Since January 1 1927 – or 18 October 1922 if you count its earlier incarnation as a private company – the BBC has been a British institution.
It is not just regarded thus in this country: worldwide the corporation has earned a reputation for probity and quality, its public service remit helping to avoid the bias certain other broadcasting organisations can fall prey to.
The DNA of Lord Reith , who guided the corporation through its early years, can still be seen running through its cells: impartiality is of fundamental importance in its news reporting, for example; and it seeks to educate and inform as well as entertain.
Like any favourite relation, auntie Beeb has negative sides: in her mental map London is eight times bigger than the rest of Britain; and since the 1970s it seems to have become the career of choice for self-perpetuating talent-challenged Oxbridge graduates. In the private sector many of their posts would not exist; but then nor would auntie's best creations. It also has a tendency to adore certain figures – the name Dimbleby springs to mind among many others – uncritically as worshippers do.
But when there is a national emergency it is to the BBC that we turn for news; the Today Programme at times filling the vacuum left when Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition lacks gumption. It still produces interesting programmes and occasional gems, though outnumbered by utter dross. And where we have a choice we would prefer to view our TV sport on the BBC, which resists the temptation to describe every third rate clash as ‘The Big One’.
Rightist politicians regularly attack the funding of the corporation – we all pay via our TV licences and through government grants paid from our taxes – but this country would be poorer without the BBC, for all its faults.
More British Institutions
Afternoon Tea
Allotments
April Fools Day
Big Ben
Binge Drinking
Black Cabs
Bonfire Night
British Sense of Humour
Brown Windsor Soup
Burns Night
Cadburys
Castles
Changing the Guard
City of London
Coronation Street
Cowes Week
Cricket
Crufts
Dad’s Army
E-Type Jag
Eccentricity
English Country Garden
Fish and Chips
Fish Fingers
Fox Hunting
Full English Breakfast
Gin and Tonic
Glastonbury
Glorious Goodwood
Grand National
Grouse Shooting
Harrods
Highland Games
Hogmanay
James Bond
John Bull
King Arthur
Land Rover
Lloyds of London
London to Brighton Veteran Car Rally
Marks and Spencer
Monty Python
Morecambe and Wise
Old School Tie
Oxbridge
Panto
Picnics
Pimms
Point-to-Point
Punch and Judy
Queueing
Real Ale
Red Arrows
Red Telephone Boxes
Remembrance Poppies
Robin Hood
Rolls Royce
Royal Ascot
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Savile Row Suits
School Discos
School Sports Day
Seaside Piers
Speakers’ Corner
Stag Nights
Stiff Upper Lip
Strawberries and Cream
Street Markets
Summer Festivals
Sunday Roasts
The Archers
The BBC
The Beano
The Boat Race
The Brass Band
The British Bobby
The Bulldog
The Church of England
The Cup Final
The Curry House
The English Rose
The Garden Shed
The Honours System
The Kilt
The Last Night at the Proms
The London Bus
The Mini
The National Trust
The NHS
The Oak
The Pub
The Queen’s Speech
The Rolling Stones
The Royal Christmas Message
The Spitfire
The V Sign
The Village Fete
The Weather
Travelling Fairs
Trooping the Colour
Village Greens
Wedgwood
Wellington Boots
Wimbledon
Wine Gums
Yeomen of the Guard
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