The BBC turns 75 today.
Why is that important?
Because in this world where everything can be privatized and no matter where you go there are commercials in your face trying to convince you to buy something, there is an alternative way to have a news channel. It is called public service, and back in 1922 some smart people in the United Kingdom realized why this would be valuable.
And while I know lots of Brits who will complain about the BBC. I also know that those same Brits don’t want to lose their public service broadcaster. They don’t want their news laced with wall-to-wall advertizing. The BBC remains a model for what mainstream media COULD be like in the world, if certain world leaders and citizens were brave enough and resourceful enough to start their own BBC’s, instead of holding telethons or hoping that some mega-media corporation will be interested in reporting the news.
Happy birthday BBC. You may be mainstream, but you serve the world… and I salute you for it!