Full History Of BBC In Timeline From 1920

June 1920: First Live Public Broadcast

In June 1920, Britain's first live public broadcast was made from the Marconi Company in Chelmsford, featuring Dame Nellie Melba and sponsored by the Daily Mail.

October 1922: Formation of the British Broadcasting Company Ltd

In October 1922, the British Broadcasting Company Ltd. was formed, jointly owned by a consortium of leading wireless receiver manufacturers.

December 1922: Appointment of John Reith as General Manager

In December 1922, John Reith was appointed as the general manager of the British Broadcasting Company Ltd. a few weeks after its first official broadcast.

1922: Establishment of the British Broadcasting Company

In 1922, the British Broadcasting Company was originally established.

1922: Formation of the BBC

In 1922, the British Broadcasting Corporation was formed and has since played a prominent role in British life and culture.

September 1923: Launch of the Radio Times Magazine

In September 1923, the Radio Times, the world's first radio and television listings magazine, was launched by Reith.

September 1923: First Publication of Radio Times

On 28 September 1923, the BBC first published the Radio Times, the world's first broadcast listings magazine.

1923: Start of Radio Times Magazine

In 1923 the BBC Genome project scanned listings of all BBC programmes from the first issue of the Radio Times Magazine.

1923: Launch of Radio Times

In 1923, the BBC launched Radio Times, the first broadcast listings magazine.

1925: Crawford Committee Recommendation

In 1925, the Crawford Committee recommended that the British Broadcasting Company be replaced by a non-commercial, Crown-chartered organization.

1925: Future of broadcasting under consideration by the Crawford committee.

In 1925, the future of broadcasting was under consideration by the Crawford committee.

1926: BBC becomes primary news source due to general strike.

In May 1926, during the United Kingdom general strike, the BBC became the primary source of news after newspaper production was temporarily interrupted.

January 1927: Establishment of the British Broadcasting Corporation

On January 1, 1927, the British Broadcasting Corporation came into existence, with John Reith appointed as its first director general.

1927: BBC Takes Over Production of the Proms

In 1927, the BBC began producing the BBC Proms, an annual eight-week summer classical music festival, after music publishers Chappell and Co withdrew their support.

1927: Evolution into British Broadcasting Corporation

In 1927, the British Broadcasting Company evolved into its current state, becoming the British Broadcasting Corporation on New Year's Day.

March 1928: Relaxation of BBC Censorship

On 5 March 1928, Stanley Baldwin, the Prime Minister, allowed the BBC to address matters of religious, political or industrial controversy, while maintaining the censorship of editorial opinions on public policy.

1928: Start of Daily Service Broadcast

In 1928, the BBC first broadcast the Daily Service, a 15-minute religious service.

1929: Animosities between BBC and Media Establishments

By 1929, the BBC faced animosities with media establishments, with agents fearing broadcasting harmed artists. The BBC also sought cooperation with recording companies, and radio plays were highly popular.

1929: Experimental Television Broadcasts Begin

In 1929, the BBC started experimental television broadcasts using an electromechanical 30-line system developed by John Logie Baird.

1930: BBC Symphony Orchestra Performs at All Proms

In 1930, the newly formed BBC Symphony Orchestra performed at all 49 Proms concerts.

October 1932: BBC Censorship of Police Protest

In October 1932, the BBC censored its coverage of the Metropolitan Police Federation's protest against a proposed pay cut, broadcasting only official government statements.

1932: Launch of the BBC Empire Service

In 1932, the BBC Empire Service, which is now known as the BBC World Service, was launched.

1932: Limited Regular Television Broadcasts Begin

In 1932, the BBC began limited regular television broadcasts using the John Logie Baird system.

1933: BBC and MI5 informally trade information

In 1933, BBC executive Colonel Alan Dawnay began to meet the head of MI5, Sir Vernon Kell, to informally trade information.

1935: Formal arrangement for vetting job applicants

From 1935, a formal arrangement was made whereby job applicants would be secretly vetted by MI5 for their political views (without their knowledge).

1935: Raymond Postgate recounts BBC censorship

In 1935, Raymond Postgate recounted his time with the BBC, claiming that broadcasters were made to submit drafts of their potential broadcasts for approval, and expected to tailor content to be modest and avoid controversial topics.

1935: BBC Censorship of Political Broadcasts

In 1935, the BBC censored the broadcasts of Oswald Mosley and Harry Pollitt, leaders of the British Union of Fascists and the Communist Party of Great Britain, respectively.

November 1936: Expanded BBC Television Service Launch

In November 1936, the BBC Television Service launched from Alexandra Palace, alternating between the Baird mechanical system and the Marconi-EMI electronic system.

1936: Reginald Foort becomes BBC Staff Theatre Organist

From 1936 to 1938, Reginald Foort held the official role of BBC Staff Theatre Organist, performing BBC Theatre Organ broadcasts at St George's Hall, London.

