BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC - also affectionately known as the "beeb" or "Auntie") was once the primary television and radio provider in the United Kingdom prior to the introduction of cable, satellite and more recently, digital satellite and digital terrestrial services.
Founded as a private company in 1922, The British Broadcasting Company took on its current form in 1927 when it came under public ownership. Since then, government-backed licence schemes (each home with a television has to buy a television license each year) have ensured the BBC is funded to ideally produce high quality and diverse media content for the British people. Because of this unique funding method, BBC radio and television output has been free of the constraints of commercial advertisers; programme makers are, in theory, answerable only to the licence payer, but pressure from political groups and for audience share are still significant factors in the corporation's output. The BBC has also for many years received funding from other government departments for certain sections of its output. The World Service, which, as its name suggests is broadcast around the world, is funded by the Foreign Office. In recent years the BBC has also received large amounts of revenue from its commercial wing, particularly by exploiting its massive back catalogue of programmes.
Radio
Radio was the main output of the BBC prior to the invention of television, and is still seen in the title of the BBC's listings magazine, Radio Times. Radio still makes up a large part of the output. The BBC runs regional radio stations throughout the UK, eg. Radio Wales, Radio Devon. These offer a more "serious" alternative to the large number of commercial local radio stations. Regional variations also occur within the BBC1 and BBC2 television programme schedules. Some BBC radio channels are available over the Internet. The BBC has recently experimented with streaming audio over the Internet using the open source Ogg Vorbis technology.
Television
What is now known as BBC1 was one of the world's first television stations; it was broadcast from the Alexandra Palace in London to just a few hundred viewers in the immediate area.
BBC2 was the second television station; its remit is to provide more niche programming. Unlike its contemporaries, BBC2 does not have the usual soap opera or standard news programming. What BBC2 is supposed to have is a breadth of programming: eclectic, fun and diverse. Although if anything with high audience viewing figures turns up on BBC2 it is often 'stolen' by BBC1.
BBCi
Since the introduction of digital television and the explosion in web use, new channels and online content have been developed by the BBC. The BBC's web service, called BBCi, includes a comprehensive news website and archive. The BBC had also developed many digital television features such as interactive sports and news coverage and an enhanced text service. All of the BBC's 'interactive' content comes under the banner of BBCi, or BBC Interactive.
The BBC is known to Americans through the BBC America cable station and Lionheart TV which rerun BBC programmes (but call them programs).
Television
United Kingdom:
- BBC1
- BBC2
- BBC Choice soon to be known as BBC3
- BBC4 formerly known as BBC Knowledge
- BBC Parliament
- BBC News 24
- CBBC Channel (Childrens digital channel aimed towards children over 8yrs)
- CBeebies (Childrens digital channel aimed towards children under 8yrs)
Europe:
Unites States:
World:
Radio
United Kingdom:
- BBC Radio
- BBC Radio 1(Contemporary music)
- BBC Radio 2(Older and easy listening music plus some comedy) was once The Light Programme
- BBC Radio 3(Jazz, classical and non-western music with cultural programming)
- BBC Radio 4(Speech based entertainment, debate and news programming) was once The Home Service
- BBC Radio 5 Live(News and sports analysis and commentary)
World:
The following stations are only available on digital radio or digtal satellite television.
- BBC Asian Network (Broadcasting in English and a variety of other languages)
- BBC Five Live Sports Plus(Extended and extra commentary of sports events)
- BBC Radio 1 Xtra(Contemporary black music)
- BBC Network 6(Adult indie-orientated music)
Misc
- BBC Ceefax
- BBCi look here for BBC web pages
/Programming (an assortment of BBC produced programmes)