Timeline of the BBC
Encyclopedia
1920s
- 1922
- 18 October - The British Broadcasting CompanyBritish Broadcasting CompanyThe British Broadcasting Company Ltd was a British commercial company formed on 18 October 1922 by British and American electrical companies doing business in the United Kingdom and licensed by the British General Post Office...
is formed. - 14 November - First BBC broadcasts from London (station 2LO2LO2LO was the second radio station to regularly broadcast in the United Kingdom . It began broadcasting on 11 May 1922, for one hour a day from the seventh floor of Marconi House in London's Strand...
). - 15 November - First broadcasts from Birmingham (station 5IT5IT5IT was a BBC radio station which broadcast from Birmingham, England, between 1922 and 1927. It was the BBC's second station, going live at 17.20 on 15 November 1922, the day after 2LO started daily BBC broadcasting from London and one hour forty minutes before 2ZY launched BBC broadcasting in...
) and Manchester (station 2ZY). - 24 December - First broadcast from Newcastle upon Tyne (station 5NO).
- 18 October - The British Broadcasting Company
- 1923
- 8 January - First outside broadcast, the British National Opera Company's production of The Magic FluteThe Magic FluteThe Magic Flute is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue....
from Covent GardenRoyal Opera HouseThe Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
. - 18 January - The UK Postmaster GeneralUnited Kingdom Postmaster GeneralThe Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
grants the BBC a licence to broadcast. - 13 February - First broadcast from Cardiff (station 5WA).
- 6 March - First broadcast from Glasgow (station 5SC).
- 28 September - First publication of the Radio TimesRadio TimesRadio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
listings magazine (price 2d). - 10 October - First broadcast from Aberdeen (station 2BD).
- 17 October - First broadcast from Bournemouth (station 6BM).
- 16 November - First broadcast from Sheffield (station 2FL).
- 8 January - First outside broadcast, the British National Opera Company's production of The Magic Flute
- 1924
- 28 March - First broadcast from Plymouth (station 5PY).
- 23 April - First broadcast by King George VGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, opening the British Empire ExhibitionBritish Empire ExhibitionThe British Empire Exhibition was a colonial exhibition held at Wembley, Middlesex in 1924 and 1925.-History:It was opened by King George V on St George's Day, 23 April 1924. The British Empire contained 58 countries at that time, and only Gambia and Gibraltar did not take part...
at Wembley Stadium. - 14 September - First broadcast from Belfast (station 2BE).
- 1925
- First BBC shortwaveShortwaveShortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
transmissions are broadcast from DaventryDaventryDaventry is a market town in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 22,367 .-Geography:The town is also the administrative centre of the larger Daventry district, which has a population of 71,838. The town is 77 miles north-northwest of London, 13.9 miles west of Northampton and 10.2...
's Borough HillBorough HillBorough Hill is a hill to the east of the town of Daventry in the English county of Northamptonshire. It is over above sea level and dominates the surrounding area.-Archaeology:...
.
- First BBC shortwave
- 1926
- 4 May - The General strike1926 United Kingdom general strikeThe 1926 general strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted nine days, from 4 May 1926 to 13 May 1926. It was called by the general council of the Trades Union Congress in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reduction and worsening...
begins. The BBC broadcasts five news bulletins a day as no newspapers are published. - 25 July - The previously experimental long-wave station 5XX moves from Chelmsford to Daventry and becomes the first station to achieve near national coverage. The Daventry station will later become the main transmitter of the BBC National ProgrammeBBC National ProgrammeThe BBC National Programme was a BBC radio station from the 1920s until the outbreak of World War II.-Foundation:When the BBC first began transmissions on 14 November 1922, the technology for both national coverage and joint programming between transmitters did not exist – transmitter powers were...
.
- 4 May - The General strike
- 1927
- 1 January - The British Broadcasting Company becomes the British Broadcasting Corporation, when it is granted a Royal Charter. Sir John ReithJohn Reith, 1st Baron ReithJohn Charles Walsham Reith, 1st Baron Reith, KT, GCVO, GBE, CB, TD, PC was a Scottish broadcasting executive who established the tradition of independent public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom...
becomes the first Director-GeneralDirector-General of the BBCThe Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation is chief executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC.The position was formerly appointed by the Board of Governors of the BBC and is now appointed by the BBC Trust....
. - 15 January - First live sports broadcast on the BBC. The rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
international England v Wales is commented on by Teddy WakelamTeddy WakelamCaptain Henry Blythe Thornhill Wakelam was an English sports broadcaster and rugby union player.He played rugby for Harlequin F.C. and became its captain. On 15 January 1927 Wakelam gave the first ever running sports commentary on BBC radio, a Rugby International match, England v Wales at...
. - 22 January - First live football match broadcast, featuring Arsenal's home league fixture against Sheffield United from HighburyArsenal StadiumArsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
.
- 1 January - The British Broadcasting Company becomes the British Broadcasting Corporation, when it is granted a Royal Charter. Sir John Reith
-
- March - The BBC coat of armsBBC coat of armsThe coat of arms of the BBC was adopted in March 1927 to represent the purpose and values of the corporation. While the coat of arms is now in relative obscurity — it does not appear on BBC programmes for example - this was not always the case. The coat of arms was modified in 1986 when the...
is adopted - 7 July - Christopher Stone presents a record programme, becoming the first British disc-jockey.
- 21 August - The first high-powered regional station (5GB), forerunner of the Midland Regional ProgrammeBBC Regional ProgrammeThe BBC Regional Programme was a UK radio network which operated from the end of the 1920s until the outbreak of World War II in 1939.-Foundation:...