1936: Reith lobbies South African Parliament

In 1936, Reith personally visited South Africa, lobbying for state-run radio programmes which was accepted by South African Parliament

1936: Introduction of High-Definition Television Service

In 1936, the BBC introduced the world's first "high-definition" 405-line television service.

1937: MI5 security officer given permanent office within BBC

In 1937, a MI5 security officer was given a permanent office within the BBC. This officer would examine the files of potential political subversives and mark the files of those deemed a security risk to the organisation, blacklisting them.

1938: Censorship apparatus designed by John Reith and the Government

In 1938, John Reith and the Government of the United Kingdom, specifically the Ministry of Information which had been set up for WWII, designed a censorship apparatus for the inevitability of war, which would later extend to censoring music by composers from enemy nations by 1940.

1938: Reginald Foort's Tenure as BBC Staff Theatre Organist Ends

In 1938, Reginald Foort's tenure as BBC Staff Theatre Organist came to an end.

1938: Censorship of Winston Churchill

In 1938, the BBC censored Winston Churchill's proposed series of talks regarding British domestic and foreign politics and affairs.

September 1939: Suspension of Television Broadcasting

From September 1, 1939, to June 7, 1946, television broadcasting was suspended due to World War II.

1939: Precursor to Total Shutdown of Political Debate

In 1939, The censorship of political discourse by the BBC was a precursor to the total shutdown of political debate that manifested over the BBC's wartime airwaves.

June 1940: Charles de Gaulle's Speech

On 18 June 1940, French general Charles de Gaulle, in exile in London as the leader of the Free French, made a speech, broadcast by the BBC, urging the French people not to capitulate to the Nazis.

October 1940: Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret's First Radio Broadcast

In October 1940, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret made their first radio broadcast for the BBC's Children's Hour, addressing other children who had been evacuated from cities.

1940: Music by composers from enemy nations was censored

By 1940, across all BBC broadcasts, music by composers from enemy nations was censored. In total, 99 German, 38 Austrian and 38 Italian composers were censored.

1941: Archbishops Broadcast on National Day of Prayer

In 1941, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York broadcast to the UK and the world on the National Day of Prayer from St Paul's Church, Bedford.

1941: The Proms Move to the Royal Albert Hall

In 1941, the Proms were held at the Royal Albert Hall for the first time, where they have been held since.

1942: First Broadcast of Desert Island Discs

In 1942, Desert Island Discs was first broadcast on BBC radio.

1943: BBC Provides Radio Programs to BFBS

Since 1943, the BBC has provided radio programming to the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS).

1945: Daily Service Broadcasts End in Bedford

In 1945, the Daily Service broadcasts from the Trinity Chapel in St Paul's Church, Bedford, came to an end.

June 1946: Television Broadcasting Resumes

From September 1, 1939, to June 7, 1946, television broadcasting was suspended due to World War II.

1946: Resumption of Television Service After WWII

In 1946, the BBC resumed its television service after it was suspended during the Second World War.

1949: Benny Hill's BBC Debut

In 1949, Benny Hill made his BBC debut, later becoming the first British comedian to achieve fame via television with The Benny Hill Show.

February 1950: Formation of the European Broadcasting Union

On 12 February 1950, the European Broadcasting Union was formed in Torquay, with the BBC among the 23 founding broadcasting organizations.

1951: Publication of The BBC Hymn Book

In 1951, the BBC, in conjunction with Oxford University Press, published The BBC Hymn Book, a collection of 542 popular hymns intended for radio listeners to follow along with broadcasts.

1953: First Broadcast of Panorama

In 1953, Panorama, the world's longest-running news television program, was first broadcast on BBC television.

1955: ITV Begins Operating

In 1955, Independent Television (ITV) began operating, marking the end of the BBC's monopoly on television broadcasting in the UK.

1955: Introduction of Competition to the BBC

In 1955, competition to the BBC was introduced with the commercial and independently operated television network of Independent Television (ITV).

1956: First Broadcast of the BAFTAs on the BBC

In 1956, the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) was first broadcast on the BBC, with Vivien Leigh as the host.

1957: BBC acquired the Hulton Press Library

In 1957, the BBC acquired the Hulton Press Library, a photographic archive from the Picture Post magazine, later sold off in 1988.

1958: Establishment of a Business Manager Post

In 1958, selling of BBC television programmes was at first handled with the establishment of a business manager post.

1960: Opening of BBC Television Centre

In 1960, BBC Television Centre, a purpose-built television facility, opened in White City, west of central London. It hosted many famous guests and programmes, becoming familiar to British citizens.

1960: Establishment of Television Enterprises department

In 1960, the Television Promotions (renamed Television Enterprises) department was established under a general manager.

1962: Pilkington Committee report

In 1962, the Pilkington Committee report praised the BBC for its output quality and criticized ITV. The decision was taken to award the BBC a second television channel, BBC2.

