Sir Rt Hon. Lord John Reith GCVO PC CB KT GBE
(1889-1971)

Died aged c. 82

John Charles Walsham Reith, 1st Baron Reith, KT, GCVO, GBE, CB, TD, PC (/ˈriːθ/; 20 July 1889 – 16 June 1971), was a British broadcasting executive who established the tradition of independent public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom. In 1922, he was employed by the BBC (British Broadcasting Company Ltd.) as its general manager; in 1923 he became its managing director and in 1927 he was employed as the Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation created under a royal charter. His concept of broadcasting as a way of educating the masses marked for a long time the BBC and similar organisations around the world. An engineer by profession, and standing at 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) tall, he was a larger-than-life figure who was a pioneer in his field.

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Commemorated on 2 plaques

Lord Reith 1889-1971 first Director-General of the BBC lived here 1924-1930

6 Barton Street, London, United Kingdom where they lived (1924-1930)

BBC Radio in Leeds. In 1924 Lord Reith opened the Leeds-Bradford radio station. It broadcast national programmes and local talks on history, farming and humour, celebrity interviews, Children's Corner and religious services. The station closed in 1931 but local radio returned on 24th June 1968 with the launch of BBC Radio Leeds.

Foyer, BBC, St. Peter's Square, Leeds, United Kingdom where they was (1924)