Editing Timeline of the BBC

{{short description|None}}

{{More citations needed|date=October 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
This is a timeline of the history of the [[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]] (and its predecessor, the [[British Broadcasting Company]]).

== 1920s ==
* '''1922'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=1920s |url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/timelines/1920s |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226133810/https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/timelines/1920s |archive-date=2024-12-26 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en}}</ref>
** 18 October – The [[British Broadcasting Company]] is formed.
** 14 November – Following the closure of numerous amateur stations, the first BBC broadcasts from [[London]] (station [[2LO]]).
** 15 November – First broadcasts from [[Birmingham]] (station [[5IT]]) and [[Manchester]] (station [[2ZY]]).
** 14 December – 33-year-old [[John Reith, 1st Baron Reith|John Charles Walsham Reith]] becomes General Manager of the BBC.
** 24 December – First broadcast from [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] (station 5NO).

* '''1923'''
** 8 January – First outside broadcast, the British National Opera Company's production of ''[[The Magic Flute]]'' from [[Royal Opera House|Covent Garden]].
** 18 January – The UK [[Postmaster General of the United Kingdom|Postmaster General]] grants the BBC a licence to broadcast.
** 13 February – First broadcast from [[Cardiff]] (station 5WA).
** 6 March – First broadcast from [[Glasgow]] (station 5SC).
** 6 June – [[Edgar Wallace]] makes a report on [[Epsom Derby|The Derby]], thus becoming the first British radio [[Sports journalism|sports reporter]].
** 28 September – First publication of the ''[[Radio Times]]'' listings magazine.<ref>{{Cite web| title = Issue 1 – 28 September 1923 – BBC Genome| date = 28 September 1923| access-date = 10 July 2019| url = https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d58cef702a6a4b26adb3e9df7195cbd4}}</ref>
** 10 October – First broadcast from [[Aberdeen]] (station [[2BD]]).
** 17 October – First broadcast from [[Bournemouth]] (station 6BM).
** 16 November – First broadcast from [[Sheffield]] (relay station 6FL).
** 2 December – The first [[BBC]] radio broadcast in [[Scottish Gaelic]] (relay station 2EH).
** 11 June – First broadcast from [[Liverpool]] (relay station 6LV).
** 8 July – First broadcast from [[Leeds]] and [[Bradford]] (relay station 2LS).
** 21 July – An experimental long-wave station (5XX) is established at the [[Chelmsford]] works of the [[Marconi Company]].
** 15 August – First broadcast from [[Kingston upon Hull]] (relay station 6KH).
** 16 September – First broadcast from [[Nottingham]] (relay station 5NG).
** 21 October – First broadcast from [[Stoke-on-Trent]] (relay station 6ST).
** 12 November – First broadcast from [[Dundee]] (relay station 2DE).
** 12 December – First broadcast from [[Swansea]] (relay station 5SX).<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/bbc_transmitter_development_clive_mccarthy.pdf |title = BBC Transmitter Development|first = Clive|last = McCarthy|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160618184824/http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/bbc_transmitter_development_clive_mccarthy.pdf|archive-date = 18 June 2016|date = 28 May 2007}}</ref>

* '''1924'''
** 23 April – First broadcast by [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]], opening the [[British Empire Exhibition]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1924)|Wembley Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Archive 1924: Wembley's British Empire Exhibition |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/videos/clkk0yerk0ko |website=bbc.co.uk |access-date=22 March 2025}}</ref>
** 27 July – Long-wave station 5XX moves from [[Chelmsford]]; [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] language is broadcast throughout [[Scotland]].
** 15 September – First broadcast from [[Belfast]] (station [[2BE Belfast|2BE]]).

