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"Nation shall speak peace unto nation." Motto of the BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation, known as the BBC, is the world's largest broadcasting organisation, founded in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company. Originally a radio broadcaster, the corporation began television broadcasts in 1932 and now operates ten UK television channels including the oldest and most watched, BBC One. The BBC also operates 58 radio stations, including the most popular station in the UK, BBC Radio 2, and has an online presence through BBC Online. Internationally, the BBC name is used as a brand for several channels operated by commercial arm BBC Worldwide, including the BBC World Service and BBC World News. Through BBC News, the corporation is the largest broadcasting news gatherer in the world, and has developed a good reputation for news gathering and reporting through the years.

Affectionate names for the BBC include auntie, the beeb and together, Auntie Beeb. Template:/box-footer

The Quatermass Experiment is a British science-fiction serial, broadcast by BBC Television in the summer of 1953, and re-staged by BBC Four in 2005. Set in the near future against the background of a British space programme, it tells the story of the first manned flight into space, overseen by Professor Bernard Quatermass of the British Experimental Rocket Group. When the spaceship that carried the first successful crew returns to Earth, two of the three astronauts are missing, and the third is behaving strangely. It becomes clear that an alien presence entered the ship during its flight, and Quatermass and his associates must prevent the alien from destroying the world. Originally comprising six half-hour episodes, it was the first science-fiction production to be written especially for an adult television audience. The serial was the first of four Quatermass productions to be screened on British television between 1953 and 1979. As well as spawning various remakes and sequels, The Quatermass Experiment inspired much of the television science fiction that followed it, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it influenced successful series such as Doctor Who and Sapphire and Steel. It also influenced Hollywood blockbusters such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien.

BBC journalist Nick Robinson (right, now Political Editor) interviewing then-MP Michael Portillo close to the Palace of Westminster for BBC News.

The transmission mast above the BBC wing of Alexandra Palace in North London. Alexandra Palace was home to the BBC Television Service (now BBC One) from 1936 until the early 1950s, and was the site of the world's first public broadcasts of analogue high-definition television in 1936.

Template:/box-header Highlights from Wikipedia's Did you know...

• ... that author Jacqueline Wilson described Dustbin Baby, the BBC dramatisation of her novel of the same name, as the best ever film adaptation of her work?

• ... that Blackadder Goes Forth, the final series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, is noted for its sensitive depiction of World War I trench warfare and was placed 16th in the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes by the British Film Institute?

• ... that Andrew Lloyd Webber was concerned about casting a dog in the BBC television series Over the Rainbow?

• ... that the BBC coat of arms was adopted in 1927 and uses heraldic symbols to depict the various qualities of broadcasting?

• ... that the BBC journalist Barbara Plett's admission of having cried at the sight of the terminally ill Yasser Arafat led to a controversy?

Template:/box-header Martin Brundle is a British former racing driver and a sports commentator for the BBC.

Brundle began his Formula 1 racing career with Tyrrell Racing in 1984. He put in a number of aggressive and fast drives, finishing fifth in his first race and then second at Detroit. At the Dallas Grand Prix, Brundle broke his ankles in a crash during a practice session. Then Tyrrell were disqualified from the world championship for 1984 due to a technical infringement, wiping his achievements for that season from the record books.

Having largely retired from motor racing, Brundle became a highly regarded commentator on British television network ITV, who he joined when they began Formula One coverage in 1997, initially alongside Murray Walker, and since 2002 James Allen. Brundle has won the RTS Television Sports Award for best Sports Pundit in 1998, 1999, 2005 and 2006. In 2005 the judges described him as: "...an outstanding operator at the very peak of his game – with an extraordinary ability to simplify and entertain in an often complex sport. He also exhibited a fearless authority on some of the most sensitive issues – not least his gimlet-eyed pursuit of Formula one boss Bernie Ecclestone on the grid at Indianapolis".

Brundle first commentated on F1 during the 1989 Belgian Grand Prix on the BBC. Having retired from the race, Brundle was asked by the BBC to enter the commentary box alongside Murray Walker because regular BBC commentator James Hunt failed to show up. Brundle was also part of the 1995 BBC commentary team whenever Aguri Suzuki was driving the Ligier-Mugen Honda such as for the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix.

In September 2008 Brundle denied that he had signed a deal with the BBC to commentate for next year's coverage although announced that he would love the chance to go to the BBC and said that discussions were ongoing. However, while at the Autocar Awards in November 2008, Brundle confirmed that he would be part of the BBC's commentary team for 2009.

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• Patrick Moore has died.

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• The BBC Trust has appointed a new Director-General of the BBC, the Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, Tony Hall. Lord Patten, Chairman of the BBC Trust, described his journalistic experiences as "invaluable".

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• "I got the first page with about three minutes to go. Then, the red light came on and it was up to me. It was an intensely dramatic script and most of the pages were fed to me at the microphone, so I had to get it right first time. God knows I put my heart into it." — Newsreader Robert Dougall, recalling his message as the 'anonymous Englishman', calling for Germany to withdraw its forces.

• "... confronted with problems of which I had no experience: Copyright and performing rights; Marconi patents; associations of concert artists, authors, playwrights, composers, music publishers, theatre managers, wireless manufacturers." – John Reith (later Lord Reith)'s description of launching the BBC.

• "Now, if you'll pardon me, I've a little bit of news of my own. If the mail is anything to go by, most of the listening population have spotted a report that next year I'm going to turn into Chris Evans.

And I hate to tell you, but it's true." - Sir Terry Wogan announcing he is to step down as presenter of the breakfast show on Radio 2.

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