The BBC is the world's largest public broadcasting organisation. It was established in 1922 by the General Post Office as the British Broadcasting Company. John Reith, a Scottish Calvinist, was appointed its General Manager in December 1922 a few weeks after the company made its first official broadcast. The company was initially financed by a royalty on the sale of BBC wireless receiving sets from approved manufacturers.
In 1923, the BBC introduced a licence fee of 10 shillings. In 1926, following the Government's acceptance of the recommendation made by the Crawford Committee (1925–26) that the British Broadcasting Company be replaced by a non-commercial, Crown-chartered organisation, it became the British Broadcasting Corporation. The British Broadcasting Corporation came into existence on 1 January 1927, and Reith – newly knighted – was appointed its first Director General.
Experimental television broadcasts were started in 1932, using an electromechanical 30-line system developed by John Logie Baird. Limited regular broadcasts using this system began in 1934, and an expanded service (now named the BBC Television Service) started from Alexandra Palace in 1936, alternating between an improved Baird mechanical 240 line system and the all electronic 405 line Marconi-EMI system. The superiority of the electronic system saw the mechanical system dropped early the following year.
Television broadcasting was suspended from 1 September 1939 to 7 June 1946, during the Second World War. The BBC moved much of its radio operations out of London, initially to Bristol, and then to Bedford.
In the late 1960s the BBC reorganised and renamed their radio channels. On 30 September 1967, the Light Programme was split into Radio 1 offering continuous "Popular" music and Radio 2 more "Easy Listening". The "Third" programme became Radio 3 offering classical music and cultural programming. The Home Service became Radio 4 offering news, and non-musical content such as quiz shows, readings, dramas and plays. As well as the four national channels, a series of local BBC radio stations were established in 1967, including Radio London.
In 1969, the BBC Enterprises department was formed to exploit BBC brands and programmes for commercial spin-off products. In 1979, it became a wholly owned limited company, BBC Enterprises Ltd.
In 1974, the BBC's teletext service, Ceefax, was introduced, created initially to provide subtitling, but developed into a news and information service.
In 1988 the BBC sold off the Hulton Press Library, a photographic archive which had been acquired from the Picture Post magazine by the BBC in 1957. The archive was sold to Brian Deutsch and is now owned by Getty Images. BBC Enterprises was reorganised and relaunched in 1995, as BBC Worldwide Ltd. In 1998, BBC studios, outside broadcasts, post production, design, costumes and wigs were spun off into BBC Resources Ltd.
In 1990 Radio 5 was launched as a sports and educational station, but was replaced in 1994, with Radio 5 Live. In 1997, BBC News 24, a rolling news channel, launched on digital television services and the following year, BBC Choice launched as the third general entertainment channel from the BBC. The BBC also purchased The Parliamentary Channel, which was renamed BBC Parliament. In 1999, BBC Knowledge launched as a multi media channel, with services available on the newly launched BBC Text digital teletext service, and on BBC Online.
In 2002, several television and radio channels were reorganised. BBC Knowledge was replaced by BBC Four and became the BBC's arts and documentaries channel. CBBC, which had been a programming strand as Children's BBC since 1985, was split into CBBC and CBeebies, for younger children, with both new services getting a digital channel: the CBBC Channel and CBeebies Channel. In addition to the television channels, new digital radio stations were created: 1Xtra, 6 Music and BBC7. BBC 1Xtra was a sister station to Radio 1 and specialised in modern black music, BBC 6 Music specialised in alternative music genres and BBC7 specialised in archive, speech and children's programming.
In 2003, BBC Choice was replaced by BBC Three, with programming for younger generations and shocking real life documentaries, BBC News 24 became the BBC News Channel in 2008, and BBC Radio 7 became BBC Radio 4 Extra in 2011, with new programmes to supplement those broadcast on Radio 4. In 2008, another channel was launched, BBC Alba, a Scottish Gaelic service.
Date
26 March 2004
Scope and ContentSigned running order and production details, two signed postcards and an autographed Travis CD "Love Will Come Through" from the last-ever 'Mark and Lard Show' broadcast on BBC Radio 1.
Extent4 items
Physical descriptionThis material is in a good condition. The contents include a digital compact disc. The archive Study Area does not have the facility to allow researchers to listen to music.
LanguageEnglish
Archival historyThis archive was created by employees of the BBC, and donated by the organisation to the museum in 2004.
Mark Radcliffe is a British radio broadcaster, musician and writer, best known for his work with the BBC.
Radcliffe was born in Bolton in 1958. He developed an interest in music at a young age, and played in several bands representing various genres over his lifetime. Radcliffe’s broadcasting career began at Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio, where he hosted a programme playing New Wave and Post-Punk music, as well as avant-garde music.
Radcliffe joined the BBC in 1983, initially at Radio 1. He moved to Radio 5 in 1990, hosting Hit the North on BBC Radio 5, where he met fellow DJ Marc Riley. The following year Radcliffe moved to BBC Radio 1. Riley soon followed, and the pair began a long-standing double act under the name ‘Mark and Lard’ in 1993.
The Mark and Lard show was unusual for Radio 1, as it played non-playlist music as well as featuring poetry readings, comedy and live performances. After stints in various timeslots, the programme became a fixture of the afternoon schedule. During this time it won three Sony Gold Awards for Best Daily Music Show. Mark and Lard broadcast for the final time on 26th March, 2004.
In June 2004, Radcliffe moved to an evening programme on Radio 2, again featuring studio guests and performances. In April 2007, he paired up with Stuart Maconie, creating a successful programme. This show moved to BBC 6 Music in April 2011.
Radcliffe has also worked in television broadcasting and is the author of several books.
Marc Riley is a British broadcaster, musician and popular music critic.
Riley was born in Manchester in 1961 and began playing in bands in his teenage years. After starting out as a roadie for The Fall, he joined the band as a bass player in May 1978. He went on to play guitar and keyboard for the group, before being kicked out in 1982 by Mark E. Smith. Riley then formed Mark Riley and The Creepers (later The Creepers), going on to record seven albums. After The Creepers disbanded in 1987, Riley formed The Lost Soul Crusaders, but the outfit was short-lived.
Riley co-owned the In-Tape record label with Jim Khambatta, and managed the label between 1983 and 1986. In-Tape folded in 1991.
Marc Riley is best known for his partnership with the broadcaster Mark Radcliffe. Together they presented "Hit the North" on BBC Radio 5. Under the name ‘Mark and Lard’ they moved to BBC Radio 1, successfully establishing themselves as a fixture of the station’s afternoon schedule. The show ran until March, 2004.
In the 1990s Riley and Radcliffe also formed a parody band, Shirehorses, with which they recorded two albums.
After 'Mark and Lard' finished, Riley’s next move was to BBC Radio 6 Music, where he presents a show with guests he selects. In February 2015 he also made the leap into the world of streaming, with a made-for BBC iPlayer music show, All Shook Up, again featuring live performances from musicians chosen by Riley. Riley has embraced podcasting, creating series about Punk and New Wave, and David Bowie.
Conditions governing accessOpen access.
Conditions governing ReproductionCopies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions.
Related ArchivesBBC Heritage Collection. radio and television studio equipment, production props, radio and television receivers, branding and merchandising objects.2012-51182ObjectReVox PR99 Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape Player, used at BBC Radio 1 Manchester.Y2004.272Object