* '''1925'''
** February – Heard on BBC radio since 1924, the six electronically generated 'pips' to indicate the Greenwich Time Signal (GTS) were invented by the Astronomer Royal Sir Frank Watson Dyson, and the Director General of the BBC, John Reith.
** 28 March – First broadcast from [[Plymouth]] (relay station 5PY).
** 1 May – First broadcast from [[Edinburgh]] (relay stad to [[Daventry transmitting station]] and becomes the first British radio station to achieve near national coverage: the first step in the establishment of the [[BBC National Programme]].<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.bbceng.info/Books/dx-world/dx-calling-the-world-2008a.pdf|first=Norman|last=Tomalin|title=Daventry Calling the World|year=1998|publisher=Caedmon of Whitby|isbn=0-905355-46-6}}</ref>

* '''1926'''
** 4 May – The [[1926 United Kingdom general strike|General strike]] begins. The BBC broadcasts five news bulletins a day as no newspapers or ''[[Radio Times]]'' are published.

[[File:BBC 1927.svg|thumb|200px]]
* '''1927'''
** 1 January – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when it is granted a Royal Charter. Sir [[John Reith, 1st Baron Reith|John Reith]] becomes the first [[Director-General of the BBC|Director-General]].
** 15 January – First live sports broadcast on the BBC. The [[rugby union]] international England v Wales is commented on by [[Teddy Wakelam]].
** 22 January – First live football match broadcast, featuring [[Arsenal F.C|Arsenal's]] home league fixture against [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] from [[Arsenal Stadium|Highbury]].<ref>[http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/ggm-40-highbury-stages-first-live-broadcast GGM 40: Highbury stages first live broadcast | News Archive | News] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517030637/http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/ggm-40-highbury-stages-first-live-broadcast |date=17 May 2013 }}. Arsenal.com (2 August 2007). Retrieved on 10 May 2012.</ref>
** January – First BBC reference library established by [[Florence Milnes]].
<!-- Image with inadequate rationale removed: [[File:Bbc logo before 1970.png|right|200px]] -->
** March – The [[BBC coat of arms]] is adopted.
** 7 July – [[Christopher Stone (broadcaster)|Christopher Stone]] presents a record programme, becoming the first British [[disc-jockey]].
** 21 August – The first high-powered regional station (5GB), forerunner of the Midland [[BBC Regional Programme|Regional Programme]], opens at [[Daventry]].

* '''1928'''
**2 January – The first edition of ''[[The Daily Service]]'' is broadcast. It was originally called ''A Short Religious Service'' but was renamed ''The Daily Service'' in July.
**12 March - The first broadcast of the BBC Dance Orchestra, led by Jack Payne, took place, performing until disbanding in 1939.
* '''1929'''
** 20 August – First transmissions of [[John Logie Baird]]'s experimental 30-line television system.
** 6 November - The first edition of ''The Week in Westminster'' was broadcast on the Home Service, just after the 1929 General Election.

== 1930s ==
* '''1930'''
** 9 March – The majority of the BBC's existing radio stations are regrouped to form the [[BBC National Programme]] and the [[BBC Regional Programme]]. 
** April – The [[BBC Research & Development|Research Department]] is formed after a renaming of the Development section of the BBC.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/about/history#1937-01-01 |title=History – BBC R&D |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=20 March 2020}}</ref>
** 14 July – Transmission of the first experimental television play, ''[[The Man With the Flower in His Mouth]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Man with the Flower in his Mouth|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02d2sm7|publisher=BBC|date=9 October 2017}}</ref>
** 30 September – BBC Yearbook 1931 states that "The number of radio licences in force on September 30th, 1930, was 3,195,553, representing about 12,000,000 listeners, or roughly every second home in the country".<ref>BBC Yearbook 1931, p. 26</ref>

* '''1931'''
** 2 June – First live outside broadcast with transmission of the [[Epsom Derby]].<ref>{{cite news|title=The first Tel OB|url=http://www.bbceng.info/additions/2016/first-scanner-prospero-2010a.pdf|publisher=Prospero|first = John|last = Trenouth|date = March 2010}}</ref>

