Here Is the News: The BBC and the Second World War

Before the outbreak of the Second World War there were no news bulletins on the BBC until 6pm; during the day the news was reserved for the newspapers. Everything changed in September 1939; it would be the first and the last time that the "wireless" was the pre-eminent source of news during a major conflict. Listeners relied on radio both for their daily bulletin on how the war was progressing and for updates on particular operations in which loved ones, friends or neighbors were involved. The BBC created a blueprint for news reporting as the war unfolded, one that has been followed ever since. The author examines the daily routines, notable broadcasters and famous interviews. He also looks at how the news was received over the airwaves and via the personal recollections of those who lived through the war. Was there popular disbelief of the official line, or did the British public instinctively trust the BBC? Do broadcasts of the key stories of the period bear close resemblance to the facts?