The British Broadcasting Corporation is a public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the first of its kind in the world. It is also the loudest news organization on the planet and employs over 20,000 people across the world. Due to its aims of impartiality and fair representation, it is often cited as the best example of independent journalism today. However, this issue is contested, and many other news organizations are competing to achieve the same stature in the world of global journalism.
After initially been established as a private company it quickly moved towards a public service cooperation between 1923 1926. It is this financial set up which means that it does not have to be privy to any of the political establishment and so can remain independent. The BBC came at a critical time for the world as it entered into two of its most serious conflicts. The first and second world wars With the first whereby people could get regular real-time updates via the radio. It was also used as a way of raising national morale. Prime Minister Winston Churchhill became famous for his rousing speech is which were transmitted by the BBC throughout the Second World War.
Despite be initially founded as a centerfold journalism the BBC quickly became an educational source and a platform for educational programming. The BBC is not only concerned with the United Kingdom. In 1932 the BBC world service was launched. Funded by the foreign and commonwealth office the BBC world service began broadcasting in 29 different languages to numerous countries across the globe to provide them with the news speech and intelligent discussion. It was particularly valuable to countries where democratic freedoms were not always permitted on controls on the local press were heavily regulated and controlled.
Despite being a globally respected institution the BBC is not without its controversies and criticisms. In 2003 Dr. David Kelly was found dead after it was revealed He was a source of a BBC journalist accusing that then labor government of sexing up the September dossier Which was a report into Iraq and its use of chemical weapons. The BBC was heavily criticized by an independent report which led to the resignation of the director general. In recent years it has also be revealed that many high-profile people working for the BBC were involved in the sexual exploitation of children. While the BBC have not been directly blamed for these actions questions have been asked about the structure of the organization and how it was permitted to happen.
Many are also critical of the license fee which is charged to all British households and funds all the BBC’s services from news to entertainment.