CINXE.COM
BBC - The BBC Story - Homepage
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=7YQSqjSh" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.bbc.co.uk:80/heritage/","20090215083739","https://web.archive.org/","web","https://web-static.archive.org/_static/", "1234687059"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=p7PEIJWi" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" /> <!-- End Wayback Rewrite JS Include --> <title>BBC - The BBC Story - Homepage</title> <meta name="description" content="History of the BBC and information about its heritage in buildings, archives and other resources."/> <meta name="keywords" content="BBC Heritage, history of the BBC, Heritage, the BBC story, BBC buildings, BBC archives, Caversham Written Archives Centre"/> <meta name="created" content="20031115"/> <meta name="updated" content="20031217"/> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"/> <style type="text/css"> .bbcpageTopleftlink,a.bbcpageTopleftlink,a:link.bbcpageTopleftlink,a:hover.bbcpageTopleftlink,a:visited.bbcpageTopleftlink {background:#739D85;color:#ffffff;text-decoration:underline;} .bbcpageToplefttd {background:#739D85;color:#ffffff;} </style> <!--[if IE]><![if gte IE 6]><![endif]--> <style type="text/css"> @import '/web/20090215083739cs_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/includes/bbcpage/v3-2/toolbar.css'; </style> <!--[if IE]><![endif]><![endif]--> <!--[if gte IE 6]> <style type="text/css" media="screen"> #bbcpageExplore a {height:22px;} </style> <![endif]--> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"> <!-- function popmailwin(x, y) {window.open(x,y,'status=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,width=350,height=400');} // --> </script> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <link href="/web/20090215083739cs_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/includes/heritage.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> </head> <body marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" topmargin="0" leftmargin="0"> <!-- page layout templates v3.2 --><!-- GLOBAL NAVIGATION --><a name="top" id="top"></a><ul class="bbcpageHide"><li><a href="#startcontent" accesskey="2">Skip to main content</a></li><li><a href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/education/betsie/parser.pl">Text only version of this page</a></li><li><a href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/accesskeys/keys.shtml" accesskey="0">Access keys help</a></li></ul><div id="toolbarContainer"><form method="get" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl" accept-charset="utf-8"><table id="bbcpageToolbarTable" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" lang="en"><tr valign="middle"><td width="200" id="bbcpageBlocks"><font size="2"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/toolbar/blocks/-/home/d/" accesskey="1"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/images/bbcpage/v3-0/bbc.gif" width="77" height="22" alt="BBC" border="0" hspace="2" vspace="0"/> Home</a></font></td><td width="295" align="right"><input type="text" id="bbcpageSearch" name="q" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" title="BBC Search" accesskey="4"/></td><td width="105"><input type="submit" name="Search" value="Search" id="bbcpageSearchButton"/><input type="hidden" name="uri" value="/heritage/"/></td><td width="170" align="right" class="bbcpageblue"><font size="2" id="bbcpageExplore"><a href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/toolbar/wlm/-/a-z/">Explore the BBC</a></font></td></tr></table></form></div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="100%" id="bbcpageTableTop"><tr><td class="bbcpageToplefttd" width="125"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td width="8"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="8" height="1" alt=""/></td><td width="117"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="117" height="1" alt=""/><br clear="all"/><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="1" class="bbcpageToplefttd">15 February 2009<br/><a class="bbcpageTopleftlink" style="text-decoration:underline;" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/">Accessibility help</a><br/><a class="bbcpageTopleftlink" style="text-decoration:underline;" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/education/betsie/parser.pl">Text only</a></font></td></tr></table></td><td width="100%" valign="top"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td> <img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_banner.gif" alt="The BBC Story" width="645" height="72" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0"></td> </tr> </table> </td></tr></table><table style="margin:0px;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="left" id="bbcpageTableNav" width="125"><tr><td class="bbcpageCrumb" width="8"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="8" height="1" alt=""/></td><td class="bbcpageCrumb" width="115"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="115" height="1" alt=""/><br clear="all"/><font