London Calling (The Overseas Journal of the BBC)

London Calling (later renamed BBC Worldwide, then BBC On Air) was a magazine that contained program listings for the BBC World Service shortwave radio broadcasting service. Originally called the Empire Programme Pamphlet (for what was then known as the BBC Empire Service) and then BBC Empire Broadcasting, the title was changed to London Calling in mid-1939 when the magazine expanded from 12 pages to 16.[1]

In November, 1993, the magazine was "replaced" with a 100-page color magazine (up until then, the magazine was printed in two colors except for the front and back covers) and started including more and deeper stories, and renamed BBC Worldwide. (From April to November, 1995, there was a North American edition, subtitled BBC Worldwide North America, presumably so the magazine could be sent to North American subscribers and appear on shelves in North American stores without the cost of having to send the issues air mail from the UK each month). However, rising costs, which forced the BBC to reduce the size of the paper it used for the magazine at one point, caused the magazine to change back to a mainly-listings format, and the title was changed to BBC On Air (and later BBC on|air), although the longer stories would make their way back into the magazine over the years.

References

  1. ^ "So What's In a Name? Quite a Lot", London Calling, October 1992