The BBC: the mouthpiece of the Establishment? The BBC is one of the most important institutions in Britain; it is also one of the most misunderstood. Despite its claim to be independent and impartial, and the constant accusations of a liberal bias, the BBC has always sided with the elite. As Tom Mills demonstrates, we are only getting the news that the Establishment wants aired in public. Throughout its existence, the BBC has been in thrall to those in power. This was true in 1926 when it stood against the workers during the General Strike, and since then the Corporation has continued to mute the voices of those who oppose the status quo: miners in 1984; anti-war protesters in 2003; those who offer alternatives to austerity economics since 2008. From the outset much of its activity has been scrutinised by the secret services at the invitation of those in charge. Since the 1990s the BBC has been integrated into the market, while its independence from government and big business has been steadily eroded. The BBC is an important and timely examination of a crucial public institution that is constantly under threat.

'Thorough and engaging ... you can't understand England without understanding the BBC' New York Times 'Fascinating and informative' Daily Telegraph 'A dramatic tale of innovation and determination' Guardian In 1922, a tiny group of men and women came together to found the BBC, using what had been a weapon of war - Marconi's wireless - to remake culture for the good of humanity. Twenty years later, when George Orwell famously quit the Corporation, he decided he was done 'doing work that produces no result'. Yet the BBC is now one of Britain's most beloved institutions. Stars once fainted at the microphone; now a select few spend their Saturdays waltzing for the nation's entertainment in front of studio cameras. From Daleks to Desert Island Discs, the BBC has blazed a trail for British entertainment. Yet it has also always been at the forefront of global change, both breaking and covering the most important stories of the century on Panorama and BBC News. This is a stirring and monumental history of the British cultural stalwart which created modern broadcasting one hundred years ago.

The Committee's report on the BBC's Charter review focuses on four inter-related issues: i) the scope and remit of the BBC in the context of the growth of digital TV and on-going technological developments in audiovisual communications; ii) its funding mechanism; iii) its governance and regulation; and iv) whether a Charter provides the most appropriate means of establishing the Corporation in a rapidly-changing communications environment. Key aspects considered include the role, definition and scope of public service broadcasting, the growth of multichannel television, the on-going roll-out of broadband networks, and the Government's plans to switch off the analogue television signal. The report makes 38 conclusions and recommendations, including i) the BBC should be placed on a statutory basis by Act of Parliament at the earliest opportunity, with allowance for pre-legislative scrutiny by a joint Committee of both Houses; with a five year Charter to cover the interim period, between the date the current Charter expires at the end of 2006 and the passing of the recommended legislation; and ii) fundamental changes in the governance system of the BBC, with responsibility for corporate governance separated from maintenance and regulation of its independence.

Every night, above our heads, a drama of epic proportions is playing out. Diamond planets, zombie stars, black holes heavier than a billion Suns. The cast of characters is extraordinary, and each one has its own incredible story to tell.

There's a war on against the BBC. It is under threat as never before. And if we lose it, we won't get it back. The BBC is our most important cultural institution, our best-value entertainment provider, and the global face of Britain. It's our most trusted news source in a world of divisive disinformation. But it is facing relentless attacks by powerful commercial and political enemies, including deep funding cuts - much deeper than most people realise - with imminent further cuts threatened. This book busts the myths about the BBC and shows us how we can save it, before it's too late.

This report focuses on a range of issues relating to the BBC Charter, including the current bid for the TV licence fee, the link to the retail price index, and the need for transparency in the licence fee negotiations; the costs of digital switchover and spectrum charging; the BBC World Service and the launch of an Arabic language television channel; the 'Out of London' strategy for more regional broadcasting and the proposal to move several BBC departments to Manchester; sports broadcasting and the regulation of listed events; religious programming and the BBC's public service remit. The Committee supports the continuation of the licence fee, although concerns are raised that the annual cost increases above the rate of inflation may threaten to undermine public support for the BBC in the long term. However, it opposes the link between the retail price index and the licence fee, since it gives the BBC less incentive to make economies and efficiency gains, and instead argues that Parliament, rather than Government, should set the level of the licence fee, with the National Audit Office having scope to scrutinise the licence fee bid and publish its findings. The Committee's first report on the BBC Charter (HCP 50-I, session 2005-06, ISBN 0104007508), published in November 2005, focused on the Government's proposals for the future of the BBC, as set out in the Government's Green Paper ("A strong BBC, independent of government" published by the DCMS in March 2005 for consultation).

The first in-depth history of the iconic radio and TV network that has shaped our past and present. Doctor Who; tennis from Wimbledon; the Beatles and the Stones; the coronation of Queen Elizabeth and the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales: for one hundred years, the British Broadcasting Corporation has been the preeminent broadcaster in the UK and around the world, a constant source of information, comfort, and entertainment through both war and peace, feast and famine. The BBC has broadcast to over two hundred countries and in more than forty languages. Its history is a broad cultural panorama of the twentieth century itself, often, although not always, delivered in a mellifluous Oxford accent. With special access to the BBC’s archives, historian David Hendy presents a dazzling portrait of a unique institution whose cultural influence is greater than any other media organization. Mixing politics, espionage, the arts, social change, and everyday life, The BBC is a vivid social history of the organization that has provided both background commentary and screen-grabbing headlines—woven so deeply into the culture and politics of the past century that almost none of us has been left untouched by it.