face="arial, helvetica,sans-serif" size="2"><a class="bbcpageCrumb" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/" lang="en">BBC Homepage</a><br/></font></td><td width="2" class="bbcpageCrumb"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="2" height="1" alt=""/></td><td class="bbcpageGutter" valign="top" width="10" rowspan="4"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="10" height="1" vspace="0" hspace="0" alt="" align="left"/></td></tr><tr><td class="bbcpageLocal" colspan="3"> <div><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="125" height="1"></div> <div class="hernavSel"><a class="white" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/index.shtml">The BBC Story home<a/></div> <div class="hernav"><a href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/story/index.shtml">History of the BBC<a/></div> <div class="hernav"><a href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/in_depth/index.shtml">In-depth features<a/></div> <div class="hernav"><a href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/more/index.shtml">Find out more<a/></div> <div class="space"></div> <div class="space"></div> <div class="space"></div> </td></tr><tr><td class="bbcpageLocal" colspan="3"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="1" height="5" alt=""/></td></tr><tr><td class="bbcpageServices"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="1" height="1" alt=""/></td><td class="bbcpageServices"><hr width="50" align="left"/><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><a class="bbcpageServices" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/feedback/">Contact Us</a><br/><br/><font size="1">Like this page?<br/><a class="bbcpageServices" onclick="popmailwin('/cgi-bin/navigation/mailto.pl?GO=1&REF=http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/index.shtml','Mailer')" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/navigation/mailto.pl?GO=1&REF=http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/index.shtml" target="Mailer">Send it to a friend!</a></font><br/> </font></td><td class="bbcpageServices"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="1" height="1" alt=""/></td></tr></table><table width="635" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" id="bbcpageTableContent" style="margin:0px;" style="float:left;"><tr><td><!-- End of GLOBAL NAVIGATION --><a name="startcontent" id="startcontent"></a> <table width="635" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td class="panelBorder" width="203" rowspan="3" valign="top" bgcolor="#2C5F88"> <div class="floatLeft"><script src="/web/20090215083739js_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/image.js"></script></div> </td> <td width="8" rowspan="3" valign="top" bgcolor="#2C5F88"> </td> <td width="180" rowspan="3" valign="top" bgcolor="#2C5F88"><div class="homeContent"> <a href="story/index.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_history_head.gif" alt="From Marconi to MP3" width="163" height="23" border="0"></a><br> Discover the history of the BBC, illustrated with archive clips and pictures that share the story of each decade.</p> <p>This section describes how the BBC became a world leader in broadcasting and innovation, and how it has changed over time in response to new challenges and pressures. <a class="white" href="story/index.shtml"><b><br> More >></b></a> </div></td> <td width="3" rowspan="3"> </td> <td bgcolor="#75754E"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="62"><a href="more/donate.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_mic.jpg" alt="BBC microphone" width="62" height="113" border="0"></a></td> <td valign="top"><div class="homeContent2"><a href="more/donate.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_coll_head.gif" alt="Contribute to the collection" width="122" height="36" border="0"></a><br> Find out how you can contribute to the BBC's Heritage collection. <br> <a class="white" href="more/donate.shtml"><b>More >></b></a> </div></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="3" height="3"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#674952"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top"><div class="homeContent2"><a href="in_depth/70tv/index.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_soundon_head.gif" alt="Sound On, Vision On" width="139" height="23" border="0"></a><br> The birth of television - from the earliest experiments to the triumph of the medium at the 1953 Coronation.<br> <strong><a class="white" href="in_depth/70tv/index.shtml">More >></a></strong></div></td> <td width="86"><a href="in_depth/70tv/index.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_soundon.jpg" alt="The BBC under Pressure" width="86" height="144" border="0"></a></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="3" height="4"></td> </tr> <tr> <td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="71" bgcolor="#76593A"><a href="story/ww2/index.