, opens at Daventry.
- March - The BBC coat of arms
- 1929
- 20 August - First transmissions of John Logie BairdJohn Logie BairdJohn Logie Baird FRSE was a Scottish engineer and inventor of the world's first practical, publicly demonstrated television system, and also the world's first fully electronic colour television tube...
's experimental 30-line television system.
- 20 August - First transmissions of John Logie Baird
1930s
- 1930
- 14 July - Transmission of the first experimental television play, The Man With the Flower in His MouthThe Man With The Flower In His MouthThe Man With the Flower in His Mouth is a play by the Italian playwright Luigi Pirandello. It is particularly noteworthy for becoming, in 1930, the first piece of television drama ever to be produced in Britain, when a version was screened by the British Broadcasting Corporation as part of their...
. - 30 September - Number of radio licences reaches 12 million "or roughly every second home in the country".
- 14 July - Transmission of the first experimental television play, The Man With the Flower in His Mouth
- 1932
- 1 May - Broadcasting HouseBroadcasting HouseBroadcasting House is the headquarters and registered office of the BBC in Portland Place and Langham Place, London.The building includes the BBC Radio Theatre from where music and speech programmes are recorded in front of a studio audience...
, the BBC's headquarters and home to its main radio studios, is opened. - 22 August - First experimental television broadcast from Broadcasting House.
- 19 December - The Empire Service (precursor of the World ServiceBBC World ServiceThe BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
) launches. - 25 December - King George V becomes the first monarch to deliver a Christmas Day messageRoyal Christmas MessageThe Queen's Christmas Message is a broadcast made by the sovereign of the Commonwealth realms to the Commonwealth of Nations each Christmas. The tradition began in 1932 with a radio broadcast by George V on the British Broadcasting Corporation Empire Service...
by radio, on the Empire Service.
- 1 May - Broadcasting House
- 1936
- 2 November - The BBC opens the world's first regular high-definition television service, from Alexandra PalaceAlexandra PalaceAlexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
.
- 2 November - The BBC opens the world's first regular high-definition television service, from Alexandra Palace
- 1937
- 12 May - First use of TV outside broadcast van, for the coronationCoronation of the British monarchThe coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
procession of King George VIGeorge VI of the United KingdomGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
. - 21 June - The BBC broadcasts television coverage of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships for the first time.
- 16 September - BBC television broadcasts world's first live football match, a specially arranged fixture between Arsenal and Arsenal reserves.
- 12 May - First use of TV outside broadcast van, for the coronation
- 1938
- 3 January - The BBC begins broadcasting its first foreign-language radio service, in ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
. - 30 April - The BBC broadcasts television coverage of the FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
for the first time. - 27 September - Start of the European Service on radio, broadcasting in French, German and Italian. Portuguese and Spanish are added before the start of the Second World War.
- 3 January - The BBC begins broadcasting its first foreign-language radio service, in Arabic
- 1939
- 1 September - The BBC Television Service is suspended, about 20 minutes after the conclusion of a Mickey MouseMickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
cartoon (Mickey's Gala PremiereMickey's Gala PremiereMickey's Gala Premier is a Walt Disney cartoon produced in 1933, directed by Burt Gillett. It features several famous Hollywood film actors from the 1930s.Some sources claim this cartoon is called "Mickey's Gala Premiere"...
), due to the imminent outbreak of the Second World War, amid fears that the VHF transmissions would act as perfect guidance beams for enemy bombers attempting to locate central London - also, the technicians and engineers of the service will be needed for war efforts such as the RADARRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
programme. On radio, the Home ServiceBBC Home ServiceThe BBC Home Service was a British national radio station which broadcast from 1939 until 1967.-Development:Between the 1920s and the outbreak of The Second World War, the BBC had developed two nationwide radio services, the BBC National Programme and the BBC Regional Programme...
replaces the National and Regional Programmes.
- 1 September - The BBC Television Service is suspended, about 20 minutes after the conclusion of a Mickey Mouse
1940s
- 1940
- 7 January - Start of the BBC Forces ProgrammeBBC Forces ProgrammeThe BBC Forces Programme was a BBC radio station which operated from 7 January 1940 until 26 February 1944.-Foundation:Upon the outbreak of World War II, the BBC closed the existing BBC National Programme and BBC Regional Programme, combining the two to form a single channel known as the BBC Home...
on radio, precursor of the post-war Light Programme. - 11 May BBC starts Hindi news service.
- 7 January - Start of the BBC Forces Programme
- 1944
- 27 February - BBC General Forces ProgrammeBBC General Forces ProgrammeThe BBC General Forces Programme was a BBC radio station from 27 February 1944 until 31 December 1946.-Foundation:Upon the outbreak of World War II, the BBC closed the existing BBC National Programme and BBC Regional Programme, combining the two to form a single channel known as the BBC Home...
replaces the BBC Forces Programme (also broadcast on shortwave).
- 27 February - BBC General Forces Programme
- 1945
- 29 July - Regional radio programming resumes, and the Light Programme starts.
- 1946
- 7 June - BBC Television broadcasts (405 lines) resume after the war. One of the first programmes shown is the Mickey Mouse cartoon from 1939.
- 29 September - The Third Programme starts broadcasting on radio.
- 1947
- 7 October 1947 - Adelaide HallAdelaide HallAdelaide Hall was an American-born U.K.-based jazz singer and entertainer.Hall was born in Brooklyn, New York and was taught to sing by her father...
singing at a RadiOlympia variety show is the oldest surviving telerecorded programme in Britain. - 9 November - First use of telerecording of an outside broadcast: the Service of Remembrance from the Cenotaph is televised live, and a telerecording shown that evening.
