The Sun Never Sets on the BBC

I have been listening to quite a lot of programming from the BBC World Service recently, and I have come to the conclusion that the British Empire is not completely dead — only transformed by means of a new connection though radio waves and the internet into a more collaborative and culturally inclusive community.

On the BBC webpage, “A Short History of the BBC”, the name of this particular service has changed from Empire Service to the External Service to the World Service. Whatever the name, the content is still quite a bit the same as what I heard broadcast on CBE radio out of Windsor, Ontario, Canada — a well-researched, well-reported summary of world events followed by extended reports and intelligent commentary. The style of delivery by the various presenters has changed, but the integrity is still there.

Television has certainly had an impact on the BBC’s reputation throughout the world. Entertainment programs (Faulty Towers, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, and As Time Goes By come to mind) and news programs and documentaries (seen almost exclusively on PBS here in the U.S.A.) have had an impact on societies and cultures throughout the world, probably particularly in the Commonwealth countries.

The internet is a relatively new and exciting place for the BBC to be experienced. It’s web pages, though the print is a bit small, are well thought out and contain a wealth of information and entertainment that could keep a person busy for quite a while! What I like most about the pages (some still under development) is that, at least as far as the news goes, one can find out more about a particular event or subject. Like the PBS and NPR websites, there are numerous links to other sites and resources.

So, what about the Empire? From personal experience, growing up 20 miles from the border of Canada, listening to the BBC through Canadian Broadcasting Company stations, and visiting family in Brantford, Ontario (my mother is Canadian), I can say that the BBC has influenced its British subjects. The formerly United-Kingdom-
colonized nations that comprise the Commonwealth of Nations still experience a unique connection to their former ruler through the ability to keep up with current and historic events in the U.K. and the world through a British perspective. In addition, the World Service, especially, reciprocates with regular reports about
Commonwealth nations’ news and events. My mom always looked forward to hearing the 6 o’clock summary of world news and certain entertainment programs from BBC radio. Of course, a few Canadian news items always made it into the news summary and extended reports.

Could it be that the BBC in all of its manifestations has eased the transition of former British colonies to effective self-rule? The various Commonwealth nations all have different levels of connection to the British government, sometimes very slim ones. But communication can bring greater understanding and, in the case of the former British Empire, maybe has eased the transition to self-rule. Communication through the BBC could also form a bond among all of the Commonwealth countries, and
even if this bond is weak it could influence events toward a more positive outcome in a country that is experiencing troubles.

The new British Empire is connected by electricity through the efforts of the BBC. It is no longer completely controlled by a central government (although it is fairly well supported financially by the government) but instead involves its listeners from various parts of the planet, whether they be British subjects or not. I have heard, on World Have Your Say (BBC Radio World Service) opinions expressed from many different English speakers in many different countries. The BBC not only reports events from various countries but also involves its peoples in opinion making.

One interesting twist is that since 9/11 the BBC seems to have become more interested in reporting events in the U.S. Through the BBC, I have occasionally been finding things out about events and happenings in the current Presidential campaign that weren’t reported on American networks! Hearing intelligent analysis of the campaign presented in the British way can be quite ear opening. I personally hope that this interest on the part of the BBC continues; it provides another perspective to the news that is truly more “fair and balanced” than that provided by some U.S. networks.

I don’t really have a lot of hard evidence to back up my thoughts, but hope that my musings will encourage you to go to http://bbc.co.uk and surf a bit. Try connecting to a live audio or video stream. Read the many articles presented on its pages. And think about how radio, television, and the internet can continue to unify our world in peace through intelligent programming that has integrity.