<P> While the BBC tends to characterise its coverage of the general strike by emphasising the positive impression created by its balanced coverage of the views of government and strikers, Jean Seaton, Professor of Media History and the Official BBC Historian has characterised the episode as the invention of "modern propaganda in its British form". Reith argued that trust gained by' authentic impartial news' could then be used . Impartial news was not necessarily an end in itself . </P> <P> The BBC did well out of the crisis, which cemented a national audience for its broadcasting, and it was followed by the Government's acceptance of the recommendation made by the Crawford Committee (1925--26) that the British Broadcasting Company be replaced by a non-commercial, Crown - chartered organisation: the British Broadcasting Corporation . </P> <P> The British Broadcasting Corporation came into existence on 1 January 1927, and Reith--newly knighted--was appointed its first Director General . To represent its purpose and (stated) values, the new corporation adopted the coat of arms, including the motto "Nation shall speak peace unto Nation". </P> <P> British radio audiences had little choice apart from the upscale programming of the BBC . Reith, an intensely moralistic executive, was in full charge . His goal was to broadcast "All that is best in every department of human knowledge, endeavour and achievement...The preservation of a high moral tone is obviously of paramount importance ." Reith succeeded in building a high wall against an American - style free - for - all in radio in which the goal was to attract the largest audiences and thereby secure the greatest advertising revenue . There was no paid advertising on the BBC; all the revenue came from a tax on receiving sets . Highbrow audiences, however, greatly enjoyed it . At a time when American, Australian and Canadian stations were drawing huge audiences cheering for their local teams with the broadcast of baseball, rugby and hockey, the BBC emphasized service for a national, rather than a regional audience . Boat races were well covered along with tennis and horse racing, but the BBC was reluctant to spend its severely limited air time on long football or cricket games, regardless of their popularity . </P>

When was the british broadcasting corporation (bbc) founded