News from Auntie: a brief history of national BBC Radio News

Abstract

This article describes some of the major changes that have taken place in the way the BBC has written, produced and presented the news on domestic radio since its founding in 1922. Newsreaders first read out stories provided by the Reuters news agency, but the Corporation created a separate News Department in 1935. Technological developments, including but not limited to the midget-recorder, VHF, transistor radios, the introduction of FM, digital recording and editing, and internet streaming, have both had a significant impact on the way radio journalists have carried out their job and the way listeners have been able to consume the medium of radio. Radio journalists have had to increasingly master skills besides newsgathering and writing. Changes in society’s cultural forms, values and tastes have also had an influence on story selection and production and presentation formats. Keywords: BBC, radio news, journalism, media history