January 1964: First Airing of Top of the Pops

In January 1964, Top of the Pops, the world's longest-running weekly music show, first aired on the BBC. The Rolling Stones were the first group to perform on the show.

August 1964: First Broadcast of Match of the Day

On 22 August 1964, Match of the Day was first broadcast on BBC television.

1964: BBC Two Transmission on 625 Lines

In 1964, BBC Two became the first channel to be transmitted on 625 lines.

1964: Manx Radio Begins Broadcasting

In 1964, Manx Radio, based on the Isle of Man, began broadcasting.

1964: BBC2 was awarded to the BBC

In 1964, as a result of the Pilkington Committee report of 1962, the decision was taken to award the BBC a second television channel, BBC2, renaming the existing service BBC1.

1964: Emergence of pirate radio stations

Starting in 1964, a series of pirate radio stations (starting with Radio Caroline) came on the air and forced the British government finally to regulate radio services to permit nationally based advertising-financed services.

July 1967: BBC2 broadcasts in colour

BBC2 was broadcast in colour from 1 July 1967 and was joined by BBC1 and ITV on 15 November 1969.

September 1967: BBC Radio channels reorganized

On 30 September 1967, the Light Programme was split into Radio 1 offering continuous "Popular" music and Radio 2 more "Easy Listening". The "Third" programme became Radio 3 offering classical music and cultural programming. The Home Service became Radio 4 offering news, and non-musical content such as quiz shows, readings, dramas and plays.

1967: BBC Two Carries Regular Colour Service

In 1967, BBC Two carried a small-scale regular colour service.

1967: Launch of University Radio York

In 1967, University Radio York, then under the name Radio York, was launched as the first legal independent radio station in the UK.

1968: University Radio York Obtains First Radio Licence

In 1968, University Radio York obtained its first licence, ending the BBC's monopoly as the only legal radio broadcaster.

1968: Morecambe and Wise Debut

In 1968, the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise debuted on the BBC.

November 1969: BBC One Follows With Colour Service

In November 1969, BBC One followed BBC Two in providing a colour service.

November 1969: BBC1 and ITV broadcasts in colour

On 15 November 1969, BBC1 and ITV joined BBC2 to broadcast in color.

1969: Formation of BBC Enterprises department

In 1969, the BBC Enterprises department was formed to exploit BBC brands and programmes for commercial spin-off products.

1971: The Two Ronnies Debut

In 1971, the comedy duo The Two Ronnies debuted on the BBC.

1971: End of separate licence for sound-only radio sets

Until 1971, a separate licence was required for sound-only radio sets in non-TV households.

1972: Release of "Auntie" to celebrate BBC's fiftieth anniversary

In 1972, to celebrate the BBC's fiftieth anniversary, the song "Auntie" was released.

October 1973: LBC comes on-air

On 8 October 1973, under the control of the newly renamed Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), the UK's first Independent local radio station, LBC came on-air in the London area, ending the BBC monopoly on radio services.

September 1974: Launch of Ceefax

On 23 September 1974, the BBC launched Ceefax, the world's first teletext service, on the BBC1 analogue channel. Ceefax provided informational pages like News, Sport, and Weather.

1974: Introduction of the Ceefax teletext service

In 1974, the BBC's teletext service, Ceefax, was introduced, created initially to provide subtitling, but developed into a news and information service.

1975: BBC Provides TV Programs to BFBS

Since 1975, the BBC has provided its TV programs to the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) for UK military serving abroad.

1978: BBC staff strike

In 1978, BBC staff went on strike just before Christmas, thus blocking out the transmission of both channels and amalgamating all four radio stations into one.

1979: BBC Enterprises becomes a limited company

In 1979, BBC Enterprises became a wholly owned limited company, BBC Enterprises Ltd.

1982: Broadcast of The Computer Programme

In 1982, the BBC began broadcasting The Computer Programme, which ran alongside the corporation's educational aims.

1984: Blacklisted organizations revealed

A memo from 1984 revealed that blacklisted organisations included the far-left Communist Party of Great Britain, the Socialist Workers Party, the Workers Revolutionary Party and the Militant tendency, as well as the far-right National Front and the British National Party.

August 1985: MI5 vetting exposed in The Observer

In August 1985, an article by David Leigh and Paul Lashmar appeared in The Observer, revealing that MI5 had been vetting appointments, running operations from Room 105 in Broadcasting House.

October 1985: BBC to stop the vetting process

In October 1985, the BBC announced that it would stop the vetting process, except for a few people in top roles, as well as those in charge of Wartime Broadcasting Service emergency broadcasting and staff of the BBC World Service.

1985: End of 405-line VHF transmissions of BBC1 and ITV

In 1985, the 405-line VHF transmissions of BBC1 (and ITV) were discontinued for compatibility with newer television receivers.

