BBC News (international TV channel) facts for kids
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Logo used since 2023
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| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Worldwide (except UK) |
| Network | BBC News |
| Headquarters | Broadcasting House |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 576i/480i for the SDTV feeds; Latin American and Indian subfeeds downscaled to letterboxed 4:3 480i) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | BBC Studios (BBC Global News Ltd) |
| Sister channels | See list |
| History | |
| Launched | 16 January 1995 |
| Former names | BBC World (1995–2008) BBC World News (2008–2023) |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Boxer TV Access (Sweden) | Channel 27 |
| RiksTV (Norway) | Channel 55 |
| Digital terrestrial television (Andorra) | Channel 20 |
| ERT Digital (Greece) | Channel 48 Channel 56 (HD) |
| GOtv (Sub-Saharan Africa) | Channel 41 |
| Digital terrestrial television (Mauritius) | Channel 2 |
| Nexmedia (Indonesia) | Channel 703 |
| Oqaab (Afghanistan) |
Channel 43 |
| DStv (Sub-Saharan Africa) | Channel 400 |
| Zuku TV (Kenya) | Channel 510 |
BBC News (which used to be called BBC World News) is a TV channel that broadcasts news in English all around the world. It's owned by a part of BBC Studios called BBC Global News Ltd. The channel is run by the BBC News team.
This channel shows news reports, documentaries, and other factual shows. Its main studios are in London, Washington, D.C., and Singapore. Since April 2023, this international channel mostly shares its schedule with the BBC News channel that broadcasts in the UK.
The channel first started on 11 March 1991, and was known as BBC World Service Television outside Europe. It changed its name to BBC World on 16 January 1995. Then, on 21 April 2008, it became BBC World News. Finally, on 3 April 2023, it changed to BBC News (International) when it joined up with the UK's BBC News Channel. The BBC says that its global news channels reach a huge audience, with about 99 million viewers every week in 2016–2017.
Unlike the BBC channels in the UK, this international channel gets its money from subscriptions and advertising. It doesn't use the TV licence fee that people in the UK pay. Because of this, the channel doesn't broadcast directly in the UK. However, some of its shows are shown on the UK's BBC News channel, especially late at night. Also, some UK shows like Click and HARDtalk are shown on the international channel.
In April 2023, the BBC started to combine the two channels even more. Both channels now use the "BBC News" name. The international channel still has adverts, but both channels share a common schedule. The UK channel can show different news or programmes when needed for UK audiences.
Contents
How BBC News Started
The channel began as BBC World Service Television. It was set up as a business, meaning it had to earn its own money. The British government decided not to pay for this new TV service. (In contrast, BBC World Service radio used to get money from the government until 2014.) The TV channel started broadcasting on 11 March 1991. At first, it only showed a half-hour news report once a day at 7:00 PM GMT.
On 26 January 1995, BBC World Service Television split into two different channels:
- BBC World started broadcasting on 16 January 1995 at 7:00 PM GMT. It became a 24-hour English news channel that was free to watch internationally.
- BBC Prime started broadcasting on 30 January 1995 at 7:00 PM GMT. This channel showed entertainment programmes from the BBC. It was later renamed BBC Entertainment.
Changes to the Channel's Look
On 3 April 2000, BBC World changed its on-screen design. It started to look more like its sister channel in the UK, BBC News 24. The new design used red and cream colours and was created by Lambie-Nairn. The music, composed by David Lowe, had a unique 'drums and beeps' style. This was different from the orchestral music often used by other news programmes.
On 8 December 2003, the channel had another smaller makeover. It kept the 'drums and beeps' music but got new graphics. The main colours changed to black and red. Later in 2004, the channel's slogan became Putting News First.
On 21 April 2008, the channel was renamed BBC World News. This was part of a big update to all of the BBC's news channels. New graphics and music were introduced.
Moving to Broadcasting House
On 14 January 2013, the channel moved to Broadcasting House from its old home at Television Centre. This move brought BBC News and other BBC departments into one building in Central London. Broadcasting House was updated for this, with new newsrooms and modern studios.
Joining with the UK News Channel
On 26 May 2022, the BBC announced plans to combine the domestic BBC News channel in the UK with BBC World News. This was part of a plan to make things more efficient. The two channels would share more content but could still show different things when needed. The BBC said this would bring "new main programmes" with well-known journalists. To get ready, the BBC added more staff to its office in Washington, D.C..
The first changes happened on 3 April 2023. The BBC World News channel changed its name to BBC News. It also started to share its presenters and programmes with the UK BBC News channel. This led to some job changes for about 50 employees. Even with these changes, the international BBC News channel still shows different programmes for UK audiences. For example, it doesn't show the news bulletins from BBC One or Newsnight.
How BBC News is Broadcast
Live news programmes are made in studios B, C, and E at Broadcasting House in London. Some pre-recorded shows come from studios A and D, and the BBC Millbank studio. Programmes also come from Manchester, Singapore, and Washington. The BBC News newsroom is now part of a bigger newsroom in Broadcasting House, which includes BBC World Service and UK news services.
