THIS massive book takes a long, hard look at one of Britain's most enduring national institutions, and the often painful way it has evolved over the past 25 years.
It seems appropriate that the author is an anthropologist, because to many people the BBC has always seemed a territory unto itself, with its own strange codes, rules and customs.
Granted extraordinary access to 'Auntie' Beeb's internal workings over a number of years, Georgina Born blends insider interviews with perceptive reportage and intelligent analysis.
The licence fee which funds the BBC, and its "public service broadcasting" requirement, which date back to its early days in the 1920s, has always led to controversy and government interference.
This book leaves one with sympathy and admiration for a uniquely British institution whose contribution to news, culture and entertainment has been enormous and which has done so much to boost this country's image abroad.
Uncertain Vision - Birt, Dyke and the Reinvention of the BBC by Georgina Born is published by Secker and Warburg, priced £17.99.
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