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_war.jpg" alt="The BBC at War" width="71" height="114" border="0"></a></td> <td width="268" valign="top" bgcolor="#76593A"><div class="homeContent2"><a href="story/ww2/index.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_war_head.gif" alt="The BBC at War" width="112" height="23" border="0"></a><br> The BBC changed to meet the needs of the nation at war, bolstering the population against the threat of Nazi invasion, and providing a vital and trusted source of news to occupied Europe. <a class="white" href="story/ww2/index.shtml"><b>More >></b></a> </div></td> <td width="3"> </td> <td width="72" bgcolor="#597161"><a href="in_depth/pressure/index.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_pressure.jpg" alt="BBC Buildings" width="71" height="114" border="0"></a></td> <td width="260" valign="top" bgcolor="#597161"><div class="homeContent2"><a href="in_depth/pressure/index.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_pressure_head.gif" alt="The BBC under Pressure" width="166" height="23" border="0"></a><br> Harsh lessons in the BBC's history, <br> from the General Strike in 1926 to the Hutton Inquiry in 2003/4 <b><a class="white" href="in_depth/pressure/index.shtml">More >></a></b> </div></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="3" height="4"></td> </tr> <tr> <td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="310" valign="top" bgcolor="#CADAE7" class="panelBorder"><div class="homeContent3"><a href="more/resources.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_find_header.gif" alt="Find out more..." width="108" height="19" border="0"></a><br> Explore more ways of researching the BBC's collections and broadcasting history in depth through these recommended books and <br> websites. <b><a href="more/resources.shtml">More >></a></b><br> <br> The BBC Proms, BBC Heritage, Kings College London and the British Library co-host the first ever international conference devoted to the <strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/conference2007/">Henry Wood Promenade Concerts</a></strong>. <strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/conference2007/">More>></a></strong><br> <br> </div></td> <td width="3"> </td> <td class="panelBorder" width="314" valign="top" bgcolor="#DFDFC6"><div class="homeContent3"> <a href="more/index.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_research_head.gif" alt="Research & collections" width="152" height="19" border="0"></a><br> Find out more about the BBC's archive and heritage collections and even how you could contribute to them. <a href="more/index.shtml"><strong>More >></strong></a><br> <br> <a href="bbcmemories/index.shtml"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/images/heritage_home_mem_header.gif" alt="BBC memories" width="175" height="19" border="0"></a><br> BBC Heritage is collecting staff memories of Auntie's notable moments. Have a read, and maybe tell your yarns from behind the scenes of BBC life. <strong><a href="bbcmemories/index.shtml">More>></a></strong> <br> </div> </td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> <p> </p> <p> <!-- begin footer --></td></tr></table><!--if no nav or stretchy but not both --><br clear="all"/><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" lang="en" id="bbcpageTableFooter"><tr><td class="bbcpageFooterMargin" width="125"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="125" height="1" alt=""/></td><td class="bbcpageFooterGutter" width="10"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="10" height="1" alt=""/></td><td class="bbcpageFooter" width="635" align="center"><img src="/web/20090215083739im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f/t.gif" width="635" height="1" alt=""/><br/><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="1"><a class="bbcpageFooter" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/">About the BBC</a> | <a class="bbcpageFooter" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/help/">Help</a> | <a class="bbcpageFooter" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/terms/">Terms of Use</a> | <a class="bbcpageFooter" href="/web/20090215083739/http://www.bbc.co.uk/privacy/">Privacy & Cookies Policy</a><br/> </font></td></tr></table><br clear="all"/><script src="/web/20090215083739js_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/includes/linktrack.js?2" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20090215083739js_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc.com/script/analytics/vs/vs.js"></script><!-- end footer --> </p> </body> </html> <!-- FILE ARCHIVED ON 08:37:39 Feb 15, 2009 AND RETRIEVED FROM THE INTERNET ARCHIVE ON 14:46:41 Mar 03, 2025. JAVASCRIPT APPENDED BY WAYBACK MACHINE, COPYRIGHT INTERNET ARCHIVE. ALL OTHER CONTENT MAY ALSO BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT (17 U.S.C. SECTION 108(a)(3)). --> <!-- playback timings (ms): captures_list: 1.163 exclusion.robots: 0.084 exclusion.robots.policy: 0.044 esindex: 0.015 cdx.remote: 136.471 LoadShardBlock: 311.346 (6) PetaboxLoader3.datanode: 348.156 (8) load_resource: 250.203 (2) PetaboxLoader3.resolve: 125.765 -->