1985: Start of Children's BBC

Starting in 1985, Children's BBC was a programming strand, later on 2002 it was split into CBBC and CBeebies.

1987: Centralization of BBC operations

In 1987, the BBC decided to centralize its operations by the management team with the radio and television divisions joining forces together for the first time, the activities of the news and currents departments and coordinated jointly under the new directorate.

1988: Sale of the Hulton Press Library

In 1988, the BBC sold off the Hulton Press Library, a photographic archive which had been acquired from the Picture Post magazine by the BBC in 1957.

1988: Record Sales for Radio Times Christmas Edition

In 1988, the Christmas edition of Radio Times sold 11 million copies, becoming the biggest-selling edition of any British magazine in history.

1988: Radio Times Christmas Edition Breaks Sales Record

In 1988, the Christmas edition of Radio Times sold 11,220,666 copies, setting a Guinness World Record as the biggest-selling edition of any British magazine in history.

1989: Peter Sissons became a main news presenter at the BBC

In 1989, Peter Sissons became a main news presenter at the BBC.

1989: Following the Security Service Act 1989, vetting was further restricted

In 1990, following the Security Service Act 1989, vetting was further restricted to those responsible for wartime broadcasting and those with access to secret government information.

1989: Security Service Act

The very existence of MI5 itself was not officially acknowledged until the Security Service Act 1989.

1990: Launch of Radio 5

In 1990, Radio 5 was launched as a sports and educational station, but was replaced in 1994.

1990: Vetting further restricted

In 1990, following the Security Service Act 1989, vetting was further restricted to those responsible for wartime broadcasting and those with access to secret government information.

1991: Terry Wogan presented Auntie's Bloomers

In 1991, Terry Wogan began presenting the BBC's blooper show, Auntie's Bloomers.

1991: Radio 4 service success

In 1991, the Radio 4 service was successful in covering the 1991 Gulf War.

1991: BBC's responsibility for licence fee collection and enforcement

Since 1991, collection and enforcement of the licence fee has been the responsibility of the BBC in its role as TV Licensing Authority.

1992: Closure of Oracle

In 1992, ITV's Oracle closed on New Year's Eve.

May 1994: Launch of the BBC Networking Club

On 11 May 1994, the BBC's first official online service, the BBC Networking Club, was launched.

1994: Director-general became editor-in-chief

From 1994, the director-general became editor-in-chief.

1994: Radio 5 was replaced with BBC Radio 5 Live

In 1994, Radio 5 was replaced with BBC Radio 5 Live to become a live radio station, following the success of the Radio 4 service to cover the 1991 Gulf War. The new station would be a news and sport station.

1995: Reorganisation and relaunch of BBC Enterprises

In 1995, BBC Enterprises was reorganised and relaunched as BBC Worldwide Ltd.

1995: Formation of BBC Worldwide

In 1995, BBC Worldwide was formed following the restructuring of BBC Enterprises.

1997: Launch of BBC News 24

In 1997, BBC News 24, a rolling news channel, launched on digital television services.

1998: Spin-off of BBC Resources Ltd

In 1998, BBC studios, outside broadcasts, post production, design, costumes and wigs were spun off into BBC Resources Ltd.

1999: Launch of BBC Knowledge

In 1999, BBC Knowledge launched as a multimedia channel, with services available on the newly launched BBC Text digital teletext service (later rebranded as BBC Red Button), and on BBC Online.

2000: Fawlty Towers Tops BFI TV 100 List

In 2000, the BBC's 1970s sitcom Fawlty Towers topped the British Film Institute's list of the BFI TV 100.

2000: Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act

The BBC carries out surveillance (mostly using subcontractors) on properties (under the auspices of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000).

2001: End of Auntie's Bloomers

In 2001, Terry Wogan's presentation of the BBC's blooper show, Auntie's Bloomers, came to an end.

2001: BBC Technology Ltd was founded

In 2001, the BBC's IT, telephony and broadcast technology were brought together as BBC Technology Ltd.

2002: BBC Broadcast spun off

In 2002, BBC Broadcast was spun off as a separate company, and later sold off in 2005.

2002: Reorganization of television and radio channels

In 2002, several television and radio channels were reorganised. BBC Knowledge was replaced by BBC Four, CBBC was split into CBBC and CBeebies, and new digital radio stations were created: 1Xtra, 6 Music and Radio 4 Extra.

2002: Launch of DAB and Online Only Stations

In 2002, the BBC launched five stations that broadcast on DAB and online only to supplement and expand on the five big stations.

2002: Renovation of Broadcasting House began

Renovation of Broadcasting House began in 2002 and was completed in 2012.

2002: Gujarat riots

The 2023 BBC documentary investigated Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

2003: BBC Choice was replaced by BBC Three

In 2003, BBC Choice was replaced by BBC Three, with programming for younger adults and shocking real-life documentaries.

