought the country endless hours of entertainment, news broadcasts and information. BBC Radio still owns the airwaves today, decades after its original conception. —History