BBC digitalA B C D E F G H IJKL M N O P R S T U VXYZWof the control of ‘the Six’. After thirty-four
meetings, the Committee recommended – and
the government accepted – a single receiver
licence of 10 shillings to cover all types of radios,
and the ban was raised on foreign receivers.
Most importantly Sykes forecast the eventual
replacement of private by public operation: ‘...
We consider that the control of such a potential
power [of broadcasting] over public opinion and
the life of the nation ought to remain with the
State, and that the operation of so important
a national service ought not to be allowed to
become an unrestricted commercial monopoly.’
A new committee under the chairmanship
of the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, set up
in 1925, led to the Charter and Licence which
created the British Broadcasting Corporation
and authorized it to broadcast for ten years from
1 January 1927. It was established on three prin-
ciples which were to apply to British broadcast-
ing until the coming of commercial television:
broadcasting became a monopoly, fi nanced by
licence fees and administered by an independent
public corporation.
▶Asa Briggs, The History of Broadcasting in the
United Kingdom (Oxford University Press, vol. 1,
1961; vol. 2, 1965; vol. 3, 1970; vol. 4, 1979); Andrew
Crisell, An Introductory History of British Broadcast-
ing (Routledge, 1997).
BBC See bbc digital; bbc worldwide;
broadcasting; broadcasting legislation;
public service broadcasting (psb); radio
broadcasting; reithian; selsdon commit-
tee report on television, 1935; television
broadcasting; ullswater committee
report on broadcasting, 1936. See also
topic guide under broadcasting.
BBC digital Th e UK BBC anticipated, in 2001,
the eventual shift from analogue to digital trans-
mission of TV and radio, with a digital supple-
ment to BBC One, giving viewers equipped with
digital sets, or set-top conversion boxes, access
to a broader range of programmes, including an
interactive facility, than those available to view-
ers with analogue sets. Th e same extra provision
became available to viewers of BBC Two. On
air shortly afterwards were the following new
services: CBBC, a channel for children aged
between six and thirteen; Cbeebies, for children
under six; BBC Four, an in-depth culture chan-
nel; BBC News 24; and BBC Choice, aimed at a
young adult audience, eventually to be retitled
BBC Three (soon retreating from its youth
remit) and given the go-ahead by government in
September 2002.
With the collapse in 2002 of ITV Digital, a payin Stage II of the gatekeeping process, while
those involved at Stage II are closer to the power
centre of the organization and therefore more
subject to the organization’s norms and values
and to pressures from competing stories. See
maletzke’s model of the mass communi-
cation process, 1963.
Baton signal Chiefl y manual gestures with which
we beat time to the rhythm of spoken expression
and which give emphasis and urgency. Th ey are
the stock-in-trade of declamatory communica-
tion, especially that of politicians. It is not only
the hands which are employed in baton signals;
the head, shoulders and feet are involved too.
See non-verbal behaviour: repertoire.
BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation):
origins The BBC began life as the British
Broadcasting Company, incorporated on 15
December 1922 and receiving its licence to
broadcast on 18 January 1923. It was a private
company made up chiefl y of manufacturers of
broadcasting equipment. The company was
incorporated with 100,000 shares of stock worth
1 each. Any British wireless manufacturer could
join by purchasing one or more shares, making
a 50 deposit and agreeing to the terms that had
been drawn up by the negotiating manufacturers
and the Postmaster General.
Th e six largest manufacturers, in return for
guaranteeing the continuing operation and
fi nancial solvency of the company, were given
control. Although other manufacturers could
buy stock and be admitted to membership, the
principals could choose six of the company’s
nine directors and these in turn had the power
to select its chairman. Each wireless-set owner
had to pay a 10 shilling (50p) licence fee to the
Post Offi ce annually, and the government agreed
to issue licences only to people using receivers
made by members of the company. Thus the
manufacturers were guaranteed protection
against competition.
Th e company was to establish eight broadcast-
ing stations in diff erent parts of the British Isles.
Only news originating from four established
news agencies (such as the Press Association
and Reuters) could be used in broadcasting and
there was to be no advertising. By April 1923 the
Postmaster General had appointed a seven-man
investigating committee to review the status of
the British Broadcasting Company, headed by
Sir Frederick Sykes, with a mandate to consider
‘broadcasting in all its aspects’.
The Sykes Committee faced questions on
widespread evasions of the equipment monopoly
and condemnation by Beaverbrook newspapers