Broadcasting House, 1932: The BBC's first purpose-built home.

When it first opened, some likened it to a ship, others to a New York skyscraper. And it was once called a Palace of the Ether...

That's the title of a new book by architectural historian Dr Elizabeth Darling, who joins us this episode for an audio tour of the building's earliest incarnation - from the outside design and sculptures to the Concert Hall/Radio Theatre, via the unique studios and the art deco reception, complete with Latin motto and statute of The Sower, still there today.

It's an incredible building, and whether you know a lot or a little, I'm sure you'll learn something new about BH - whether it's the bomb that didn't bother the newsreader, the WW2 dormitory, or the only studio you could smoke in, surrounded by fake books.

For the last couple of years, I've given walking tours of central London via spots linked with broadcasting history. Not this year alas, so this audio tour of the building we usually start with will be just what you need instead.

Plus one of your reviews gets chosen to 'win' a pretend piece of broadcasting history, and we look at how the BBC might change going forward, if you were in charge...

Look out for Elizabeth Darling's book - see link below - and stay subscribed to the podcast for more tales of early British broadcasting. Next time, we're back in November 1923 for the BBC's ninth station, and its first relay station: 6FL Sheffield. And we've got some rare clips for you...

SHOWNOTES:

Palace of the Ether by Elizabeth Darling is published by Lund Humphries - it's a beaut: https://www.lundhumphries.com/products/palace-of-the-ether
Paul's show is An Evening of (Very) Old Radio: The BBC Then and Now - and this summer it plays Westbury in Wiltshire and Weston-super-Mare in Somerset: paulkerensa.com/tour
Email the show at: https://paulkerensa.com/contact.php
Paul's latest Substack, on the BBC cuts: paulkerensa.substack.com
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Original podcast music is by Will Farmer.
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Next time, Episode 125: We're back in our timeline in Nov 1923 for the first BBC relay station, Sheffield 6FL.

More on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

#124 Broadcasting House 1932: Palace of the Ether - with Dr Elizabeth Darling

The British Broadcasting Century with Paul Kerensa

#124 Broadcasting House 1932: Palace of the Ether - with Dr Elizabeth Darling