Century-old media corporations and historical anniversaries in 2022
By Zion Rufus
From the introduction of radio advertising and big media corporations to revolutionary events, a century is a notable milestone and remarkable feat worthy of note. Diverse as it is, we have made a list of innovative breakthroughs that hit the 100-year mark in 2022.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) was formed on 18 October 1922 by a group of leading wireless manufacturers to broadcast experimental radio services. Known as the world’s oldest national broadcaster, and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees, BBC provides ten national TV channels, regional TV programmes, an internet TV service (BBC Three), 10 national radio stations, 40 local radio stations and an extensive website.
Time Inc.
Publisher of some of the most iconic magazine covers of the 20th Century, Time Inc, established on 28 November 1922 and headquartered in New York, is an American worldwide mass media corporation founded by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden. It owned and published over 100 magazine brands, including Time, Sports Illustrated, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Fortune, People, InStyle, Life, Golf Magazine, Southern Living, Essence, Real Simple, and Entertainment Weekly.
The print edition has a readership of 1.6 million, 1 million of whom are based in the United States. Formerly published by New York City-based Time Inc., since November 2018 Time has been published by Time USA, LLC, owned by Marc Benioff, who acquired it from Meredith Corporation.
Reader’s Digest
Reader’s Digest is an American general-interest family magazine, published 10 times a year. Founded in February 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wife Lila Bell Wallace, global editions of Reader’s Digest reach over 70 million readers in more than 70 countries, via 49 editions in 21 languages. The periodical has a global circulation of 10.5 million, making it the largest paid-circulation magazine in the world.
Radio advertising begins
In February 1922, the American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) announced it planned to begin establishing stations that would be dedicated to selling their airtime to interested parties.
The first paid radio advertising was aired on WEAF (WFAN) in New York on August 28, 1922. Since direct selling was prohibited, the ad was a 10-minute broadcast on the subject of a carefree life in the suburbs at the Hawthorne Court Apartments in Jackson Heights, Queens. The Queensboro Corporation paid WEAF $50 to run it.
In the 1920s, commercial radio stations became the major advertising medium for national advertisers, small businesses, and big companies.
Foreign Affairs Magazine
Foreign Affairs is considered one of the United States’ most influential foreign policy magazines. Founded on 15 September 1922, the print magazine is currently published every two months, while the website publishes articles daily and anthologies every other month. Foreign Affairs is an American magazine of international relations and U.S. foreign policy published by the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs.
Clifford Constitution 1922
In 1922 a new constitution known as the Clifford Constitution after Governor Hugh Clifford was promulgated, which introduced four elected seats to the Legislative Council, three for Lagos and one for Calabar. The Clifford constitution brought the elective principle into Nigeria which paved the way for elective representation of Nigerians. It spurred the formation of parties with the interests of Nigerians and increased Nationalism.
The constitution allowed political activities and formation of political parties in Lagos and Calabar e.g. NNDP. Newspapers were established to boost political activities. The introduction of elective principle allowed Nigerians to elect representatives for the first time into the legislative council.
Egypt gains Independence
Egypt became an independent state on February 28 1922, although British influence in the country remained very strong. Britain retained the right to defend Egypt against any foreign aggression and to protect foreign interests and minorities.
Jaguar
Jaguar, which started operations in 1922 as Swallow Sidecar Company, making motorcycle sidecars, was founded by William Walmsley and William Lyons. Known to be one of the most prestigious car brands in the world, Jaguar continues to make class leading vehicles, and competes with the likes of Porsche and Tesla.
Jaguar currently has a range of models out including saloons and SUVs. The Jaguar I-Pace, the first fully electric Jaguar, is thought to compete with the Tesla Model X and has a targeted range of approximately 220 miles. It is also thought that it will reach 0-60mph in about 4 seconds.
Ulysses got published
Universally referred to as one of the finest works in literature, Irish writer James Joyce’s Ulysses was published in book form in 1922. It was first serialized in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920 and then published in its entirety in Paris by Sylvia Beach on 2 February 1922
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