Its World Service was first heard in 1932 as the Empire Service
[DOC] [TLE] The Empire Service - The Open University [PAR] functions of the Empire Service - from its commencement at the close of 1932 
through to the outbreak of the Second World War (which saw the service .... 
echoed by the BBC's first Director General, John Reith in a speech broadcast on 
the ... in the case of the Empire Service the voice of the service as heard by its 
listeners,.