* '''1932'''
** 15 March – The first radio broadcast is made from [[Broadcasting House]].
** 15 May – [[Broadcasting House]], the BBC's headquarters and home to its main radio studios, is officially opened.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=1930s |url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/timelines/1930s/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206142015/https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/timelines/1930s/ |archive-date=2024-12-06 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en}}</ref>
** 22 August – The first, experimental television broadcast is made from Broadcasting House.
** 19 December – The [[BBC Empire Service|Empire Service]] (precursor of the [[BBC World Service|World Service]]) launches, broadcasting on [[shortwave]] from Daventry's [[Borough Hill]].<ref name="WS closures 2005 analysis">{{cite news |last=Repa |first=Jan |date=25 October 2005 |title=Analysis: BBC's voice in Europe |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4375652.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080727002945/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4375652.stm |archive-date=27 July 2008 |access-date=16 July 2012 |work=BBC News}}</ref>
** 25 December – King George V becomes the first monarch to deliver a [[Royal Christmas message|Christmas Day message]] by radio, on the Empire Service.<ref name=":0" />

* '''1933'''
** 24 May – The BBC broadcasts a speech by Prime Minister [[Ramsay MacDonald]] on Empire day.<ref>Radio Times 19 May 1931</ref>

*'''1934'''
** Unknown – The Type A Microphone was first used.<ref name=":0" />
** 7 October – The new high-power long-wave transmitter at [[Droitwich Transmitting Station|Droitwich]] takes over from [[Daventry transmitting station|Daventry 5XX]] as the main station radiating the [[BBC National Programme]].
** The BBC broadcasts a [[Interval signal|Tuning Signal]] for the first time. It was a simple line and circle broadcast using [[John Logie Baird|Baird's]] [[Mechanical television|30-line system]], and was used to synchronise the mechanical scanning system.<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC Tuning Signals 
|url=http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/bbc_tune.html |date=29 March 2000 |publisher=Meldrum |access-date=14 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223154155/http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/bbc_tune.html |archive-date=23 February 2009 }}</ref>

*'''1935'''
** The BBC establishes its first [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] department.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-1VRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LjQNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5559%2C2302193 |title=BBC Gaelic Assistant: {{lang|gd|An Comunn|nocat=y}} Official's Appointment |work=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] |date=16 August 1935 |page=8 |access-date=8 June 2016}}</ref>

* '''1936'''
** 2 November – The BBC opens the world's first regular high-definition television service, from [[Alexandra Palace]].<ref name=":0" />

* '''1937'''
** 24 April – The very first children's television show ''[[For the Children]]''.
** 12 May – First use of TV outside broadcast van, to cover the procession that followed the [[coronation of George VI and Elizabeth]].<ref name=":0" />
** 21 June – The BBC broadcasts television coverage of the [[Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon Tennis Championships]] for the first time.
** 16 September – The BBC makes the world's first live television broadcast of a football match, a specially arranged local mirror match derby fixture between [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and Arsenal reserves.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/2260280.stm |title=Happened on this day – 16&nbsp;September |work=BBC Sport |access-date=10 October 2010 |date=16 September 2002}}</ref>

* '''1938'''
** 3 January – The BBC begins broadcasting its first foreign-language radio service, in [[Arabic language|Arabic]].<ref name=":0" />
** 11 February 1938 – The BBC broadcasts its first Science Fiction (SciFi) television programme, a thirty-five-minute adapted extract of the play ''[[R.U.R.]]'', written by the Czech playwright [[Karel Čapek]], was broadcast [[Live television|live]] from the BBC's [[Alexandra Palace]] studios.<ref>{{cite news |title=Radio Times |date=6 February 1938}}</ref> See [[British television science fiction]].
** 14 March – Inauguration of the Latin American service, broadcasting on shortwave in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
** 30 April – The BBC broadcasts television coverage of the [[FA Cup]] for the first time.
** 27 September – Start of the European Service on radio, broadcasting in French, German and Italian. Portuguese and Spanish are added before the start of the [[Second World War]].

