[ecrea] new book: The BBC: Myth of a Public Service

The BBC: Myth of a Public Service
https://www.versobooks.com/books/2243-the-bbc

The BBC is one of the most important institutions in Britain; it is also 
one of the most misunderstood. Despite its claim to be independent and 
impartial, and the constant accusations of a liberal bias, the BBC has 
always sided with the elite. As Tom Mills demonstrates, we are only 
getting the news that the Establishment wants aired in public.

Throughout its existence, the BBC has been in thrall to those in power. 
This was true in 1926 when it stood against the workers during the 
General Strike, and since then the Corporation has continued to mute the 
voices of those who oppose the status quo: miners in 1984; anti-war 
protesters in 2003; those who offer alternatives to austerity economics 
since 2008. From the outset much of its activity has been scrutinised by 
the secret services at the invitation of those in charge. Since the 
1990s the BBC has been integrated into the market, while its 
independence from government and big business has been steadily eroded. 
/The BBC/is an important and timely examination of a crucial public 
institution that is constantly under threat.

“Reveals that far from being a sanctuary for independent journalism, the 
BBC is intimately connected to the power it is supposed to hold to 
account. This book is a brilliant corrective to mainstream histories of 
the BBC and a valuable reminder of the need to build a democratic media 
that is free from vested interests.”

– Des Freedman, Professor of Media and Communications, Goldsmiths

“The BBC is a key element in Britain's unwritten, and rarely described, 
constitution. The role it plays is inseparable from the misconceptions 
that surround it, and that it energetically promotes. Tom Mills has set 
aside both liberal and conservative fantasies about the institution and 
describes it as it is in fact. The result is required reading for those 
who want to understand Britain, and an invaluable resource for those who 
want to change it for the better.”

– Daniel Hind, author of /The Return of the Public: Democracy, Power and 
the Case for Media Reform/



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