Tanjil Rashid

A once-great engine of culture, slowly running out of steam: the BBC at 100

The programmes marking the BBC's centenary offer a much-needed consideration of the place of the broadcaster in our society

A 1942 edition of Orwell’s monthly BBC radio programme Voice which broadcast modern poetry to India. Left to right, seated: BBC broadcaster Venu Chitale, M.J. Tambimuttu, T.S. Eliot, Una Marson, Mulk Raj Anand and BBC staff members Christopher Pemberton and Narayana Menon. Left to right, standing: George Orwell, Orwell’s secretary Nancy Parratt and William Empson. Credit: BBC
  • Comments

Already a subscriber? Log in

This article is for subscribers only

Subscribe today to get 3 months' delivery of the magazine, as well as online and app access, for only £3.

  • Weekly delivery of the magazine
  • Unlimited access to our website and app
  • Enjoy Spectator newsletters and podcasts
  • Explore our online archive, going back to 1828

Read next

Trending

Jamie Blackett

Britain’s farmers could revolt

Historians may already be pinching themselves in disbelief. It is looking as though Starmer’s government may be being pitched into a full-scale crisis by picking on… millionaire farmers. It turns out that outside North London the country is not as driven by spite and envy as Rachel Reeves appears to think. And the stereotype of

Also in Arts Reviews

Also by Tanjil Rashid

Latest

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in