Reith, Lord (1889-1971), John Charles Walsham Reith, was the first director-general of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), serving from 1927 to 1938. Reith was born on July 20, 1889, in Stonehaven, Grampian Region, Scotland. He was educated at Gresham's School, in Holt, and at the Royal Technical College, in Glasgow. During World War I (1914-1918), he was in charge of various munitions contracts. In 1922, he became the first general manager of the BBC. He became chairman of British Overseas Airways Corporation in 1939. During World War II (1939-1945), he served in various ministerial positions. Prime Minister Winston Churchill elevated him to the peerage in 1940. Lord Reith died on June 16, 1971.