Key Facts

1922

18 October: British Broadcasting Company formed
1 November: Broadcasting Licence Fee of 10 shillings (£0.50) introduced
14 November: First daily transmission from 2LO (London)
15 November: Birmingham (5IT) and Manchester (2ZY) stations brought into service
14 December: John Reith made General Manager of the BBC

1923

8 January: First outside broadcast
26 March: First daily weather forecast
28 September: Radio Times first published
8 November: First broadcast in Welsh from Cardiff
2 December: First broadcast in Gaelic from Aberdeen

1924

5 February: First Greenwich Time Signal
17 February: First Big Ben daily time signal
23 April: First broadcast by King George V

1927

1 January: British Broadcasting Corporation established by Royal Charter

1929

20 August: First BBC transmission of 30-line experimental television using Baird's studio

1932

15 March: First broadcast from Broadcasting House
19 December: Short-wave Empire Service from Daventry inaugurated

1934

29 November: First broadcast of a Royal wedding, with world coverage (Duke of Kent and Princess Marina)

1936

2 November: Official inauguration of world's first regular high-definition television service from Alexandra Palace
9 December: First televised cookery demonstration

1937

12 May: Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (radio and television). First use of television outside broadcast van

1938

3 January: First BBC foreign-language service (Arabic)
30 June: John Reith resigned

1939

1 September: TV Service closed down. Home Service replaced National and Regional radio programmes

1940

7 January: Forces Programme began
15 October: Bomb exploded in Broadcasting House during nine o'clock news, seven deaths

1941

17 March: European Service moved to Bush House

1942

29 January: Desert Island Discs first broadcast

1943

13 June: Empire Service became Overseas Service

1945

29 July: Regional broadcasts renewed and Light Programme began