* '''1939'''
** Creation of [[BBC Monitoring]]
** 1 September – The BBC Television Service is suspended, around 20 minutes after the conclusion of a [[Mickey Mouse]] cartoon (''[[Mickey's Gala Premier]]''), owing to the imminent outbreak of [[World War II]] and amid fears that the VHF transmissions would act as perfect guidance beams for enemy bombers attempting to locate central London. Additionally, the service's technicians and engineers will be needed for such war efforts as the development of [[radar]]. On radio, the National and Regional Programmes are combined to form a single [[BBC Home Service|Home Service]].
** 17 October – '''The First World Radio Broadcast''', the most sensational live radio broadcast ever attempted by the [[BBC]] hit the airwaves. It took place at the [[RAF Hendon]] base in North London, in front of a specially invited audience of RAF personnel. The whole show was relayed worldwide across the airwaves, the first time a live show had ever been broadcast around the globe. The bill starred [[Adelaide Hall]], [[Mantovani]] and His Orchestra, [[The Western Brothers]], and [[Harry Roy]] and his Band.<ref>{{cite web | work=Band Wagon | volume=1 | number=1 | date=14 October 1939 | page=3 | title=Harry Roy's World Broadcast (report) | url=https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/explore/journals/band-wagon/vol1-no1-14-october-1939/1259789?q=adelaide%20hall | via=National Jazz Archive | access-date=9 August 2021 }}</ref>

== 1940s ==
* '''1940'''
** 7 January – Start of the [[BBC Forces Programme]] on radio, precursor of the post-war Light Programme.
** 11 May – The BBC starts a news service in [[Hindi]].

* '''1941'''
** The [[BBC World Service|BBC European Service]] moves to [[Bush House]] in Central London.

* '''1942'''
**29 January – The first edition of ''[[Desert Island Discs]]'' is broadcast on the [[BBC Forces Programme]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9045319/Desert-Island-Discs-Britains-longest-running-radio-show.html|title=Desert Island Discs: Britain's longest-running radio show |work=The Telegraph|date=29 January 2012 |location=London |first=Neil |last=Midgley}}</ref>

* '''1943'''
**23 November – [[British Forces Broadcasting Service]] begins operation.

* '''1944'''
** 27 February – [[BBC General Forces Programme]] replaces the BBC Forces Programme (also broadcast on shortwave).

* '''1945'''
** 29 July – Regional radio programming resumes on the Home Service (on the same medium-wave frequencies as used pre-war by the Regional Programme), while on the same day a new [[BBC Light Programme|Light Programme]] begins, using the long-wave frequency of the pre-war National Programme.
** 9 October – The first edition of ''[[Today in Parliament]]'' is broadcast.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34554669|title=Today in Parliament at 70: Britain's 'longest-running soap opera'|date=18 October 2015 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref>

[[File:BBC 1946.svg|thumb]]
* '''1946'''
** 7 June – BBC Television broadcasts ([[405-line television system|405 lines]]) resume after the war including the coverages of [[cricket (sport)|cricket]] and [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon Tennis]]. One of the first programmes shown is the same exact Mickey Mouse cartoon from its television service suspension in 1939.
** 29 September – The [[BBC Third Programme|Third Programme]] starts broadcasting on radio.
** 7 October – ''[[Woman's Hour]]'' launches, covering issues about women.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=1940s |url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/timelines/1940s |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241008044634/https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/timelines/1940s |archive-date=2024-10-08 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en}}</ref>
** October – For The Children is launched, the first ever Children block for the BBC.<ref name=":1" />

* '''1947'''
** 7 October – [[Adelaide Hall]] singing at a RadiOlympia variety show is the oldest surviving [[telerecording|telerecorded]] programme in Britain.<ref name=Shagawat>{{cite web|last=Shagawat|first=Robert|title=Television recording – The origins and earliest surviving live TV broadcast recordings|url=http://www.earlytelevision.org/tv_recordings_the_origins.html|work=Early Electronic Television|publisher=Early Television Museum|access-date=20 April 2011}}</ref>
** 9 November – First use of telerecording of an outside broadcast: the Service of Remembrance from the Cenotaph is televised live, and a telerecording shown that evening.<ref name=Shagawat />
** 20 November – The [[wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh]] is televised by the BBC.<ref name=Shagawat /> It is watched by an estimated 400,000 viewers.