- 20 November - The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten, Duke of EdinburghWedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten, Duke of EdinburghThe wedding of Princess Elizabeth , and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London.-Engagement:...
is televised by the BBC. Its watched by an estimated 400,000 viewers.
- 7 October 1947 - Adelaide Hall
- 1948
- 29 July - The London Olympic Games1948 Summer OlympicsThe 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
is televised. - 26 December - The first Reith Lecture is broadcast on radio.
- 29 July - The London Olympic Games
1950s
- 1950
- 21 May - Lime GroveLime Grove StudiosLime Grove Studios was a film studio complex built by the Gaumont Film Company in 1915 situated in a street named Lime Grove, inShepherd's Bush, west London, north of Hammersmith and described by Gaumont as "the finest studio in Great Britain and the first building ever put up in this country...
television studios open. - 27 August - First live television from the European continent, using BBC outside broadcast equipment.
- 21 May - Lime Grove
- 1951
- 1 January - First broadcast of The ArchersThe ArchersThe Archers is a long-running British soap opera broadcast on the BBC's main spoken-word channel, Radio 4. It was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", but is now described on its Radio 4 web site as "contemporary drama in a rural setting"...
, now the world's longest-running soap opera.
- 1 January - First broadcast of The Archers
- 1953
- 2 June - The coronation of Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in Westminster AbbeyWestminster AbbeyThe Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
is televised by the BBC and watched live by an estimated audience of 20 million people in the United Kingdom.
- 2 June - The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
- 1955
- 2 May - The BBC begins broadcasting its radio service on VHFVery high frequencyVery high frequency is the radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. Frequencies immediately below VHF are denoted High frequency , and the next higher frequencies are known as Ultra high frequency...
(FMFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
), using the WrothamWrothamWrotham is a village situated on the Pilgrims' Way in Kent, at the foot of the North Downs. It is located one mile north of Borough Green and approximately five miles east of Sevenoaks. It is within the junction of the M20 and M26 motorways....
transmitter. - 10 October - Alexandra Palace begins test transmissions of a 405-line405-lineThe 405-line monochrome analogue television broadcasting system was the first fully electronic television system to be used in regular broadcasting....
colour television service.
- 2 May - The BBC begins broadcasting its radio service on VHF
- 1956
- 28 March - Television transmissions begin from the new Crystal Palace site in south London.
- 1957
- 25 December - First TV broadcast of the Queen's Christmas Day message.
- 1958
- 5 May - First experimental transmissions of a 625-line television service.
- 16 October - First broadcast of the United Kingdom's longest-running children's television show Blue PeterBlue PeterBlue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
.
1960s
- 1960
- 29 June - BBC Television CentreBBC Television CentreBBC Television Centre at White City in West London is the headquarters of BBC Television. Officially opened on 29 June 1960, it remains one of the largest to this day; having featured over the years as backdrop to many BBC programmes, it is one of the most readily recognisable such facilities...
opens in Shepherd's BushShepherd's Bush-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
.
- 29 June - BBC Television Centre
- 1962
- 4 January - popular sit-com Steptoe and sonSteptoe and SonSteptoe and Son is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about two rag and bone men living in Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC from 1962 to 1965, followed by a second run from 1970 to 1974. Its theme tune, "Old...
begins - 28 August - Experimental stereo radio broadcasts begin.
- 4 January - popular sit-com Steptoe and son
- 1963
- 30 September - A globe is used as the BBC Television Service's logo for the first time.
- 23 November - First broadcast of the world's longest-running science fiction television programme, Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
.
- 1964
- 21 April - BBC2BBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
starts broadcasting (on 625 lines), it was originally planned to broadcast the previous day but a major power failure foiled that plan; the existing BBC Television Service is renamed to BBC1BBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
- 21 April - BBC2
- 1965
- 1 May - The General Overseas Service is renamed to the BBC World Service.
- 1967
- 25 June - The first worldwide live satellite programme, Our World, featuring the PopPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band, the BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, is televised. - 1 July - Experimental colour TV transmissions (625 lines) begin on BBC Two, starting with the Wimbledon tennis championships.
- 30 September - BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
is launched, as a response to the threat from pirate radioPirate radioPirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
station broadcasts of popular music. At the same time the Light, Third and Home services are renamed Radios 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, 3BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
and 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
. - 8 November - BBC Local RadioBBC Local RadioBBC Local Radio is the BBC's regional radio service for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of 40 stations. They cover a variety of areas with some serving a city and surrounding areas, for example BBC Radio Manchester; a county, for example BBC Radio Norfolk; an administrative region for...
starts. The first station is BBC Radio LeicesterBBC Radio LeicesterBBC Radio Leicester is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. The station broadcasts from studios in Leicester on 104.9 FM, on DAB, and via the BBC iPlayer.-History:...
. - 2 December - Colour television officially launched on BBC2.
- 25 June - The first worldwide live satellite programme, Our World, featuring the Pop
- 1969
- 15 November - BBC1 starts broadcasting in colour (simultaneous with rival ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
). First appearance of the Mirror Globe, cloured blue on blackNODD (Nexus Orthicon Display Device)NODD , which stands for Nexus Orthicon Display Device , was the method used for generating identifications for the BBC1 and BBC2 television networks from 1963 to February 1985.-About NODD:The term NODD can be used to mean a variety of different things...
