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SUPERBRANDS 2009/10 superbrands.uk.com

The BBC is the world’s best-known broadcasting brand and today’s digital BBC plays a key civic and cultural role in UK life. As an organisation funded by the universal licence fee, the BBC’s mission in meeting its public service remit is to inform, educate and entertain. BBC content is watched and listened to via 10 UK-wide network television services, 10 national and 47 Nations & Regions radio stations, and can also be accessed online and via the Red Button.

audiences. These channels are complemented by digital brands, BBC Three, BBC Four, Market to external contracts including investing in BBC HD, BBC News, BBC Parliament, Broadcasting in the UK is in the middle of independent production. Each year, the CBBC, CBeebies and BBC Alba on television a radical transformation, courtesy of digital licence fee adds £6.5 billion to the UK (supplemented by BBC Red Button) and BBC technology. Around 21 million households economy (Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers). Radio 1Xtra, BBC 5 live sports extra, BBC 6 already receive digital multichannel television The BBC is currently increasing its focus on Music, BBC Radio 7 and the Asian Network on and radio services from a range of suppliers partnerships with the rest of the UK media in digital radio. The online destination bbc.co.uk such as Sky, Virgin Media, Freeview, Tiscali and order to share the benefits of the licence fee. is also a recognised brand leader in the UK. BT Vision (Source: BARB) and 61 per cent of For example, in 2008 the BBC and ITV agreed homes have a broadband connection (Source: to explore sharing regional news footage The BBC’s Nations & Regions services for Screen Digest). By 2012, every home in the UK and premises where appropriate. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive digital-only television. The original produce original content for UK audiences as terrestrial public service broadcasters – BBC, Product well as extensive local programming. To ensure ITV, Channel 4 and Five – are now multiplatform, The BBC is thought of primarily as a creator it embraces talent from across the UK, the BBC multimedia brands operating 24 hours a day, of high-quality content and programming. The is developing a new creative hub in Salford; by seven days a week. The BBC reaches the vast product offering is a complex mix with 19 major 2016, 50 per cent of production will originate majority of the UK audience. television, radio and online public service brands. outside London.

The BBC licence fee makes a significant Today’s BBC television and radio brands, The BBC actively develops new talent and contribution to UK investment in the creative particularly BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Radio’s supports training opportunities. BBC Blast is industries; more than one-third goes straight 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 live, attract large terrestrial a youth creativity service that aims to inspire

1922 1927 1932 1936 1953 1960 British Broadcasting The BBC gains its first The BBC moves to the The BBC opens the On 2nd June, around BBC Television Centre Company (BBC) is Royal Charter, ensuring world’s first purpose- world’s first regular 22 million people watch opens – the world’s first formed by a group its independence from built radio production service of high the Queen’s coronation purpose-built television of leading wireless government, political centre, Broadcasting definition television live on the BBC – a building. Authorisation manufacturers. and shareholder House in Portland from Alexandra historic event that is given for a new interference. Place, London. Palace, north London. changes the course channel and BBC Two of television history. launches in 1964. CSB_016-017_BBC:250 x 342 11/6/09 08:42 Page 17

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anywhere, anyhow’. In response, BBC iPlayer trails generated close to 50 press articles was launched at the end of 2007 – a free carrying 100 visible key messages and achieved service letting viewers in the UK catch up on 1.3 million hits on YouTube. more than 400 hours of BBC programming. Furthermore, Freesat launched in May 2008 Designed to build excitement and anticipation, as a national free-to-view satellite service the BBC One Christmas campaign featured with ITV, offering up to 200 channels, full Wallace & Gromit and comprised a specially interactivity and high definition broadcasts. created set of BBC One idents as well as an online game, mobile downloads and preview Promotion clips. ‘Wallace & Gromit – A Matter of Loaf The trademark block letters of the BBC master and Death’ was 2008’s highest rating TV brand are associated worldwide with high- programme with a 53 per cent audience quality programmes and services. Subsidiary share, peaking at 14.4 million. brand identities for channels and services 13-19 year-olds through online resources, are regularly refreshed In addition, events and new television and face-to-face activity. For to reflect market technologies are used to further adults, BBC Raw is an interactive site to help changes and engage with audiences. In 2008, independent learners improve their basic skills. audience research. BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend In 2008, the English festival featured acts The BBC is required to generate additional Regions brands were such as Madonna and revenues to reinvest in its core public aligned with a contemporary Usher and was attended by service. BBC Worldwide, for example, new look and feel to ensure greater 30,000 people. A unique online application sells on programmes and footage and is consistency and increased audience relevance. gave those who couldn’t attend the festival a the UK’s number one international television link to a secret web page, where an exclusive channel broadcaster. The BBC aims to help its audiences find video of The Fratellis performing could be content they will enjoy by producing integrated accessed. The application reached 60,000 Achievements communications campaigns. In 2008, one of unique users. The event was also broadcast In 2008/09 the BBC received more than 150 its biggest campaigns centred on the Olympic on the BBC’s Big Screens in key locations programme-related awards across television, Games and specifically targeted younger across the UK. radio and new media. These included 30 audiences. Working with Gorillaz creators, BAFTAs, 31 Royal Television Society (RTS) Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, an animated Brand Values awards, 20 Sony Golds for radio and two campaign was produced based on the Chinese The BBC exists to serve the public interest Webby awards for its online service. BBC folklore, ‘Monkey: Journey to the West’. The and through its mission to inform, educate iPlayer has gone from strength to strength and entertain, must promote six public since its launch, winning 20 marketing and purposes as outlined in its Charter. The BBC technology awards. seeks to be independent and impartial in all of its content. The BBC takes its operational responsibilities seriously and in 2008, was awarded Gold status bbc.co.uk in the Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index. Things you didn’t know Recent Developments about the BBC The BBC was granted a new 10-year Royal Charter at the end of 2006 that defined expectations of the corporation in a digital, BBC iPlayer launched on Christmas on-demand world; audiences increasingly Day 2007; by April 2009, total TV expect to access programme content ‘anytime, views had exceeded 400 million.

1967 1990s 2007 2008 Every week, 10 million viewers use the Red Button to access BBC text Colour broadcasts BBC’s online transformation Digital expansion The first full digital information such as news, weather begin on BBC Two begins as bbc.co.uk goes continues with the switchover takes and bespoke interactive content. and are extended live in 1991. The decade launch of BBC iPlayer, place in Whitehaven. to BBC One in 1969. also sees the launch of BBC a service letting BBC Alba and BBC HD BBC’s Desert Island Discs is the Radio 5 and the forerunners people catch up on are launched. longest running music programme to digital TV channels BBC TV and Radio in the history of radio. BBC Three and BBC Four. they’ve missed.