2003: Communications Act

The Communications Act 2003 defines the process by which the BBC pursues its licence fee collection and enforcement under the trading name "TV Licensing", the revenue being collected privately by Capita, and paid into the central government Consolidated Fund.

2004: BBC Worldwide ownership of Origin Publishing

In 2004, BBC Worldwide acquired Origin Publishing.

2004: BBC Technology Outsourcing to Siemens

In 2004, the BBC outsourced its former BBC Technology division to Siemens IT Solutions and Services (SIS), which covered its IT, telephony, and broadcast technology systems.

2004: The Hutton Inquiry

In 2004, the Hutton Inquiry and the subsequent report raised questions about the BBC's journalistic standards and its impartiality.

July 2005: BBC Online Bandwidth Peak During London Bombings

On 7 July 2005, the day of the London bombings, the BBC Online website recorded a bandwidth peak of 11 Gb/s. BBC News received 1 billion total hits and served 5.5 terabytes of data.

2005: Sale of BBC Broadcast

In 2005, BBC Broadcast was sold off to Australian-based Macquarie Capital Alliance Group and Macquarie Group Limited and rebranded Red Bee Media.

2005: BBC worker strike

In 2005, more than 11,000 BBC workers went on strike over a proposal to cut 4,000 jobs and privatise parts of the BBC, disrupting much of the BBC's regular programming.

2005: BBC World Service on DAB in the UK

Since 2005, the BBC World Service has been available on DAB in the UK.

January 2006: BBC Jam Content Launch

In January 2006, the BBC launched the initial content for BBC Jam, a free online service providing interactive learning resources.

May 2006: Launch of BBC HD

On 15 May 2006, BBC HD launched, following a 12-month trial of the broadcasts.

2006: Sale of BBC Books

In 2006, BBC Books was sold to Random House.

2006: BBC HD launched as an experimental service

In 2006, BBC HD launched as an experimental service.

2006: Sale of Origin Publishing

In 2006, BBC Worldwide sold Origin Publishing.

2006: Thai and Eastern European Services Ended

In 2006, some services of the World Service have been reduced: the Thai service ended, as did the Eastern European languages.

January 2007: Release of board meeting minutes

In January 2007, the BBC released minutes of the board meeting which led to Greg Dyke's resignation following the 2004 Hutton Inquiry.

March 2007: BBC Jam Suspended

On 20 March 2007, BBC Jam was suspended due to allegations made to the European Commission that it was damaging the interests of the commercial sector of the industry.

July 2007: BBC iPlayer Platform Launched

On 27 July 2007, BBC iPlayer platform was launched, which allowed users to watch and listen to most Television and Radio output live and for seven days after broadcast.

October 2007: Announcement of major cuts to the BBC

On 18 October 2007, BBC Director General Mark Thompson announced a controversial plan to make major cuts and reduce the size of the BBC as an organisation.

December 2007: BBC HD became an official channel

In December 2007, BBC HD became official.

December 2007: Modular Homepage Launch

In December 2007, the BBC website launched a new modular homepage system that allowed users to customize the information displayed.

2007: BBC HD Becomes a Proper Channel

In 2007, BBC HD became a proper channel, screening HD programmes as simulcasts of the main network, or as repeats.

2007: BBC Trust replaced board of governors

In 2007, the BBC Trust replaced the board of governors.

2007: British Academy Television Awards

In 2007, the British Academy Television Awards were screened exclusively on the BBC, with wins for Jim Broadbent (Best actor) and Ricky Gervais (Best comedy performance).

2007: Previous arrangements under the old Charter

Prior to the 2017 charter changes, under arrangements made in 2007, the Home Secretary was departmental to both the agreement as well as the licence, and regulatory duties fall to the BBC Trust

February 2008: Modular Homepage Becomes Permanent

In February 2008, the modular homepage system, initially launched in December 2007, became a permanent feature of the BBC website.

September 2008: Launch of BBC Alba

In September 2008, BBC Alba, a new Scottish Gaelic television channel, was launched. It is the first multi-genre channel to come entirely from Scotland.

2008: BBC News 24 became the BBC News Channel

In 2008, BBC News 24 became the BBC News Channel, and BBC Alba was launched, a Scottish Gaelic service.

2008: Sale of BBC Outside Broadcasts Ltd and Costumes and Wigs

In 2008, BBC Outside Broadcasts Ltd was sold to Satellite Information Services, and Costumes and Wigs stock was sold to Angels Costumes.

2008: Criticism for BBC's reporting on the Mumbai attacks

In 2008, the BBC faced criticism for referring to the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks as "gunmen" rather than "terrorists".

2008: BBC Channels Available on iPlayer

Since 2008, all BBC channels have been available to watch online through the BBC iPlayer service.

November 2009: Broadcast of Doctor Who animated episode Dreamland

In November 2009, the BBC Red Button service broadcast the Doctor Who animated episode Dreamland.

