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| The Radio Times | |
|---|---|
| Title | The Radio Times |
| Caption | Cover issue |
| Editor | Various |
| Category | Listings magazine |
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Publisher | Various |
| Firstdate | 1923 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Issn | 0033-7722 |
The Radio Times is a long-running British weekly listings magazine established in 1923 that catalogued radio and later television schedules and published features on broadcasting, drama, music and personalities. Founded contemporaneously with the British Broadcasting Corporation's public service remit, the magazine became an authoritative guide to programming from the BBC Home Service, BBC Light Programme, BBC Television Service and later commercial networks such as ITV. Over its history the publication intersected with key figures and institutions including directors, producers and performers from Royal Opera House, Sadler's Wells Theatre, Globe Theatre, and broadcasters active during events like the Second World War and the Coronation of Elizabeth II.
Launched shortly after the formation of the British Broadcasting Company and during debates in the Parliament of the United Kingdom about airwaves policy, the magazine initially focused on listings for the BBC National Programme and the BBC Regional Programme. During the Second World War it adapted to wartime broadcasting constraints alongside entities such as the Ministry of Information and contributors connected to the London Symphony Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra. Post-war expansion tracked the emergence of BBC Television Service and later the Independent Television Authority, aligning with cultural moments like the Festival of Britain and the televisation of events such as the Coronation of Elizabeth II and the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Editorial stewardship involved editors who also worked with institutions including the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, while illustrators and photographers collaborated with magazines like Illustrated London News and newspapers such as The Times and The Guardian.
Regular sections combined detailed listings for channels including BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV with criticism, interviews and features on dramatists, composers and actors from companies like the Royal Ballet and the English National Opera. Contributors included critics and writers familiar with awards such as the BAFTA Awards and the Laurence Olivier Awards and cultural commentators who had written for outlets such as The Observer, The Daily Telegraph and The New Statesman. Features covered series creators, showrunners and performers associated with productions on networks like Sky Atlantic and broadcasters such as BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2, and examined phenomena connected to festivals like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Glastonbury Festival and the Cheltenham Festival.
At its peak the magazine circulated widely across the United Kingdom and internationally to audiences in the United States, Australia and Commonwealth countries, competing with publications such as TV Times and reaching vendors including national chains and independent bookstalls. Distribution networks involved partnerships with retailers like WHSmith and postal delivery aligned with services overseen by the Post Office. Circulation figures were tracked by auditors and influenced by regulatory shifts involving the Broadcasting Act 1990 and mergers affecting broadcasters such as Granada Television and Thames Television.
The magazine's design evolved from monochrome listings pages to colourful illustrated covers that featured work from illustrators and photographers linked to institutions like the National Portrait Gallery and studios in Soho, London. Layout choices paralleled typographic trends seen in periodicals such as Vogue (UK) and Radio Times Extra, while photojournalistic practices borrowed from newspapers including Daily Mirror and magazines like Picture Post. Special editions commemorated televised events featuring personalities from Doctor Who, Downton Abbey and adaptations of works by William Shakespeare and Agatha Christie.
The publication has been cited in studies of British popular culture alongside texts about the BBC Reithian ethos, analyses of broadcasting during the Suez Crisis and scholarship on mass media’s role in moments like the Swinging Sixties. Critics and historians have compared its influence to that of broadcasters and institutions including the British Film Institute, the Royal Television Society and academic programs at University of Westminster and Goldsmiths, University of London. Its cultural footprint includes collectable covers that feature actors from Coronation Street, EastEnders, The Crown and presenters from Blue Peter and Top of the Pops.
The publisher developed online schedules, apps and digital archives to align with services such as iPlayer, All 4 and streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, responding to changes in consumption driven by devices from companies like Apple Inc. and Samsung. The transition involved partnerships with digital vendors and legal considerations linked to legislation such as the Digital Economy Act 2010, and required editorial integration with social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram while negotiating rights with production companies like BBC Studios and distributors such as Endemol Shine Group.
Ownership and corporate arrangements have changed over decades involving media groups and publishers with ties to firms such as Immediate Media Company, legacy links to early 20th century firms and interactions with regulatory bodies including the Office of Communications and corporate actors like Reed Elsevier in the wider publishing sector. Management decisions have reflected commercial pressures also faced by broadcasters including Channel 5 and conglomerates such as Vivendi and Time Inc..
Category:British magazines Category:Broadcasting in the United Kingdom