How Britain’s first radio station launched in a muddy Essex field 100 years ago – before the BBC existed

Peter Eckersley, who later joined the BBC, launched the nation’s first regular radio broadcasts with 2MT Writtle on 14 February 1922 (Photo: Courtesy Tim Wander, colourisation by CRHNews)

13th February 202213th February 2022 Bill Best

Radio historian Tim Wander talks to Rhodri Marsden about the fascinating birth of broadcasting in the UK.

Its signal was weak and its reception poor, but during its 11 months on air 2MT’s influence was huge. “What those engineers did throughout 1922 was invent and define the art of radio broadcasting for the next 100 years,” says Tim Wander, author of “2MT Writtle: The Birth of British Broadcasting“.