2009: Listings Held Electronically

In 2009 BBC Genome project already held listings electronically.

2009: Queen's Award for Enterprise

In 2009, BBC Worldwide (now BBC Studios) was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in recognition of its international business achievements.

2009: Peter Sissons left the BBC

In 2009, Peter Sissons, who had been a main news presenter at the BBC since 1989, left the BBC.

2009: BBC Persian Television declared illegal in Iran

In 2009, the Minister of Culture Hossein Saffar Harandi declared BBC Persian Television illegal in Iran.

February 2010: Proposed Cuts to BBC Web Output

On 26 February 2010, The Times reported that Mark Thompson, the BBC's Director General, suggested cutting the BBC's web output by 50% and reducing online staff and budgets by 25%.

March 2010: BBC Announces Website Spending Cuts and Network Closures

In March 2010, the BBC announced that it would cut website spending by 25% and close BBC 6 Music and Asian Network, as part of plans to make the BBC smaller and more efficient in the digital age.

October 2010: Licence fee freeze

In October 2010, the BBC faced a licence fee freeze, leading to subsequent budget reduction plans.

November 2010: Launch of BBC One HD

On 3 November 2010, a high-definition simulcast of BBC One was launched, entitled BBC One HD.

December 2010: Atos Origin Acquires Siemens IT Solutions and Services

In December 2010, Atos Origin acquired Siemens IT Solutions and Services (SIS) for €850 million (£720m), thus also taking over the BBC support contract.

2010: BBC presenter resigns amid revolution allegations

In 2010, a BBC World Service newsreader resigned after allegations of participating in an opposition movement to overthrow the government in Kyrgyzstan became public.

2010: Launch of BBC One HD

In 2010, an HD simulcast of BBC One launched: BBC One HD.

June 2011: BBC Alba Available on Freeview and Cable in Scotland

Since June 2011, BBC Alba has been available to viewers in Scotland on Freeview and cable television.

July 2011: BBC Announces Technology Support by Atos

In July 2011, the BBC announced to staff that its technology support would become an Atos service, transferring Siemens staff working on the BBC contract to Atos.

October 2011: Further budget cuts announced

In October 2011, the BBC announced further cuts to reach a 20% budget reduction following the licence fee freeze of October 2010. These measures included staff reductions, relocation of staff to MediaCityUK, moving BBC Three online, sharing programmes and radio news, increasing repeats, and reducing original programming.

2011: World Service Funded Through Licence Fee

Following the Government's spending review in 2011, the BBC World Service was funded through the Licence fee for the first time.

2011: Sale of BBC Magazines to Exponent Private Equity

In 2011, BBC Magazines was sold to Exponent Private Equity, which merged it with Origin Publishing to form Immediate Media Company.

2011: Sale of BBC Magazines

In 2011, BBC Magazines was sold to Immediate Media Company.

2011: BBC Radio 7 became BBC Radio 4 Extra

In 2011, BBC Radio 7 became BBC Radio 4 Extra, with new programmes to supplement those broadcast on Radio 4.

2011: Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi said the BBC's real identity was Baháʼí Faith and Zionist

In 2011, Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi said the BBC's real identity was "Baháʼí Faith and Zionist" and he accused it of helping direct the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests.

2011: Radio 2 Audience Share

In 2011, Radio 2 had the largest audience share (up to 16.8%) and Radios 1 and 4 ranked second and third in terms of weekly reach.

2011: Peter Sissons said the BBC is firmly of the Left

In 2011, former BBC news presenter Peter Sissons stated that the BBC's core way of thinking is firmly of the Left.

October 2012: Ceefax Closure

In October 2012, Ceefax closed on the BBC1 and BBC2 analogue channels.

December 2012: Completion of BBC Genome Project Digitisation Exercise

In December 2012, the BBC completed a digitisation exercise scanning the listings of all BBC programmes from about 4,500 copies of the Radio Times magazine from 1923 to 2009 as part of the BBC Genome project.

December 2012: Analogue Transmission Phase Out Completion

As of December 2012, analogue television transmission was completely phased out in the UK, marking a full transition to digital television.

2012: Peak Bandwidth after Olympics Awarded to London

In 2012 after announcement of the 2012 Summer Olympics being awarded to London caused a peak of around 5 Gbit/s on BBC Online.

2012: Opening of Roath Lock Studios

In 2012, Roath Lock studios opened in Cardiff as the home of BBC Cymru Wales, specializing in drama production and hosting productions such as Doctor Who and Casualty.

Loading Video...

2012: Confidence in Atos Service Improvements

In 2012, the BBC's then-chief technology officer, John Linwood, expressed confidence in service improvements to the BBC's technology provision brought about by Atos, citing strengthened supplier accountability after technology failures with Siemens.

