Timeline of the BBC News Channel

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A timeline of notable events relating to the BBC News Channel, and its predecessor BBC News 24.

1990s[]

  • 1991
    • 17 January–2 March – Radio 4 News FM, the first rolling BBC radio news service produced by the BBC, is on air during the first Gulf War. It broadcasts on BBC Radio 4’s FM frequencies, with the regular scheduled service continuing on long wave.[1][2]
  • 1992
    • No events.
  • 1993
    • Following the success of Radio 4 News FM, and of a similar service on Long Wave during the 1992 UK general election, the BBC considers launching a rolling news service on Radio 4's long wave frequency. The plan is widely opposed by listeners and the proposals are dropped.
  • 1994
  • 1995
    • 16 January – BBC World launches, becoming the BBC's first television rolling news service, although it is an international service and is not available to viewers in the UK.
  • 1996
    • No events.
  • 1997
    • 9 November – BBC News 24 launches at 17.30. The full channel is only available on cable although all viewers are able to sample the channel overnight as News 24 is simulcast during the downtime hours of BBC One.
  • 1998
    • 1 October – Sky Digital launches and BBC News 24 is carried as part of the new service, This is the first time that satellite viewers are able to see a full time feed of the BBC's rolling news service.
    • 15 November – The public launch of digital terrestrial TV in the UK takes place and BBC News 24 launches on the new service.
  • 1999
    • 25 October – Relaunch of BBC News 24 with a new set design, known as 'Red and Cream'.[3]

2000s[]

  • 2000
    • April – Click launches as a weekly weekend programme covering the latest developments in the world of technology and the internet.[4]
    • 29 September – The final edition of Breakfast 24 is broadcast ahead of a decision to end separate breakfast programmes for BBC One and News 24.
    • 2 October – The first edition of BBC Breakfast is broadcast, the new morning show on BBC One and News 24 from 6:00am–9:30am. (9:00a on BBC News 24).
  • 2001
    • 11 September – The 9/11 attacks occur in the United States, and are broadcast live on television. BBC1 abandons regular programming and switches to BBC News 24. This is the first time that BBC One switches to News 24 for coverage of a breaking news story during daytime hours.
  • 2002
    • No events.
  • 2003
    • 20 March – As the 2003 invasion of Iraq begins BBC News 24 is carried on both BBC One and BBC Two to keep viewers up to date with the latest developments.
    • 8 December – BBC News 24 is relaunched with a new set and titles, as well as a new Breaking News sting.[5]
  • 2004
    • 1 October – Right-of-reply programme Newswatch launches in response to the Hutton Inquiry, as part of an initiative to make BBC News more accountable.[6]
  • 2005
    • No events.
  • 2007
    • 22 January – BBC News 24 is relaunched with new titles and new astons.[7]
    • May – BBC News 24 starts being simulcast on the BBC News website.
  • 2008
    • 21 April – BBC News undergoes a uniform rebrand, which costs £550,000.[8] BBC News 24 is renamed BBC News, while BBC World is renamed as BBC World News.[9][8]
  • 2009
    • No events.

2010s[]

  • 2010
    • No events.
  • 2011
    • No events.
  • 2012
    • 25 October – Following the completion of digital switchover in the UK, the BBC News Channel is available to all UK households for the first time, almost fifteen years after the channel first launched.
  • 2013
    • 18 March – The channel's idents are updated on the same day that BBC News relocates to the refurbished Broadcasting House.[10]
    • March – The business updates are axed as part of the BBC's Delivering Quality First plan.[11]
    • November – The axed business news updates are restored following complaints over their removal.
    • 10 December – BBC News launches a high definition version of the channel.[12]
  • 2015
    • 7 April – BBC News launches a new two-hour weekday current affairs programme called The Victoria Derbyshire Show. The programme is broadcast on both BBC Two and the BBC News Channel;[13]
    • 1 June – BBC ‘World News programmes Outside Source and Business Live make their debut on the BBC News Channel. They appear as a result of cutbacks which also sees the overnight simulcast of BBC World News beginning an hour earlier, at midnight.
    • 6 June – World News Today is included in the weekend schedule of the BBC News Channel for the first time, airing at 9.00pm.
  • 2016
    • February – The BBC News Channel briefly begins showing Newsnight, delayed by 45 minutes from the live BBC Two broadcast.[14]
    • 21 March – The two-hour slot between 11am and 1pm on weekdays is relaunched as BBC Newsroom Live.
  • 2017
    • January – 100 Days, later rebranded to Beyond 100 Days, launches. Its main focus is on American news and politics and is co-presented from London and Washington.
    • 2 October – The first edition of Afternoon Live is broadcast.[15]
  • 2018
    • No events.
  • 2019
    • 19 February – Virgin Media removes the standard definition versions of the non-flagship BBC television channels, including BBC News.
    • July – A new set of graphics and fonts are launched. They use the BBC Reith typeface which uses larger text, designed to make it easier for Smartphone and Tablet users to read.[16]

