Today is the Prince of Wales’s birthday but that seems to fade into insignificance when one notes that November 14, 1922 was the day of the first broadcast by the newly formed British Broadcasting Company from station 2LO, located at Marconi House, London.
Of course the real problems came in 1927 when the British Broadcasting Corporation was formed under Lord Reith, a Royal Charter was granted and the possibilities of independent broadcasting were scotched for many years to come.
Indeed, that Royal Charter and the licence (in effect a poll tax) are still with us and still distorting broadcasting in this country, despite the various technological developments since 1922.
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I don't subscribe to this blanket criticism of the BBC. The BBC's news bias is pretty bad, but overall we get amazing quality programming for the price of a TV license - documentaries and dramas that simply wouldn't be commissioned by an independent TV station. Look at the state of ITV/ the crap that's on sky/ US TV and you get the point.
A good deal of US TV is much better than the oh-so-cultural BBC. But the fact remains that there is no particular reason why people who do not watch it should pay taxes for you to enjoy your superior pleasures. Those who like it should pay for it, not others.