2012: Commercial output

Of their 2012/13 sales, 27% were centred on the five key "superbrands" of Doctor Who, Top Gear, Strictly Come Dancing (known as Dancing with the Stars internationally), the BBC's archive of natural history programming (collected under the umbrella of BBC Earth) and the (now sold) travel guide brand Lonely Planet.

Loading Video...

2012: Renovation of Broadcasting House completed

Renovation of Broadcasting House began in 2002 and was completed in 2012.

March 2013: BFBS Carries BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC Three Content

From 27 March 2013, BFBS started carrying versions of BBC One and BBC Two, including children's programming from CBBC, and programming from BBC Three on a new channel called BFBS Extra.

March 2013: Closure of BBC HD

In March 2013, BBC HD was closed and replaced with an HD simulcast of BBC Two. Additionally, numerous BBC facilities were sold off, and major departments were relocated to Broadcasting House and MediaCityUK, following the closure of BBC Television Centre in March 2013.

March 2013: Closure of BBC Television Centre

In March 2013, BBC Television Centre closed its doors after being the base of BBC Television since 1960.

March 2013: BBC Two HD Replaces BBC HD

On 26 March 2013, BBC Two HD launched, replacing BBC HD.

2013: BBC News relocation

In 2013, BBC News relocated to Broadcasting House from BBC Television Centre.

2013: Operating expenditure comparison

In 2013, the BBC had the second largest budget of any UK-based broadcaster with an operating expenditure of £4.722 billion, compared with £6.471 billion for Sky UK and £1.843 billion for ITV.

2013: Launch of UKTV Drama Channel

In 2013, the UKTV network launched Drama, a channel dedicated to drama programming.

2013: BBC News Relocation to Broadcasting House

In early 2013, the BBC News operation, including BBC News Channel and BBC News International, relocated from BBC Television Centre to the refurbished Broadcasting House. This move was part of a major reorganization of BBC property to create one of the world's largest live broadcast centers.

February 2014: Director-General Announces Savings Needed

In February 2014, Director-General Tony Hall announced that the corporation needed to save £100 million.

March 2014: BBC Three to Become Internet-Only Channel

In March 2014, the BBC confirmed plans for BBC Three to become an internet-only channel.

April 2014: BBC World Service Funding Change

Since April 2014, the BBC World Service has been funded by the annual television license fee charged to British households and organizations.

October 2014: BBC Trust issued the "BBC complaints framework"

In October 2014, the BBC Trust issued the "BBC complaints framework", which outlines the procedures for complaints and appeals.

October 2014: Public Access to the Genome Project

On 15 October 2014, the BBC Genome project was opened to public access, with corrections to OCR errors and changes to advertised schedules being crowdsourced.

February 2016: Discontinuation of BBC Three television service

On 16 February 2016, the BBC Three television service was discontinued and replaced by a digital outlet under the same name.

2016: Savings target announced

In 2016, the BBC Director General Tony Hall announced a savings target of £800 million per year by 2021, which is about 23% of annual licence fee revenue.

2016: Formation of 'Project Kangaroo'

In 2016, the BBC, in partnership with ITV and Channel 4, set up 'project kangaroo' to develop an international online streaming service to rival services such as Netflix and Hulu.

2016: End of television license fee freeze

In October 2010, the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced that the television licence fee would be frozen at its current level until the end of the current charter in 2016.

January 2017: Current charter took effect

The current charter took effect on 1 January 2017 and is set to expire on 31 December 2027; the agreement being coterminous.

March 2017: BritBox Launched

In March 2017, BritBox launched as an online streaming service showing a catalogue of classic BBC and ITV shows.

April 2017: BBC activities overseen by the BBC Board and regulated by Ofcom

From April 2017 the activities of the BBC are being overseen by the BBC Board and regulated by Ofcom.

April 2017: BBC Board formed

The BBC Board was formed in April 2017. It replaced the previous governing body, the BBC Trust, which itself had replaced the board of governors in 2007. The board sets the strategy for the corporation, assesses the performance of the BBC's executive board in delivering the BBC's services, and appoints the director-general. Ofcom is responsible for the regulation of the BBC.

July 2017: BBC announces plans to "re-invent" its output

In July 2017, the BBC released its 2017–18 report, announcing plans to "re-invent" its output to better compete against commercial streaming services such as Netflix. These plans included increasing content diversity, investing in digital children's content, and investing in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Since 2017, the BBC has funded the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

2017: BBC's Annual Report

According to the BBC's 2018/19 Annual Report, its total income was £4.889 billion a decrease from £5.062 billion in 2017/18 – partly owing to a 3.7% phased reduction in government funding for free over-75s TV licences.

2017: New Charter changes

In 2017, the new charter stipulated that the BBC is subject to an additional agreement between it and the Culture Secretary, and its operating licence is set by Ofcom. Previously, the Home Secretary was departmental to both the agreement and the licence, with regulatory duties falling to the BBC Trust. These changes amended the 2007 arrangements.

