BBC News facts for kids
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Digital logo from 2022
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| Division | |
| Industry | Broadcast media |
| Founded | 14 November 1922 |
| Headquarters | Broadcasting House, |
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Area served
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Specific services for United Kingdom and rest of world |
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Key people
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| Services | Radio, internet, and television broadcasts |
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Number of employees
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7,000 (5,500 journalists) |
| Parent | BBC |
| Divisions | BBC News Online BBC News (TV Channel) |
BBC News is a big part of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). It is in charge of finding and sharing news and important events in the UK and around the world. It is the largest news group for broadcasting globally. Every day, BBC News creates about 120 hours of radio and TV shows. It also provides lots of news online. Over 5,500 journalists work for BBC News. They are in 50 different countries, with more than 250 reporters stationed there.
Deborah Turness became the CEO of news and current affairs in September 2022.
In 2019, a report showed that the BBC spent £136 million on news. BBC News has its main newsrooms in Broadcasting House in central London. This is one of the biggest live newsrooms in Europe. News about Parliament is also made in London. The BBC also has local news centers across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. These centers create their own local news, sports, and other programs.
The BBC is a special organization that works independently from the government. It is set up by a royal charter.
Contents
History of BBC News
BBC News has a long and interesting history. It started with radio and grew to include television and online news.
How it All Began
The British Broadcasting Company first shared news on the radio on 14 November 1922. At first, newspapers did not want the BBC to compete with them. So, the government said the BBC could not broadcast news before 7 p.m. They also had to use news from other agencies.
Over time, the BBC was allowed to edit the news. In 1934, they started their own news team. But they still could not broadcast news before 6 p.m. until World War II. Besides regular news, the BBC also showed cinema newsreels on TV from 1936. They started their own Television Newsreel in 1948. A special Children's Newsreel began on 23 April 1950.
In 1946, the BBC started showing its radio news on TV. They used a still picture of Big Ben. Live TV news began on 5 July 1954. These broadcasts came from studios in Alexandra Palace in London.
Many people became interested in television after Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. About 27 million people in the UK watched it on TV. This was more than the 12 million who listened on the radio. This was the first time TV had more viewers than radio.
News in the 1950s
In the 1950s, TV news was still controlled by radio news. Reporters worked for both. The first TV news bulletin on 5 July 1954 was narrated by Richard Baker. He spoke while still pictures were shown.
On-screen newsreaders started appearing a year later in 1955. Kenneth Kendall was the first to be seen on screen. Robert Dougall and Richard Baker also became newsreaders.
In 1958, Hugh Carleton Greene became the head of News and Current Affairs.
Changes in the 1960s
On 1 January 1960, Hugh Carleton Greene became the Director-General. He wanted BBC news to be more like its competitor, ITN.
A new newsroom was built at Alexandra Palace. TV reporters were hired and allowed to write and read their own news. They did not have to cover stories for radio anymore.
On 20 June 1960, Nan Winton became the first female BBC network newsreader to appear on TV. On 19 September 1960, the radio news program The Ten O'clock News began.
BBC2 started broadcasting on 20 April 1964. It launched a new show called Newsroom.
The World at One, a lunchtime news program, started on 4 October 1965 on the Home Service radio. News Review, a summary of the week's news, began on BBC2 in 1964. It was the first news program in the UK to have subtitles for deaf people.
On 17 September 1967, The World This Weekend, a weekly news program, launched on what became Radio 4.
In 1967, the BBC started preparing for color TV. On 7 March 1968, Newsroom on BBC2 became the first UK news program to be shown in color.
The BBC moved its TV news production out of Alexandra Palace in 1969. BBC Television News started broadcasting from BBC Television Centre the next day. It stayed there until March 2013. This new studio allowed for better technology.
News in the 1970s
On 14 September 1970, the first Nine O'Clock News was shown on TV. It was moved to 9 p.m. to compete with ITN's News at Ten.
Angela Rippon became the first female news presenter of the Nine O'Clock News in 1975.
The first John Craven's Newsround, later called Newsround, started on 4 April 1972. This show was made especially for children.
