Born at Stonehaven in Scotland, Reith received his education at Glasgow Academy and at Gresham's School, Holt. He became an engineer and then (1922) the General Manager (later Director-General, 1927 -1938) of the infant BBC. He expounded firm principles of centralised, all-encompassing radio broadcasting, stressing programming standards and moral tone.
The first regular television broadcasts (November 1936 to September 1939) started under Reith's stewardship.
In 1940 Reith became a member of Parliament for Southampton and joined the cabinet as Minister of Works and Buildings (1940 - 1942).
The BBC Reith Lectures commemorate Lord Reith.