How a century of broadcast listings transformed from a boycott into a cultural icon.

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: When the BBC launched the world's first broadcast listings magazine in 1923, newspapers boycotted it, fearing radio would kill their sales. A century later, the publication has survived industrial strikes, wartime paper rationing, and the digital revolution to remain a staple of British media and a collector's design classic.

Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, the Radio Times began as a modest enterprise to provide schedules for six BBC wireless stations. Initially, newspapers refused to carry radio listings, viewing the technology as a threat to their circulation. The magazine’s early years were defined by rapid innovation, including the first experimental Braille edition in 1927 and the introduction of a weekly crossword in 1933. By 1936, it became the world’s first television listings magazine, reflecting the launch of the BBC’s 405-line service.

The publication’s history is a mirror of 20th-century technological and social change. During World War II, paper rationing forced editions down to 20 pages of tiny print, and television broadcasting ceased entirely between 1939 and 1946. In the post-war era, the magazine navigated complex regional variations and the rise of commercial competitors. The 1960s and 1970s saw radical design makeovers, including the introduction of colour pages and the abandonment of cigarette advertising in 1969. Industrial disputes in 1983 even forced the magazine to publish as a single national edition to bypass printing strikes.

Deregulation in 1991 fundamentally altered the magazine’s scope, as it began covering ITV, Channel 4, and satellite networks. This shift forced constant layout experimentation, from the introduction of VideoPlus+ codes in 1993 to the integration of digital and cable channels in the early 2000s. Today, the magazine is recognized not just for its utility, but for its legacy of commissioning leading writers and illustrators. Its special edition covers have become collectable design classics, marking its evolution from a simple schedule sheet into a significant piece of British cultural history.

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