.
- 15 November - BBC1 starts broadcasting in colour (simultaneous with rival ITV
1970s
- 1971
- 3 January - Open UniversityOpen UniversityThe Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
programmes start on both radio and television. - BBC adds stereo capability to Radio 3, with new technology called Pulse Code Modulation.
- 3 January - Open University
- 1972
- 23 October - The BBC announces that development work has begun on the CeefaxCeefaxCeefax is the BBC's teletext information service transmitted via the analogue signal, started in 1974 and will run until April 2012 for Pages from Ceefax, while the actual interactive service will run until 24 October 2012, in-line with the digital switchover.-History:During the late 60s, engineer...
teletextTeletextTeletext is a television information retrieval service developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. It offers a range of text-based information, typically including national, international and sporting news, weather and TV schedules...
service. - BBC adds stereo capability to Radio 2.
- 23 October - The BBC announces that development work has begun on the Ceefax
- 1973
- March - Experimental Ceefax teletext transmissions begin.
- BBC adds stereo capability to Radio 4.
- 1974
- 5 July - A quadrasonic (4-channel) radio programme goes out at midnight, using Radio 4 to carry the two front channels and Radio 3 to carry the two rear channels.
- 23 September - Regular Ceefax teletext service begins.
- December - BBC 1 mirror globe changes colour to yellow on blue.
- 1978
- 3 April - Regular radio broadcasts from ParliamentParliament of the United KingdomThe Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
begin. - 23 November - The BBC's radio stations switch medium wave frequencies: Radio 1 moves from 247 m (1214 kHz) to 275 and 285 m (1089 and 1053 kHz), Radio 2 moves from 1500 m (200 kHz long wave) to 330 and 433 m (909 and 693 kHz), Radio 3 moves from 464 m (647 kHz) to Radio 1's old frequency, and Radio 4 moves to Radio 2's old frequency. http://www.vintagebroadcasting.org.uk/bbcchanges.htm
- 3 April - Regular radio broadcasts from Parliament
- 1979
- 27 January - Radio 2 is the first BBC radio station to broadcast 24 hours a day. Its final nighttime closedown is at 2.00 on this date; from the next day onwards, "You, the night and the music" fills the "small hours" between 2.00 and 5.00. http://www.vintagebroadcasting.org.uk/r2goes24.htm
- 2 September - SubtitlingClosed captioningClosed captioning is the process of displaying text on a television, video screen or other visual display to provide additional or interpretive information to individuals who wish to access it...
of television programmes on Ceefax begins.
1980s
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- 1980
- November - The charity appeal Children in NeedChildren in NeedChildren in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
is launched.
- November - The charity appeal Children in Need
- 1981
- 7 June - first air of Managing the Micro on BBC-1 (shot 15 May)
- 29 July - The Wedding of Prince Charles & Lady Diana Spencer is produced by BBC Television & Radio with an audience of 750 million viewers and listeners in over 60 countries. Welsh Actor Richard Burton and Scottish writer, actor & Royal expert Tom Fleming are among the commentators.
- Autumn - BBC MicroBBC MicroThe BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
is produced for BBC Computer Literacy Project. - 5 September - BBC 1 Mirror globe changes colour to green on blue.
- 1983
- 17 January - BBC Breakfast Time - the UK's first breakfast television service - is launched, ahead of the ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
franchise TV-amTV-amTV-am was a breakfast television station that broadcast to the United Kingdom from 1 February 1983 to 31 December 1992. It made history by being the first national operator of a commercial television franchise at breakfast-time , and broadcast every day of the week for most or all of the period...
, which follows on 1 February and Sixty Minutes 24 October
- 17 January - BBC Breakfast Time - the UK's first breakfast television service - is launched, ahead of the ITV
- 1985
- 23 January - Television coverage of proceedings in the House of LordsHouse of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
begins. - 18 February - BBC One is given a major relaunch, along with the introduction of a new ident, the COW (Computer Originated World).
- 19 February - EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
premieres on BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
, with the death of Reg Cox. - 13 July - Live AidLive AidLive Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
is broadcast to the world on BBC One and BBC Radio 1, the first broadcast of its kind.
- 23 January - Television coverage of proceedings in the House of Lords
- 1986
- 1 April - All commercial activities of the BBC are now handled by BBC Enterprises Ltd.
- 27 October - BBC One starts a full daytime television service. Before today, excluding special events coverage, BBC One had closed down at times during weekday mornings and afternoons broadcasting trade test transmissions and, from May 1983, pages from CeefaxCeefaxCeefax is the BBC's teletext information service transmitted via the analogue signal, started in 1974 and will run until April 2012 for Pages from Ceefax, while the actual interactive service will run until 24 October 2012, in-line with the digital switchover.-History:During the late 60s, engineer...
.
- 1988
- 1 September - BBC External Services is renamed the World Service, and Radio 1 starts regular broadcasts on VHF in Scotland, northern England, the Midlands, and south Wales, Avon and Somerset, between 97-99 MHz. http://www.vintagebroadcasting.org.uk/r1vhf.htm (Crystal Palace has been broadcasting R1 on 104.8 MHz since October 1987, and would later switch to 98.8 MHz at 11.00 on 19 December 1989. http://www.transdiffusion.org/rmc/features/width.asp)
- 20 September - The Radio Data SystemRadio Data SystemRadio Data System, or RDS, is a communications protocol standard for embedding small amounts of digital information in conventional FM radio broadcasts. RDS standardises several types of information transmitted, including time, station identification and programme information.Radio Broadcast Data...
