BBC

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The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the largest broadcasting organisation in the world.[1] In its own words it is an 'autonomous public service broadcaster' [1] operating under a Royal Charter [2]. Within the UK, it is funded principally by an annual television licence fee, which is charged to all United Kingdom households, companies and organisations using any type of equipment to record and/or receive live television broadcasts. The level of the fee is set annually by the UK Government and agreed by Parliament. The BBC's main responsibility under its charter is to provide 'public service broadcasting' within the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Outside the United Kingdom the BBC broadcasts commercially funded channels such as BBC America, BBC Canada, and BBC World News. It also has a substantial presence on the Internet. Its global headquarters are located in London.

Origins

The BBC was the first national state broadcasting organisation. [3] Founded on 18 October 1922 as the 'British Broadcasting Company Ltd', it was subsequently granted a Royal Charter [2] and was made a publicly funded corporation in 1927. The stated mission of the BBC is "to inform, educate and entertain" - as laid down by Parliament in the BBC Charter; [4] its motto is "Nation Shall Speak Peace Unto Nation".

The BBC is a quasi-autonomous public corporation. The Corporation is run by the BBC Trust - strapline: "Getting the best out of the BBC for licence fee payers" [5]; and is, per its charter, supposed to be "free from both political and commercial influence and answers only to its viewers and listeners".[6]

See Also

  • MSM - for a brief discussion of covert BBC subservience, control and biases

External sites

References


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