BBC NEWS 24

BBC News 24 is the BBC's 24-hour news television channel in the UK, its international counterpart being BBC World. It first broadcast in November 1997 and at first only cable television subscribers could view it. In 1999, with the advent of digital television in the UK, satellite viewers were able to view the service. It is now also broadcast on digital terrestrial, as part of the Freeview package.

The BBC were initially criticised for the cost of running BBC News 24 channel, with so few viewers. Their response was to promote the channel through their ordinary channels BBC1 and BBC2, using terrestrial signals, and this is seen by some as influential (to a certain limited extent) in promoting the take-up of digital television.

In December 2002 the Lambert Report, an independent review commissioned by the government, criticised the BBC Governors for failing to ensure that News 24 had a distinct identity from the commercial rolling-news services provided by ITN and Sky News. As a result the Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell announced new conditions on the "approvals" under which the BBC operates News 24.

BBC News 24 broadcasts from the BBC News Centre in BBC Television Centre, West London.

See also: List of British television channels

External Links

• BBC News 24 website
• The Lambert Report on the DCMS website