* '''1948'''
** January – The first ever news program, Newsreel is launched.<ref name=":1" />
** 29 July – The [[1948 Summer Olympics|London Olympic Games]] is televised.<ref name=":1" />
** 26 December – The first [[Reith Lectures|Reith Lecture]] is broadcast on radio.

* '''1949'''
** July - The revived BBC weather forecast was relaunched. The format would not change until 1954.<ref name=":1" />
** "Briefe ohne Unterschrift" begins broadcast (1949–1974) Austin Harrison reads and comments letters by East Germans.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000b1h0 |title=BBC Four – London Calling: Cold War Letters |publisher=BBC |year=2019 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="sch">{{Cite book |title=Briefe ohne Unterschrift: wie eine BBC-Sendung die DDR herausforderte |last=Schädlich |first=Susanne |year = 2017|isbn=978-3-8135-0749-2 |edition=1. Auflage |location=München |publisher=Knaus |oclc=982125900}}</ref>
** 17 December – For the first time television extends beyond London when the [[Sutton Coldfield transmitting station|Sutton Coldfield transmitter]] starts broadcasting, providing television reception across the Midlands.

== 1950s ==
[[File:BBC logo (50s-60s).svg|right|200px|BBC logo between 1958 and 1963]]
* '''1950'''
** 29 May – [[The Archers]] is launched, initially as a six-episode trial, and only broadcast in the Midlands.
** 21 May – [[Lime Grove Studios|Lime Grove]] television studios open.
** 27 August – First live television from the European continent, using BBC outside broadcast equipment.
** October – Democracy on TV first started, but was never shown in public. The first real broadcast wasn't until 1989.

* '''1951'''
** 12 October – Television extends to the north of England following the switching on of the [[Holme Moss transmitting station]].

* '''1952'''
** 14 March – Television becomes available in [[Scotland]] for the first time following the switching on of the [[Kirk o' Shotts transmitting station]].
** 15 August – Television becomes available in [[Wales]] for the first time following the switching on of the [[Wenvoe transmitting station]].

* '''1953'''
** 1 May – Television becomes available in [[Northern Ireland]] for the first time although initially from a temporary transmitter, brought into service in time for the Queen's Coronation. A permanent mast at [[Divis transmitting station|Divis]] is brought into service in 1955.
** 2 June – The coronation of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] in [[Westminster Abbey]] is televised by the BBC and watched live by an estimated audience of 20 million people in the United Kingdom.
** 11 November – The first edition of ''[[Panorama (TV series)|Panorama]]'' is presented by ''[[Daily Mail]]'' reporter Pat Murphy. ''Panorama'' is the world's longest-running current affairs programme and retains a peak-time slot to this day.
** ''[[Watch with Mother]]'', the pre-schoolers strand, debuts. It was replaced with the ''See Saw'' branding in 1975.

* '''1954'''
** The BBC purchases [[Dickenson Road Studios]], a converted church in Manchester, which becomes the BBC's first regional television studio.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Richards |first1=Jeffrey |title=Films and British National Identity: From Dickens to Dad's Army |date=15 September 1997 |publisher=Manchester University Press |isbn=978-0-7190-4743-5 |page=267 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bck6oHB6_AwC&pg=PA267 |access-date=28 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
** 11 January – The very first in-vision weather forecast is broadcast, presented by [[George Cowling]]. Previously, weather forecasts had been read by an off-screen announcer with a weather map filling the entire screen.
** 5 July – BBC newsreader [[Richard Baker (broadcaster)|Richard Baker]] reads the first televised BBC News bulletin.
** 30 December – The first [[BBC Sports Personality of the Year]] award takes place.