2020s[]

  • 2020
    • 17 March – The final edition of The Victoria Derbyshire Show is broadcast in order to focus on coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic.[17] The programme had been due to come off air later in 2020 due to funding cuts.[18][19]
    • The COVID-19 pandemic results in an increase of simulcasts between BBC News and BBC World News with simulcasting now running through the morning (10am to 1pm) and the evening (7pm to 10pm). UK-only rolling news coverage is restricted to the afternoons. Individually-titled programmes are also suspended in favour of the generic BBC News term.
    • August – The additional simulcasts with BBC World News are made permanent. Consequently, the two channels now simulcast between 10:00 and 12:00 each day, as well as from 19:00 to 06:00 on weekdays, with opt-outs for BBC News at Ten and for half an hour at 20:30, and between 21:00 to 06:00, apart from the evening BBC One bulletin, during the weekend.[20]
  • 2021
    • 9 April – At just after midday, Buckingham Palace announces the death of Prince Philip and BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Parliament and BBC World News switch over to BBC News to announce the death.[21] The message was likely received during the top-of-the hour headlines, as the wide-shot in the opening featured multiple journalists running across the room.[22]
  • 2022
    • 10 January – A new 60-minute discussion-based programme Context is launched. It broadcasts from Mondays to Thursdays on BBC News and BBC World News and features two guests discussing the day's news.[23]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Dictionary definition of 'stunt up'". Retrieved 2009-12-30. refers Sheena McDonald, "Scud-FM goes critical—BBC gears up for round-the-clock news service", page 25, The Guardian 17 August 1992
  2. ^ Franklin, Bob (31 March 2005). Key Concepts in Journalism Studies. Sage. ISBN 0-7619-4482-6.
  3. ^ "Relaunch for News 24". BBC News. BBC. 24 October 1999. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  4. ^ Click 1000 - The Future of Television, retrieved 2019-07-08
  5. ^ BBC News 24 unveils new look
  6. ^ "Welcome to NewsWatch". BBC News. 2004-11-04. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  7. ^ TV Ark: BBC News 24 2007-2008
  8. ^ a b "BBC turns the globe red in news revamp". the Guardian. 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  9. ^ BBC News 24 to be renamed Times Online
  10. ^ Ark” BBC News Channel 2013-2019
  11. ^ "Delivering Quality First" (PDF). BBC. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  12. ^ "BBC to launch five new subscription-free HD channels on Tuesday 10 December". BBC. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  13. ^ Plunkett, John (8 July 2014). "5 Live's Victoria Derbyshire to join BBC News Channel". The Guardian.
  14. ^ "Newsnight gets a repeat as BBC news channel cuts breaking stories". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  15. ^ "BBC News Channel - Afternoon Live". BBC.
  16. ^ "TV news graphics: a new look". BBC. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  17. ^ BBC News sets out plans to keep audiences receiving trusted and accurate information
  18. ^ "Victoria Derbyshire Show to come off air". BBC News. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  19. ^ "BBC News to close 450 posts as part of £80m savings drive". BBC News. BBC. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  20. ^ "BBC News sets out update on modernisation plans". bbc.com. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  21. ^ Prince Philip's Death Announcement Switchover on BBC Channels, retrieved 2021-07-10
  22. ^ How BBC News broke the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, retrieved 2021-07-10
  23. ^ BBC News launches new programme 'Context'
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