BBC Full Form

BBC, or the British Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the most revered broadcasters globally. It is the world’s leading public service broadcasting corporation, established by the Royal Charter. Established in 1922, the BBC will be celebrating its centenary this year. The corporation, being a publicly funded company, i.e. it is funded by the license fees paid by the people in the UK, has the mission to act in the public interest and serve the audience, while its vision is being one of the most creative organisations in the world out there. It is majorly known for its impartial content, independence in its working, with a motive to educate and entertain hundreds and millions of people, not only restricted to the UK but also, around the globe.

History

The British Broadcasting Company, Ltd. was founded in 1922 as a private company with only British manufacturers allowed to own shares. The company was liquidated in 1925, after a parliamentary committee’s suggestion, and replaced in 1927 by the British Broadcasting Corporation, a public corporation. The BBC’s initial charter granted it a monopoly over all aspects of broadcasting in the United Kingdom. John Reith (later Lord Reith), who served as general manager from 1922 to 1927 and director-general from 1927 to 1938, was a pivotal player in the company’s early years. He pioneered radio transmission across the British Isles, established the empire’s shortwave broadcasting programme, and oversaw the creation of the world’s first regular television station in 1936. His public service broadcasting model was adopted in the United Kingdom and inspired broadcasting in many other countries. The Empire Service, the predecessor to the BBC World Service, began broadcasting in 1932. By the early twenty-first century, the programme had reached over 120 million individuals globally in more than 40 languages. In 1991, World Service Television began broadcasting, and in 1997, BBC News 24, a 24-hour news service, was launched. The BBC has also had success with the syndication of their television programmes in other countries.

What does it do?

While the BBC is the case widely known for its news broadcasting services worldwide, it offers a couple of other services as well. It has a wide range of channels, including ten national TV channels, ten national radio stations, BBC Three, an internet Television service and an extensive website. While not missing out on regional services, it offers regional programmes and has 40 regional radio stations, making it one of the most extensive broadcasters around the globe.

 It broadcasts some of the most famous TV series, including one of the most-watched channels, BBC One in the UK. It has ten radio networks in the pan UK, which provides live music broadcasting and a speech radio, providing information and entertainment at the same time. The Broadcaster operates in over 40 languages in addition to English globally. Apart from the content it provides to the public of the UK, as a part of its public services domain, the broadcaster is also a leader in its commercial operations, including the BBC Studios, which is not only an award-winning production company but also significantly contributes to the additional revenue required for investment in new avenues and ventures. The company focuses on serving the audience and has very strong customer care and complaint mechanisms. Its precision and quality have made a benchmark for all other media houses, and now, for around a century, it has been able to leave its mark all across the world.

Subsidiaries 

While the services and channels are available in over 120 territories, some of its subsidiaries include BBC Scotland, BBC News, BBC Weather, BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Northern Ireland, among others. Some of its famous brands include Gold, W, Dave, Drama, Alibi and Eden. 

The Management

The Management consists of a Board, an Executive Committee and a Commercial Holdings Board. While the BBC Board is responsible for ensuring the quality delivery of the public purposes and the mission of the BBC, the Executive Committee holds the responsibility of everyday management of the broadcasting behemoth. As the name suggests, the Commercial Holdings Board looks after the governance, assurance and functioning of BBC’s commercial subsidiaries. Regulated by Ofcom, the company gets an operational framework that is issued by Ofcom, and it also sets a license containing the regulatory conditions required to be met. The BBC gets its financial statements audited by the Controller and Auditor-General supported by the National Audit Office. 

Conclusion

The BBC, being one of the best and world’s leading broadcasting companies, not only works for public purposes but also stands out when it comes to its commercial ventures as well. BBC Studios is an award-winning production company and a world-class distributor. It also timely revises its mission after every five years and has been able to provide the best services globally. The BBC has set standards for all other broadcasting companies and media houses. While remaining the most-watched channel, even after around 100 years, the BBC still has its brand. Covering the major issues all across the globe and being funded by the public itself, they ensure that the fund is used for new investment opportunities to be creative as much as possible with each passing day.