* '''1955'''
** 2 May – The BBC begins broadcasting its radio service on [[Very high frequency|VHF]] ([[FM broadcasting|FM]]), using the [[Wrotham transmitting station|Wrotham]] transmitter.
** September – [[Kenneth Kendall]] becomes the BBC's first in-vision newsreader, followed by Richard Baker and [[Robert Dougall]].
** 10 October – Alexandra Palace begins test transmissions of a 405-line colour television service.

* '''1956'''
** 28 March – Television transmissions begin from the new [[Crystal Palace transmitting station|Crystal Palace]] site in south London.
** The BBC broadcasts a [[trade test colour film]] for the first time.

* '''1957'''
** 16 February – ''[[Six-Five Special]]'' first [[Rock and Roll]] programme first broadcast (16 February 1957 – 27 December 1958)
** The first broadcast of ''[[Test Match Special]]'' takes place, providing listeners with ball-by-ball [[cricket]] commentary for the first time. 
** 24 April – ''[[The Sky at Night]]'', a monthly astronomy programme presented by [[Sir Patrick Moore]], is first broadcast.
** 24 September– The first programmes for schools are broadcast.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/nov/23/tv-schools-televison-bbc-1955 |title =Schools TV on its way – archive, 1955|work = [[The Guardian]]|date = 23 November 2017}}</ref>
** September – The first broadcasts of regional news bulletins took place.
** 30 September – Launch of [[Network Three]], a strand of adult-education broadcasts transmitted on the frequencies of the Third Programme in the early part of weekday evenings.
** 25 December – First TV broadcast of the Queen's Christmas Day message.

* '''1958'''
** The BBC introduces a new 3 box system logo. The logo featured slanted lettering within upright boxes.
** The [[BBC Radiophonic Workshop]] is established to create sound effects for BBC programmes.
** 14 April – The newly magnetic videotape machine [[Vision Electronic Recording Apparatus]] or VERA for short, was given a live demonstration on-air in ''[[Panorama (TV programme)|Panorama]]'' where [[Richard Dimbleby]] seated by a clock, talked for a couple of minutes about the new method of vision recording with an instant playback, and then the tape was wound back and replayed.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctv/1958-04-14 BBC Genome Project – BBC Television 14 April 1958]</ref>
** 5 May – First experimental transmissions of a 625-line television service.
** 10 October – First broadcast of the United Kingdom's multi-sport television show ''[[Grandstand (TV series)|Grandstand]]''.
** 16 October – First broadcast of the United Kingdom's longest-running children's television show ''[[Blue Peter]]''.

* '''1959'''
** The [[BBC North East and Cumbria]] region is created with localised bulletins from [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne]] aired for the first time. Previously, the area was part of a pan-Northern region based in [[Manchester]].

== 1960s ==
[[File:BBC 1 logo 1963.png|right|200px|BBC logo between 1962 and 1972]]
* '''1960'''
** 26 March – [[BBC One|BBC Television]] televises the [[Grand National]] for the first time.
** 19 June – [[Nan Winton]] becomes the BBC's first national female [[News presenter|newsreader]]. 
** 29 June – [[BBC Television Centre]] opens.
** 8 October – The [[BBC One|BBC Television Service]] is renamed as BBC TV.

* '''1961'''
** 30 June – Final original episode of classic sitcom ''[[Hancock's Half Hour|Hancock]]'' broadcast on BBC TV.
** 1 October – Long-running religious music series ''[[Songs of Praise]]'' debuts on BBC TV.
** 2 October – Long-running viewers' letters series ''[[Points of View (TV programme)|Points of View]]'' debuts on BBC TV.
** 15 December – First episode of ''[[Comedy Playhouse]]'' broadcast on BBC TV.