(RDS) launches, allowing car radios to automatically retune, display station identifiers and switch to local travel news.
- 1989
- 21 November - Television coverage of proceedings in the House of CommonsBritish House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
begins.
- 21 November - Television coverage of proceedings in the House of Commons
1990s
- 1990
- 27 August - Radio 5BBC Radio Five LiveBBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
begins broadcasting. - 5 September - New BBC building at White City opens.
- 27 August - Radio 5
- 1991
- 16 January - Radio 4 News FM starts Gulf WarGulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
broadcasts on BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
FMFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
frequencies. - 16 February - BBC One and BBC Two receive new idents generated from laserdisc, BBC One with a '1' encased in a swirling globeBBC One 'Virtual Globe' identThe "Virtual Globe" was the method of creating the BBC1 symbol that was used between 16 February 1991 and 3 October 1997.-Launch:The Virtual Globe replaced the Computer Originated World on 16 February 1991 and was designed by Martin Lambie-Nairn, owner of the Lambie-Nairn design agency...
, and BBC Two with eleven idents based around the numeral '2'. - 2 March - Radio 4 News FM closes and BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
returns to FMFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. - 15 April - The World Service Television News service is launched. Unlike World Service radio which is funded by direct grant from the Foreign and Commonwealth OfficeForeign and Commonwealth OfficeThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, WSTV is commercially funded and carries advertising, which means that it cannot be broadcast in the UK. - 31 July - The BBC's Lime Grove StudiosLime Grove StudiosLime Grove Studios was a film studio complex built by the Gaumont Film Company in 1915 situated in a street named Lime Grove, inShepherd's Bush, west London, north of Hammersmith and described by Gaumont as "the finest studio in Great Britain and the first building ever put up in this country...
close. - 31 August - BBC television starts officially broadcasting in stereo using the NICAMNICAMNear Instantaneous Companded Audio Multiplex is an early form of lossy compression for digital audio. It was originally developed in the early 1970s for point-to-point links within broadcasting networks...
system. (Some transmtters had been broadcasting in stereo since 1986, but these were classified as tests.) - 14 October - World Service TV launches its Asian service.
- 16 January - Radio 4 News FM starts Gulf War
- 1992
- 21 January - BBC SelectBBC SelectBBC Select was an overnight television service run by the BBC during the hours when BBC1 or BBC2 had closed down, usually between 2am and 6am.The channel showed programming intended for specialist audiences, such as businessmen, lawyers, nurses and teachers, and was designed to be viewed after...
launched overnight as a subscription service. - 29 February - BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
ceases broadcasting on medium wave (AMAM broadcastingAM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
) - 1 November - The satellite TV channel UK Gold, run by the BBC with Thames TelevisionThames TelevisionThames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
, starts broadcasting.
- 21 January - BBC Select
- 1994
- First BBC website created for the BBC Two series The NetThe Net (BBC)The Net was a TV series made by the BBC and shown in the mid 1990s. It ran for four series, the first of which began on 13 April 1994.The focus of the programme was primarily the Internet explosion of the time, though it also dealt with other emerging technologies and series one had a computer...
. - 27 March - Radio 5BBC Radio 5 (former)BBC Radio 5 was a BBC radio network that carried sport, children's and educational programmes.It was transmitted via analogue radio on 693 and 909 kHz, and lasted for three years and eight months. The success of BBC Radio 4's coverage of the Gulf War, on a service known as Scud FM,...
ends transmission. - 28 March - BBC Radio Five LiveBBC Radio Five LiveBBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
, a dedicated news and sport network, starts round-the-clock broadcasts. - 1 July - Radio 1 ceases broadcasting on medium wave (AMAM broadcastingAM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
) at 9.00. - July - Arabic television service launched with funding from the Saudi Arabian Mawarid Group.
- First BBC website created for the BBC Two series The Net
- 1995
- 16 January - World Service Television is renamed BBC WorldBBC WorldBBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
at 20.00. - 30 January - BBC PrimeBBC PrimeBBC Prime was the BBC's general entertainment TV channel in Europe and the Middle East from 30 January 1995 until 11 November 2009, when it was replaced by BBC Entertainment.-Launch:...
launched as a global channel by BBC Enterprises. - BBC Enterprises, the BBC's commercial arm, restructured as BBC WorldwideBBC WorldwideBBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
Ltd.
- 16 January - World Service Television is renamed BBC World
- 1996
- 21 April - Arabic television closes down when the Saudi backer pulls out following a row over coverage of the execution of a princess accused of adultery.
- June - Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
starts live streaming on the internet. - 7 June - The BBC is restructured by the Director-General, John Birt. In the new structure BBC Broadcast will commission programmes, and BBC Production will make them.
- 29 December - What was billed as the last ever episode of Only Fools and HorsesOnly Fools and HorsesOnly Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
is watched by 24.35 million viewers, the largest ever TV audience for a sitcom.
- 1997
- The BBC broadcasts the much praised "Perfect Day" corporate advertisement, featuring 27 artists singing lines of Lou Reed's original. The song later becomes a fund-raising single for Children in NeedChildren in NeedChildren in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
. - 28 February - The BBC sells its transmitters and transmission services to Castle Transmission Services for £244 million, to help fund its plans for the digital age.
- 6 September - The funeral of Diana Princess of Wales is presented on BBC Radio & Television and aired to over 200 countries worldwide. Nearly 3 billion viewers and listeners watch the ceremonies. In the USA, BBC's coverage is aired on A&E and CSPAN Cable Networks, while History Channel airs coverage from competing Sky News. David Dimbleby hosts the BBC coverage with Tom Fleming narrating the service inside Westminster Abbey.