2018: People caught watching TV without a license

According to TV Licensing, 216,900 people in the UK were caught watching TV without a licence in 2018/19.

2018: BBC's Annual Report

According to the BBC's 2018/19 Annual Report, its total income was £4.889 billion a decrease from £5.062 billion in 2017/18 – partly owing to a 3.7% phased reduction in government funding for free over-75s TV licences.

2018: Formation of BBC Studios

In 2018, BBC Studios was formed after the merger of the BBC's commercial production arm and BBC Worldwide.

2018: Opinion poll shows 40% of British public think the BBC is politically partisan

In 2018, a BMG Research opinion poll found that 40% of the British public believe the BBC is politically partisan, split between those who think it leans left or right.

February 2019: Launch of BBC Scotland

In February 2019, Scotland's new television channel, BBC Scotland, launched.

September 2019: Launch of Trusted News Initiative

In September 2019, the BBC launched the Trusted News Initiative to combat disinformation about national elections by working with news and social media companies.

2019: BBC Two Scotland Ceases Operation

In 2019, the Scottish variation of BBC Two ceased operation and was replaced with the networked version in favour of a new BBC Scotland channel.

August 2020: Changes to free licence eligibility for over-75s

From August 2020, the licence fee is only waived for those over 75 and receiving pension credit.

2020: BBC News savings target announced

In 2020, the BBC announced a BBC News savings target of £80 million per year by 2022, involving approximately 520 staff reductions.

January 2021: Richard Sharp to succeed David Clementi as chairman

In January 2021, it was reported that former banker Richard Sharp would succeed David Clementi as chairman, when he stepped down in February.

February 2021: China bans BBC World News

In February 2021, China banned BBC World News from broadcasting in the country, citing biased reporting and harm to national interests, following Ofcom's decision to cancel the license of China Global Television Network.

2021: BritBox Expansion

As of 2021, BritBox is available in the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.

2021: Savings target year

By 2021, the BBC aimed to achieve a savings target of £800 million per year.

2021: Poll indicates decreased accuracy rating for BBC news in Iran

In 2021, a poll from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy showed fewer respondents in Iran rating news from the BBC as accurate, compared to domestic TV and social media.

2022: BBC News savings target year

By 2022, the BBC aimed to achieve a BBC News savings target of £80 million per year, involving about 520 staff reductions.

2022: Richard Sharp acknowledged that "the BBC does have a liberal bias"

In 2022, the BBC chairman, Richard Sharp, acknowledged that "the BBC does have a liberal bias", and added that "the institution is fighting against it".

March 2023: Political row with Gary Lineker

In March 2023, the BBC was at the centre of a political row with football pundit Gary Lineker, after he criticised the British government's asylum policy on social media. Lineker was suspended from his position on Match of the Day before being re-instated after receiving overwhelming support from his colleagues. The scandal was made worse due to the connections between BBC's chairman, Richard Sharp, and the Conservative Party.

April 2023: Richard Sharp resigned as chairman

In April 2023, Richard Sharp resigned as chairman after a report found he did not disclose potential perceived conflicts of interest in his role in the facilitation of a loan to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

June 2023: Dame Elan Closs Stephens appointed as acting chairwoman

In June 2023, Dame Elan Closs Stephens was appointed as acting chairwoman, leading the BBC board for a year or until a new permanent chair was appointed.

June 2023: BBC acknowledges underpaid tax liabilities in India

In June 2023, the BBC acknowledged that they had underpaid tax liabilities in India.

2023: Households cancelled their TV license

In 2023, around half a million UK households cancelled their TV licence, driven by shifting viewing habits and financial pressures. As a result, the BBC saw a decline in revenue, with the number of households paying the licence fee dropping to 23.9 million.

March 2024: Samir Shah became chairman

Samir Shah has served as the chairman since 4 March 2024.

March 2024: Samir Shah appointed

Samir Shah was appointed with effect from 4 March 2024.

April 2024: Television licence cost increase

Since April 2024, the television licence costs £169.50 per year per household.

August 2024: BBC Evaluated as "Independent Public Media"

As of August 2024, the Media and Journalism Research Center evaluated the BBC to be "Independent Public Media" under its State Media Matrix.

October 2024: Deal signed to broadcast Women's Super League

In October 2024 it was announced that the BBC along with Sky Sports signed a deal to broadcast the 2025–26 season of the Women's Super League campaign.

2024: Analysis of BBC coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

In 2024, an analysis of BBC coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict found disparities in the use of humanizing and emotional terms when referring to Israelis versus Palestinians.

February 2025: Fine imposed on BBC World Service India

In February 2025, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India imposed a fine of over Rs 3.44 crore on BBC World Service India for purported violations of FDI regulations.

2025: Deal signed to broadcast Women's Super League

In October 2024 it was announced that the BBC along with Sky Sports signed a deal to broadcast the 2025–26 season of the Women's Super League campaign.