The voice of the nation clears its throat
The BBC’s beginning was cramped and crowded, with few people hearing it. That wouldn’t last long… On this day in (engineering) history… By Stephen Phillips The year is 1922 and sometime this afternoon, November 14 th , a small group of people will climb the stairs to the top floor of London’s Marconi House . Waiting at the top is a small box room containing a desk, microphone and piano. History hasn’t counted the steps, but will mark what these people are about to do. At 6pm, Arthur Burrows will read the news followed by a weather forecast, after which the broadcast will end, to return the same time tomorrow. This will mark the first broadcast of a London radio station called 2LO, known today as the British Broadcasting Corporation. Let’s rewind to 1894, when British physicist Oliver…