- 4 October - Current corporate identity adopted. At a reported cost of £5m the new logo was introduced due to the increase in digital services, as it is designed to be more visible at small size it is better suited for use in websites and on screen "DOGsDigital on-screen graphicA digital on-screen graphic is a watermark-like station logo that many television broadcasters overlay over a portion of the screen-area of their programs to identify the channel...
." On Screen Identities changed, with BBC One adopting the Balloon Idents, and BBC Two retaining their 2's used from 1991, with new legendBBC Two 1991-2001 identsBBC Two '1991-2001' idents were broadcast from 16 February 1991 until 19 November 2001 on BBC Two. The idents were created by branding agency Lambie-Nairn, who also created the Channel 4 logo still used to this day. The idents consist of a sans-serif '2', enlarged in the middle on-screen,...
. - 8 November - The last ever closedown on BBC One. From the following day, BBC One broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with BBC News 24 filling the early hours.
- 9 November - BBC News 24BBC News 24BBC News is the BBC's 24-hour rolling news television network in the United Kingdom. The channel launched as BBC News 24 on 9 November 1997 at 17:30 as part of the BBC's foray into digital domestic television channels, becoming the first competitor to Sky News, which had been running since 1989...
, the Corporation's UK television news service, is launched at 17.30. - November 1997 - BBC News OnlineBBC News OnlineBBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
, a web-based news service, begins to expand and become more popular. - December 1997 - BBC Online, BBC's web presence, officially launched.
- The BBC broadcasts the much praised "Perfect Day" corporate advertisement, featuring 27 artists singing lines of Lou Reed's original. The song later becomes a fund-raising single for Children in Need
- 1998
- August - The BBC's domestic TV channels become available on Sky DigitalSky Digital (UK & Ireland)Sky is the brand name for British Sky Broadcasting's digital satellite television and radio service, transmitted from SES Astra satellites located at 28.2° east and Eutelsat's Eurobird 1 satellite at 28.5°E. The service was originally launched as Sky Digital, distinguishing it from the original...
's satellite service. An unintended consequenceUnintended consequenceIn the social sciences, unintended consequences are outcomes that are not the outcomes intended by a purposeful action. The concept has long existed but was named and popularised in the 20th century by American sociologist Robert K. Merton...
of this is that people in the rest of Europe can now watch BBC One and Two, using viewing cards from the UK, as the signal is encrypted for rights reasons. This applies even within the UK: people in England can now watch BBC channels from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and vice versa. - 23 September - The BBC launches BBC ChoiceBBC ChoiceBBC Choice was a BBC TV station which launched on 23 September 1998 and closed on 9 February 2003. It was the first British TV channel to broadcast exclusively in digital format, and was the first new channel from the BBC since BBC Two launched in 1964...
, its first new TV channel since 1964, available only on digital TV services. The BBC ParliamentBBC ParliamentBBC Parliament is a British television channel from the BBC. Its remit is to make accessible to all the work of the parliamentary and legislative bodies of the United Kingdom and the European Parliament...
TV channel also starts broadcasting on digital services. - 15 November - Public launch of digital terrestrial TV in the UK.
- August - The BBC's domestic TV channels become available on Sky Digital
- 1999
- 10 May - BBC network news relaunched with new music, titles and a red and ivory set. This design was used for the October 25 relaunch of News 24 - enhancing cross-channel promotion of the service.
- 20 May - The BBC's digital teletext service starts.
- 1 June - BBC KnowledgeBBC KnowledgeBBC Knowledge was an early BBC digital television channel, available by cable, satellite, or terrestrial digital broadcasting, providing a programme of documentary, cultural and educational television.-Launch:...
starts broadcasting on digital services.
2000s
- 2000
- 15 September - Final edition of Breakfast NewsBreakfast NewsBreakfast News was a breakfast news show which aired on BBC One from September 4, 1989 to September 15, 2000.The programme had been previously known as Breakfast Time....
on BBC One and BBC News 24, the last conventional news broadcast in the morning. - 2 October - The first edition of BreakfastBBC BreakfastBBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...
is broadcast, the new morning show on BBC One and News 24 from 6:00-9:30. (9:00 on BBC News 24), from daily. - 15 October - Final edition of the BBC Nine O'Clock NewsBBC Nine O'Clock NewsThe BBC Nine O'Clock News was the flagship BBC News programme launched on 14 September 1970, which ran until 15 October 2000, when it was controversially moved to BBC News at Ten....
on BBC One. Next day the programme controversially moved to Ten O'Clock News. - 16 October - OxfordshireOxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, once part of the South East, becomes part of South TodaySouth TodaySouth Today is the BBC's regional television news programme for East Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, West Sussex and the western fringes of Surrey...
.
- 15 September - Final edition of Breakfast News
- 2001
- 3 March - Bomb explodes outside Television Centre. The blast was later attributed to dissident Irish Republican terrorists and it is suggested the BBC PanoramaPanorama (TV series)Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
programme which named individuals as participants in the Omagh bomb was the motive. - 3 September - KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and SussexSussexSussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
get their own news programme, South East TodaySouth East TodayBBC South East Today is the BBC South East regional television news programme, serving Kent, East Sussex and the eastern fringes of Surrey. Prior to its launch on 3 September 2001, most of the viewers in the region received Newsroom South East, though some had been receiving South Today.South East...
