Who Was Seen?

Diversity & Equality in 20th Century Broadcasting

4 Oct 2026

Doors open 11:45

Creativity Pavilion

Join writers Stephen Bourne, Jane Traies, Keith Howes and Marcus Collins for a special afternoon exploring the social history of mid-20th-century BBC television, representation and the changing values that shaped public service broadcasting.

TALK

Sex and the BBC: The Moral Foundations of Public Service Broadcasting in 20th century Britain.
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Professor Marcus Collins presents his latest research exploring how the BBC evolved from Lord Reith’s puritanical vision of public service broadcasting to the more libertarian approach identified with his successor, Hugh Carleton Green, examining the moral foundations that influenced what audiences could see and hear on screen in the 20th century.


TALK

A Sort of Magic – Black Contributors and Creators on Pre-war BBC Television
Social historian and author Stephen Bourne explores the trailblazing presence of Black performers and programme-makers in early BBC television. Drawing on more than three decades of research, including work undertaken at the BBC and British Film Institute between 1989 and 1991, Stephen has uncovered more than 100 pre-war television programmes featuring Black contributors and creators. His pioneering research, first published in his landmark book Black in the British Frame, challenges long-held assumptions about diversity in early British broadcasting and reveals a richer and more inclusive history than is often recognised.


PANEL

Representations of Lesbian Women and Gay Men in 20th-century Television
The afternoon concludes with a panel discussion chaired by Professor Marcus Collins, bringing together Stephen Bourne (author of Playing Gay in the Golden Age of British TV and the forthcoming Thursday’s Child), Keith Howes (Gay News television critic and author of Broadcasting It) and Jane Traies (Research Associate at University of Sussex and author of The Lives and Experiences of Lesbians over 60 in the UK). It explores the history of lesbian and gay broadcasting in 20th century television, alongside wider conversations about representation, diversity and public service broadcasting during the BBC’s formative years.
DateDoors
open		Start
time		End
time
4 Oct 202611:4512:0016:00

Who Was Seen?

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