In the mid-1970s, afternoon news bulletins were sometimes broadcast directly from the BBC newsroom. You could see staff working in the background.
News on radio also changed in the 1970s. New programs like PM and The World Tonight were added to Radio 4. Newsbeat launched on Radio 1 on 10 September 1973.
On 23 September 1974, Ceefax was launched. This was a teletext system that showed news on TV screens using only text. It was first made to help deaf viewers. Ceefax later offered much more, like weather and flight times. It stopped working on 23 October 2012.
By the end of the 1970s, filming news with film was less common. New electronic news gathering (ENG) technology was being used.
The 1980s in News
In 1980, Newsnight, a news and current affairs program, began. On 27 August 1981, Moira Stuart became the first African Caribbean female newsreader on British television.
By 1982, ENG technology was good enough to cover the Falklands War. This was the first time BBC News used an electronic camera, not film, in a conflict zone.
The first BBC breakfast TV show, Breakfast Time, started on 17 January 1983.
The Six O'Clock News first aired on 3 September 1984. It became the most watched news program in the UK for a while. In October 1984, reports by Michael Buerk showed images of the Ethiopian famine. These reports shocked Britain and led to huge donations for relief efforts. They also inspired Bob Geldof to organize the "Do They Know It's Christmas?" song and the Live Aid concert.
In 1981, BBC news bulletins got a common look. They used computer-animated "stripes" on a red background. This look changed in 1985 to a blue background. By 1987, each bulletin had its own style again.
In 1987, John Birt brought back the idea of reporters working for both TV and radio.
The 1990s and Digital Age
In the 1990s, BBC News started offering more services. BBC World (news and current affairs) and BBC Prime (entertainment) were created. A 24-hour news channel was needed. In 1997, BBC News 24 (now BBC News Channel) was launched in the UK. In 1998, after 66 years, the BBC Radio News moved to BBC Television Centre.
New technology in 1993 created virtual sets for BBC One bulletins. These sets looked much bigger than they were. All bulletins started to have a similar look.
In November 1997, BBC News Online was launched. It became a very popular news website.
In 1999, BBC News had a big relaunch. BBC One bulletins, BBC World, BBC News 24, and BBC News Online all adopted a common style. This also included local BBC news programs, giving a similar look across all BBC TV news.
The 2000s and Beyond
After the 1999 relaunch, regional headlines were added to BBC One news bulletins in 2000. Also in 2000, the Nine O'Clock News moved to 10 p.m. and became the BBC News at Ten.
In 2003, the BBC One news presenting team changed. George Alagiah and Sophie Raworth became presenters for the Six O'Clock News. Huw Edwards and Fiona Bruce moved to present the Ten O'Clock News. New sets and titles were introduced.
BBC News 24 and BBC World also updated their look in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, the BBC started combining resources. Bulletins began to be shown on both BBC One and News 24 at the same time.
New titles and a new set were introduced in May 2006. This allowed Breakfast to move into the main studio. The new set used large video screens showing the London skyline.
BBC News became part of a new BBC Journalism group in November 2006. This was part of a BBC reorganization.
In 2007, a new graphics system was introduced. Also, a new 90-second news summary began broadcasting at 8 p.m. on weekdays.
In April 2008, bulletins were renamed BBC News at One, Six, and Ten. BBC News 24 was renamed BBC News Channel. BBC World was renamed BBC World News. All news programs got a new look.
The 2010s and Modern News
From 2012 to 2013, all BBC news operations moved from Television Centre to new facilities. They moved to the refurbished Broadcasting House in Portland Place. This new building has modern radio and television studios. The move included the BBC World Service, which moved from Bush House. This new newsroom now houses all domestic and international BBC news operations.
In 2017, BBC News and CBS News started working together. They share video and newsgathering resources. This replaced an older partnership with ABC News.
A survey in 2018 found that BBC News was one of the most trusted news organizations by Americans.
The 2020s
In January 2020, the BBC announced plans to save money. This meant reducing about 450 staff members. They also planned to focus more on digital broadcasting to reach younger audiences.