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The channel used to broadcast in a 4:3 format. On 13 January 2009, BBC World News started broadcasting in 16:9 format. This began in Europe and then spread to other regions like Asia.
High-Definition (HD) Broadcasting
When BBC News moved to Broadcasting House, it got new studios and equipment that could broadcast in HD. On 5 August 2013, the international BBC News channel became available in HD in the Middle East. On 1 April 2015, BBC World News in English started broadcasting in HD for free to viewers in Europe and North Africa.
Watching BBC News Around the World
BBC News says that about 74 million people watch it every week in over 200 countries. It's usually available as a free channel. You can watch it through cable, satellite, IPTV, and streaming services.
In the United States, you can find the channel on providers like Comcast and Verizon Fios. Since 2023, AMC Networks helps distribute the channel and sells its advertising in the US.
BBC News also shares its news programmes with public TV stations across the US. For example, WETA in Washington, D.C., helps distribute shows like BBC World News America.
Some countries have blocked BBC News. For example, in 2021, China blocked the channel.
Watching BBC News Online
You can watch the channel online in the US as part of Sling's World News package.
Watching BBC News in the UK
TV platforms in the UK (like Freeview and Sky) don't officially offer the international BBC News channel. This is because it has adverts, and BBC's domestic channels are paid for by the TV licence fee. However, people in the UK can still watch it if they have a satellite dish. The UK also has its own BBC News channel, which shows many of the same programmes.
Some programmes from the international channel are officially available to UK viewers. These shows are broadcast on the BBC's domestic channels or can be watched online on BBC iPlayer. For example, from midnight to 5 AM UK time, the news bulletins are shown on both the UK and international channels.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, BBC News and BBC World News started showing more of the same programmes at the same time. This extra shared broadcasting became permanent in August 2020. Now, the two channels often show the same content during certain hours each day.
What Programmes Does BBC News Show?
Here are some of the live news programmes you can watch:
- BBC News – This covers international news.
- BBC World News America – News from America and around the world, broadcast live from Washington DC.
- The Context with Christian Fraser – This show reports on international news, focusing on the UK, Europe, and the US.
- Focus on Africa – This is the main African news programme, with news, business, and sports from the continent.
- Newsday – Broadcast live from Singapore, this show gives news and analysis from an Asian and global point of view.
- Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg - Interviews and analysis of the week's big news from the UK and around the world.
- Verified Live - This show checks facts and data behind the news.
- BBC News Now - Fast-moving breaking news with live interviews.
- The Daily Global - A quick look at global news every day.
Here are some live business and sport programmes:
- Asia Business Report – Live from Singapore.
- Sport Today – International sports news and results.
- World Business Report
Here are some pre-recorded programmes:
- Click – A technology programme for people who aren't tech experts.
- HARDtalk – In-depth interviews with interesting people from all walks of life.
- Newsnight – Highlights from the daily UK news programme.
- Our World – Documentaries.
- Panorama – A current affairs programme with interviews and investigative reports.
- Reporters – Weekly reports from the BBC's journalists.
- Talking Movies
- The Travel Show
BBC News Bulletins
Half-hour BBC News reports are available to PBS stations in the US. Most Americans can watch these reports. On PBS stations, BBC News doesn't have traditional commercials. Instead, news stories fill the breaks.
Many airlines around the world also show pre-recorded parts of BBC News or have full news reports available on their in-flight entertainment systems.
News Presenters
Former Presenters
- Samira Ahmed
- Karen Bowerman
- Tony Campion
- Jonathan Charles
- Stephen Cole
- James Dagwell
- Dharshini David
- Martine Dennis
- Juliet Dunlop
- Maya Even
- Adrian Finighan
- Rico Hizon
- Donald MacCormick
- Anita McNaught
- Richard Quest
- Daniela Ritorto
- Owen Thomas
- Alastair Yates
How the Channel Looks and Sounds
BBC News is mostly the same channel everywhere in the world. The only differences are usually the commercials. However, some regions might have slightly different programmes. For example, some shows are made just for viewers in India. Also, the weather forecasts focus on the area where the viewer is watching.
When there are no commercials, the channel shows promotions for upcoming programmes. During BBC News, a news story that hasn't been promoted might air during what would be an advert break. This happens on the online versions of BBC News and on versions shown on PBS stations in the US. However, some global commercials and sponsorships are shown across the network.
Since it started, and especially since it joined closely with the BBC News channel, the countdown to the hourly news bulletin has been a special part of the channel's look. It comes with music composed by David Lowe. The current countdown shows reporters and technical staff working in different places to bring news stories to air. The countdown can be short, just a few seconds, or longer, up to 45 seconds.
Awards BBC News Has Won
The channel, when it was called BBC World News, was named Best International News Channel at the Association for International Broadcasting Awards in November 2006. It also won a Peabody Award in 2007 for a programme called White Horse Village. It won another Peabody Award in 2009 for Where Giving Life is a Death Sentence.
See also
In Spanish: BBC News (canal de televisión internacional) para niños