. - 1 October - BBC LondonBBC LondonBBC London is the BBC English Region producing local radio, television, teletext and online services in London and parts of the surrounding area. Its output includes the daily BBC London News and the weekly Politics Show on television, the BBC London 94.9 radio station and local coverage of the...
is launched, replacing Newsroom South EastNewsroom South EastNewsroom South East was the name of the BBC's regional news programme for southeastern England. It was launched in March 1989 as the successor to London Plus, the South East's previous news programme...
. - 19 November - Last showing of current BBC TwoBBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
idents. These set of idents would have ended in 1997 with BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
's ident change but due to popularity the 1991 idents continued only with a new BBC logo and some newer ident sets. The new idents were Ivory 2's, interacting in a yellow world, with Purple box logo, the first BBC Channel to have one.
- 3 March - Bomb explodes outside Television Centre. The blast was later attributed to dissident Irish Republican terrorists and it is suggested the BBC Panorama
- 2002
- 11 February - CBBC ChannelCBBC ChannelCBBC is a BBC television channel aimed at 6 to 12 year olds. It complements the CBBC programming that continues to air on BBC One and BBC Two. Launched on 11 February 2002, it broadcasts from 7am to 7pm on Freeview, cable, IPTV and digital satellite, occupying the same bandwidth as, but a different...
and CBeebiesCBeebiesCBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
begin broadcasting on the major digital televisionDigital televisionDigital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
platforms: Freeview (digital terrestrial), digital cable and Sky Digital (digital satellite). - 2 March - BBC FourBBC FourBBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
is launched at 19:00 in a simulcastSimulcastSimulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
with BBC TwoBBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. It replaces BBC KnowledgeBBC KnowledgeBBC Knowledge was an early BBC digital television channel, available by cable, satellite, or terrestrial digital broadcasting, providing a programme of documentary, cultural and educational television.-Launch:...
. - 29 March - BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
rebrands with the controversial Rhythm and Movement Idents, including Dancers in Red dancing in different locations. The red box logo was also used for these idents.
- 11 February - CBBC Channel
- 2003
- 9 February - BBC ThreeBBC ThreeBBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
is launched at 19:00 in a simulcastSimulcastSimulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
with BBC TwoBBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. It replaces BBC ChoiceBBC ChoiceBBC Choice was a BBC TV station which launched on 23 September 1998 and closed on 9 February 2003. It was the first British TV channel to broadcast exclusively in digital format, and was the first new channel from the BBC since BBC Two launched in 1964...
. - 8 December - BBC News 24 relaunched again with a new set and titles, as well as a new Breaking News sting. Networked news on BBC One and Two remains with the same titles though the set was redesigned in a similar style to that of the new News 24.
- 9 February - BBC Three
- 2004
- 28 January - Publication of the Hutton InquiryHutton InquiryThe Hutton Inquiry was a 2003 judicial inquiry in the UK chaired by Lord Hutton, who was appointed by the Labour government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of David Kelly, a biological warfare expert and former UN weapons inspector in Iraq.On 18 July 2003, Kelly, an employee...
, and subsequent resignation of the Chairman Gavyn DaviesGavyn DaviesGavyn Davies, OBE was the chairman of the BBC from 2001 until 2004, a former Goldman Sachs banker and a former economic advisor to the British Government...
. - 30 January - Resignation of the Director General, Greg DykeGreg DykeGregory "Greg" Dyke is a British media executive, journalist and broadcaster. Since the 1960s, Dyke has a long career in the UK in print and then broadcast journalism. He is credited with introducing 'tabloid' television to British broadcasting, and reviving the ratings of TV-am...
. Mark ByfordMark ByfordMark Byford was Deputy Director General of the British Broadcasting Corporation and head of BBC Journalism from 2004-2011. He chaired the BBC Journalism Board and had overall responsibility for the world’s largest and most trusted news organisation, and all its radio, television and interactive...
takes over as acting Director General. - 16 February - Network news titles relaunched in the style of BBC News 24, introduced two months earlier.
- 17 May - Appointment of Michael GradeMichael GradeMichael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
as new Chairman - 21 May - Appointment of Mark ThompsonMark ThompsonMark John Thompson is Director-General of the BBC, a post he has held since 2004, and a former chief executive of Channel 4...
as new Director General - 5 July - 50th Anniversary of television news broadcasts.
- 1 October - BBC Technology, incorporating the BBC's Broadcast Engineering division, is sold to Siemens AGSiemens AGSiemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
Business Services for approximately £200m, and a £2bn, 10 year outsourcing contract.
- 28 January - Publication of the Hutton Inquiry
- 2005
- 20 March - Mark Thompson announces staff of 27,000 to be cut by 3,780.
- 23 May - Over one third of staff join strike in response to job cuts n:BBC drops programmes as third of staff join strike.
- 1 August - BBC Broadcast, formerly Broadcasting & Presentation and responsible for the playout and branding of all BBC Channels, is sold to Creative Broadcast Services, owned by the Macquarie Capital Alliance Group and Macquarie Bank. It is renamed Red Bee Media on 31 October.
- December - Czech and Polish sections of the BBC World Service cease to exist. Eight other sections are to follow soon.
- 2006
- 27 May - The BBC's first scheduled HDTV broadcast on BBC HDBBC HDBBC HD is a high-definition television network provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007...