BBC Three started airing a new news program called The Catch Up in February 2022. It is about three minutes long and aims to help young people understand the world. It also highlights positive stories.
As of 2021, India has the largest number of people using BBC services worldwide.
In November 2023, BBC News worked with many other media groups on the 'Cyprus Confidential' report. This report looked into financial networks connected to the Russian government.
What BBC News Does
BBC News creates news programs and documentaries for the BBC's TV channels. It also provides news for the BBC News Channel in the UK and the international BBC World News channel. News for BBC Parliament is also produced by BBC News. You can also find BBC News content on BBC Red Button interactive services.
The music for all BBC television news programs was created by David Lowe in 1999. It is part of the common style used across all BBC news.
The BBC Arabic Television news channel started on 11 March 2008. A Persian-language channel followed on 14 January 2009. Both channels broadcast news, analysis, and cultural programs. They are run by the BBC World Service.
Radio News
BBC Radio News makes news bulletins for the BBC's national radio stations. It also provides news to local BBC radio stations. The BBC World Service broadcasts to about 150 million people in English and 27 other languages around the world.
Online News
BBC News Online is the BBC's news website. It launched in November 1997. It is one of the most popular news websites globally. It gets over a billion visits each month. The website has international news, as well as entertainment, sports, science, and political news.
You can get BBC News on mobile apps for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone devices since 2010. Many TV and radio shows are also available on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. The BBC News channel is available 24 hours a day online. You can also find video and radio clips within online news articles.
In October 2019, BBC News Online launched a special version on the dark web called Tor. This helps people in countries with censorship to still access the news.
How BBC News Stays Independent
The BBC is supposed to be free from political and business influence. It is meant to serve only its viewers and listeners. This idea of being fair and unbiased is very important.
The BBC's rules say that they must show the views of different political parties. But the government of the day will often be the main source of news.
Sometimes, people accuse the BBC of being biased. Governments might say it favors the opposition. Opposition parties might say it favors the government. During wars, some people might say the BBC is too sympathetic to the "enemy." However, the BBC tries very hard to be fair and balanced in its reporting.
For example, during the Falklands War in 1982, a BBC reporter was praised for finding a clever way to report information without breaking rules.
After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a study looked at how the war was reported. It found that the BBC often used the British government and military as sources. It was less likely to use independent sources. However, the study also said that claims of the BBC being "anti-war" were not true.
Important people who work at the BBC are always watched for any signs of political bias. But the BBC tries to hire people who are fair. The former Director-General, Mark Thompson, said that in the past, some people at the BBC might have had a bias towards the left. But he said that today's younger journalists are much more impartial.
After the EU referendum in 2016, some people felt the BBC was biased towards leaving the EU. Others felt it was biased against it. Polls showed different opinions on this.
International Views
The BBC has faced accusations of bias regarding the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Some say it is biased against Israel, while others say it is biased against Palestine. Independent studies have looked into this. One study found that Israeli views were often given more coverage. Another panel found that while the BBC tries to be fair, its coverage sometimes did not fully show the different experiences of Israelis and Palestinians.
The BBC has also faced bans in some countries. This usually happens when its reporting is not favorable to the ruling government. For example, the BBC was banned in Zimbabwe under Mugabe for eight years. It was also banned in Burma (now Myanmar) after its coverage of protests. Other countries like Uzbekistan, China, and Pakistan have also blocked BBC News at times.
In June 2015, the Rwandan government banned BBC broadcasts. This was after a documentary about the 1994 Rwandan genocide was aired.
In February 2017, BBC reporters were denied access to a White House briefing in the United States. In 2017, BBC India was banned for a period from covering national parks. In 2021, China banned BBC News from airing in China.
Partnerships
BBC News works with other news organizations. Since 2017, it has partnered with CBS News. They share video, news content, and reporting resources around the world.
BBC News also uses news from major international agencies. These include PA Media, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse.
Images for kids
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Angela Rippon, pictured in 1983, became the first female news presenter in 1975.
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BBC News helicopter over London
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