The story of public relations in Britain was shaped by the economic hardships of the inter-war years. It was a profession established by a group of liberal-minded officials, whose manner and methods would heavily influence post war organisations such as UNESCO. Central to the startling story of Britain's early public relations pioneers is Sir Stephen Tallents, the inaugural President of the Institute of Public Relations. Tallents was a public sector entrepreneur who lent his patronage to John Grierson's documentary film movement, the BBC Overseas Service, the development of Listener Research...

Night Mail (1936) is one of the best-loved films in the canon of British documentary cinema. This study provides a lively appreciation of this vivid, witty and often just plain eccentric masterpiece. In doing so he uncovers the stories of civic-minded idealism, creative intrigue and political trickery that underpin this classic film.

This Reader provides a comprehensive resourceguide tothe films, filmmakersand social and cultural importance of the GPO Film Unit. In addition to original essays by leading film and cultural historians, the volume reprints rare archival material about the work of the Unit, as well as a GPO filmography and profiles of key figures.