TV Channel Overview
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the United Kingdom’s public service broadcaster, based at Broadcasting House in London. Its origins lie in the British Broadcasting Company, formed in 1922; the present corporation was established under Royal Charter in 1927. The BBC’s public-service mission covers output and services that inform, educate and entertain, with responsibilities across the United Kingdom and international activities through the BBC World Service.
Its UK public-service television portfolio includes BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four, alongside channels with more specialized roles. BBC One carries a broad mix of programming with national and regional variations, while BBC Two combines factual, arts, drama, comedy and other content. BBC Three focuses primarily on younger adult audiences, and BBC Four gives greater attention to arts, culture and factual programming. CBBC and CBeebies serve different age groups of children. BBC Parliament covers proceedings from the UK Parliament and the devolved legislatures, while BBC Scotland serves audiences in Scotland. BBC ALBA, provided in partnership with MG ALBA, is a Scottish Gaelic television service.
BBC News is the BBC’s television news channel for UK and international audiences. In 2023, the former UK BBC News channel and the international BBC World News service were brought into a single channel operation, with UK and international feeds able to carry different output when required.
The BBC World Service also maintains television services in other languages. BBC Arabic TV is part of the BBC News Arabic service and provides Arabic-language news, current affairs, discussion and factual programming. BBC Persian TV, associated with the BBC News Persian service, broadcasts in Persian and covers news and current affairs alongside factual, cultural, science, technology and other subjects.
Across its television services, the BBC covers news and current affairs, documentaries, drama, comedy, entertainment, children’s programming, arts and culture, education, religion and sport. English is the principal language of its main UK channels, while Scottish Gaelic, Arabic and Persian are central to particular services. These national, regional, minority-language and international services form different parts of the BBC’s wider public-service and World Service activities.
Basic Information
- Official Website
- BBC
- Genre
- General (News, Current Affairs, Documentaries, Drama, Comedy, Entertainment, Children's Programs, Arts & Culture, Education, Religion, Sport)
- Language
- English, Scottish Gaelic, Arabic, Persian
- Country / Location
- Home > Europe > UK
- Headquarters
- London, England
