Sir John Reith Sir John Reith was the first Director General of the BBC, and he had particularly strong views on broadcasting as having a cultural and moral responsibility as a means of educating and informing the masses. He once famously stated – ‘It is occasionally indicated to us that we are apparently setting out to give the public what we think they need- and not what they want – but
Public Service Broadcasting From the establishment of the BBC in the late 1920s, British audiences were given the opportunity of taking part in a shared national experience and interest. Since that time, an apparent agreement has existed as to the general aims of broadcasting by the BBC which fell under the heading “public service broadcasting.” Although the BBC no longer enjoys a broadcasting monopoly, the promise to provide a mix of programming by which audiences may be educated as well as