- 14 August - The One ShowThe One ShowThe One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...
first broadcast on BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
and was a modern day version of highly popular series Nationwide. Popular journalism returned to BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
early evening schedule. - 1 September - BBC EntertainmentBBC EntertainmentBBC Entertainment is an international television channel showcasing comedy, drama, light entertainment and children's programming from the BBC and other UK production houses...
replaces BBC Prime in global markets. - 7 October - BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
rebrands from the Rhythm and Movement idents to the current Circle IdentsBBC One 'Circle' identsThe BBC One 'Circle' idents are a set of on-screen channel identities that debuted on BBC One at 10am BST on 7 October 2006. They also feature on the BBC Worldwide channel, BBC America...
. - 28 November - Resignation of Chairman Michael Grade, to join ITV.
- 31 December - The BBC's then-current Royal CharterRoyal CharterA royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
and Agreement expired.
- 27 May - The BBC's first scheduled HDTV broadcast on BBC HD
- 2007
- 22 January - BBC News 24 re-relaunched with new titles and new Astons.
- 18 February - BBC TwoBBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
rebrands from the yellow 2's, to the current Window on the World 2's. - July - BBC KnowledgeBBC Knowledge (Worldwide)BBC Knowledge is an international television channel showcasing factual and non-fiction entertainment programming from the BBC and independent UK production houses. Wholly owned by BBC Worldwide, it is not related to the previous channel known as BBC Knowledge, an early digital channel which closed...
launched as a global channel by BBC Worldwide. - 3 September - CBBC identity relaunched, with its third marketing campaign since the launch of the CBBC Channel.
- 20 October - BBC SwitchBBC SwitchBBC Switch was the brand for BBC content aimed at UK teenagers. The brand launched on Saturday 20 October 2007 on BBC Two And ceased broadcasting on Saturday 17 December 2010...
teenage block of shows is launched to cater for the under-served 12-16 year olds. - 25 December - BBC iPlayerBBC iPlayerBBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an internet television and radio service, developed by the BBC to extend its former RealPlayer-based and other streamed video clip content to include whole TV shows....
an online service for watching previously aired shows is launched
- 2008
- 22 January - BBC Three has its identity relaunched, showcasing new shows such as Lily Allen and FriendsLily Allen and FriendsLily Allen and Friends is a British TV talk show presented by Lily Allen. The programme is produced by Princess Productions for BBC Three. It was first shown on 12 February 2008. The audience consists entirely of Lily's online friends, who sign up via the programme's website...
. - 21 April - Name changes for BBC News 24 and BBC World. Now BBC News and BBC World News.
- 19 September -BBC Alba, a Scottish Gaelic language digital television channel, launched through a partnership between BBC and MG ALBA.
- 16 October - Blue PeterBlue PeterBlue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
reaches fifty years old on BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
with a live celebration at BBC Television Centre.
- 22 January - BBC Three has its identity relaunched, showcasing new shows such as Lily Allen and Friends
- 2009
- 14 January- BBC's Persian language news channelBBC Persian TelevisionBBC Persian Television is the BBC's Persian language news channel that was launched on 14 January 2009. The service can be accessed through satellite television, and is aimed at the 100 million Persian speakers in Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan....
was launched
- 14 January- BBC's Persian language news channel
2010s
- 2010
- 19 February - EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
celebrates 25 years with a special live edition, where the murderer of Archie MitchellArchie MitchellArchibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb.The character of Archie is the father of already established characters Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell , and a member of the Mitchell family, who have appeared in the soap since 1990...
is revealed. Over 16 million viewers tuned in to find Stacey SlaterStacey SlaterStacey Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lacey Turner. She made her first appearance on 1 November 2004. The character was introduced as a feisty and troublesome teenager, an extension of the already established Slater clan...
to be the killer. - August/September - The One ShowThe One ShowThe One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...
received new presenters, Jason ManfordJason ManfordJason John Manford is an English comedian, television presenter and actor.- Early life :Manford was born to an Irish family in Salford, Greater Manchester, a son of Sharon , who is a Catholic and Ian Manford. He grew up in poverty in a terraced house in Manchester...
, Alex JonesAlex JonesAlex or Alexander Jones may refer to:*Alex Jones , U.S. radio host and filmmaker*Alex Jones , Major League Baseball pitcher from 1889 to 1903...
and Chris Evans, who take over from Christine BleakleyChristine BleakleyChristine Louise Bleakley is a television presenter from Northern Ireland. She joined Daybreak on ITV as co-presenter with Adrian Chiles in September 2010...
and Adrian ChilesAdrian ChilesAdrian Chiles is a British television and radio presenter, currently working for ITV Sport presenting football coverage....
who now present DaybreakDaybreak (ITV)Daybreak is the weekday breakfast television programme on the British commercial ITV network that broadcasts on weekday mornings from 06:00 to 08:30 and is currently presented by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley from Monday to Thursday with Dan Lobb and Kate Garraway on Fridays...
on ITV. - 9/10 September - One of EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
well known characters "Peggy MitchellPeggy MitchellMargaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
" (portrayed by Barbara WindsorBarbara WindsorBarbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
) leaves the show after 16 years. A storyline involving "The Queen VictoriaThe Queen VictoriaThe Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
" being burnt down, and making an emotional walk out of Albert SquareAlbert SquareAlbert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
. - 3 November - BBC One HD; a high-definition simulcast of a national version of BBC One is launched across all digital platforms.
- 19 February - EastEnders
- 2011
- 29 April - The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine MiddletonWedding of Prince William and Catherine MiddletonThe wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince William, the eldest son of Charles, Prince of Wales, first met Catherine Middleton in 2001, when both were studying at the University of St Andrews. Their...
takes place, with the BBC airing the ceremonies across its radio, TV and online platforms in the UK.
- 29 April - The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton