::BBC

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The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the public-service broadcaster of the United Kingdom, headquartered at Broadcasting House in London.

It is the world's oldest national broadcasting organisation<ref name="historicalbroadcaster">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=news }}</ref> and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees, with over 20,950 staff in total, of whom 16,672 are in public sector broadcasting;<ref name="2013-14-c1-persons-employed">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="MediaNewsline">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="ProspectMag">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= {{#invoke:Category handler|main}}{{#invoke:Category handler|main}} }}</ref><ref name="AboutBBC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= {{#invoke:Category handler|main}}{{#invoke:Category handler|main}} }}</ref><ref name="BBC Annual Report">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> including part-time, flexible as well as fixed contract staff, the total number is 35,402.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The BBC is established under a Royal Charter<ref name="crown">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=news }}</ref> and operates under its Agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its work is funded principally by an annual television licence fee<ref name="TrustAR">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} {{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= {{#invoke:Category handler|main}}{{#invoke:Category handler|main}} }}</ref> which is charged to all British households, companies, and organisations using any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts.<ref name="TVLic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The fee is set by the British Government, agreed by Parliament,<ref name="TVLic2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= {{#invoke:Category handler|main}}{{#invoke:Category handler|main}} }}</ref> and used to fund the BBC's extensive radio, TV, and online services covering the nations and regions of the UK. From 1 April 2014 it also funds the BBC World Service, launched in 1932, which provides comprehensive TV, radio, and online services in Arabic, and Persian, and broadcasts in 28 languages.

Around a quarter of BBC revenues come from its commercial arm BBC Worldwide Ltd. which sells BBC programmes and services internationally and also distributes the BBC's international 24-hour English language news services BBC World News and BBC.com, provided by BBC Global News Ltd.

BBC sections
Intro  History  Genome Project  Governance and Corporate Structure  Finances  Headquarters and regional offices  Technology (Atos service)  Services  Commercial activities  Unions  Cultural significance  Criticism and controversies  Logos and symbols of the BBC  See also  References  Bibliography  Further reading  External links  

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