* '''1962'''
** 4 January – Popular sitcom ''[[Steptoe and Son]]'' begins.
** 27 June – The [[Pilkington Committee on Broadcasting]] publishes its report into the future of UK broadcasting. Long its recommendations are the introduction of colour television licenses, that Britain's third national television channel should be awarded to the [[BBC]] and that the BBC should extend its activities to the creation of local radio stations in order to prevent the introduction of commercial radio.
** 28 August – Experimental stereo radio broadcasts begin.
** The BBC runs a series of closed circuit experiments in local radio from a variety of locations across England.<ref name="youtube.com">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX-XWODC3i8 BBC Radio Durham documentary about BBC local radio]</ref>

* '''1963'''
** The BBC logo was modified to slant the boxes with the lettering and to reduce the spaces between the lettering as well as between the boxes.
** 30 September – A globe is used as BBCtv's channel identity for the first time.
** 23 November – [[An Unearthly Child|First broadcast]] of the world's longest-running science fiction television programme, ''[[Doctor Who]]''.

* '''1964'''
** 1 January – First broadcast of pop and rock music television show ''[[Top of the Pops]]''. 
** 20 April – [[BBC2]] starts broadcasting (on [[625-line television system|625 lines]]). The existing BBC Television Service is renamed [[BBC1]].
** 22 August – First broadcast of top flight football television show ''[[Match of the Day]]''.

* '''1965'''
** 22 March – Launch of the daytime BBC Music Programme on the frequencies of Network Three / the Third Programme.
** 1 May – The General Overseas Service is renamed the [[BBC World Service]].
** 10 October – A new service for Asian immigrants begins broadcasting. The programming consists of a weekly television and radio programme broadcast on Sunday mornings.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/4/newsid_2540000/2540633.stm|title= Immigrants feel at home with BBC|publisher= BBC On This Day|access-date= 16 May 2009 | date=1965-10-04}}</ref>

* '''1966'''
**3 January – ''[[Camberwick Green]]'' is the first programme on BBC1 to be shot in colour and the first programme to feature the copyright year in the end credits; BBC1 would not broadcast in colour until almost four years later and regular BBC programmes also wouldn't show the copyright year in the end credits until six years later.
** 5 April – ''[[The Money Programme]]'' – the BBC's first regular programme devoted to business and finance – debuts on [[BBC Two|BBC2]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/36fca513767940b8ada503a4f1774448|title=The Money Programme – BBC Two England – 5 April 1966 – BBC Genome|date=5 April 1966 |publisher=BBC|access-date=11 November 2018}}</ref> 
** 17 April – The first regular stereo radio transmissions begin, from the [[Wrotham transmitting station|Wrotham]] transmitter. 
** A government White Paper paves the way for the launch of a small number (eight) of two-year experimental [[BBC Local Radio]] stations.<ref name="youtube.com"/>

* '''1967'''
**3 January – ''[[Trumpton]]'' is the second programme on BBC1 to be shot in colour and to also feature the copyright year in the end credits five years before regular BBC programmes would; only [[BBC Two|BBC2]] became the first channel to broadcast colour nearly six months later. BBC1 however still wouldn't broadcast colour until almost three years later.
** 25 June – The first worldwide live satellite programme, ''[[Our World (International TV special)|Our World]]'', featuring the Pop band, [[the Beatles]], is televised.
** 1 July – Regular colour TV transmissions ([[625-line television system|625 lines]]) begin on BBC2, starting with the Wimbledon tennis championships.
** 30 September – [[BBC Radio 1]] is launched, as a response to the threat from [[pirate radio]] station broadcasts of popular music. At the same time, the Light Programme, the third network (Network Three / the Third Programme), and the Home Service are renamed Radios [[BBC Radio 2|2]], [[BBC Radio 3|3]] and [[BBC Radio 4|4]] respectively.
** 8 November – The BBC launches its first [[BBC Local Radio|local radio station]] when [[BBC Radio Leicester]] launches.
** 15 November – [[BBC Radio Sheffield]] launches.
** 22 November – [[BBC Radio Merseyside]] launches.
** 2 December – [[BBC2]] becomes the first television channel in Britain to broadcast a full service in colour.

* '''1968'''
** 31 January – [[BBC Radio Nottingham]] launches.
** 14 February – [[BBC Radio Sussex|BBC Radio Brighton]] launches.
** 14 March – [[BBC Radio Stoke]] launches.
** 25 March – BBC regional television from [[Leeds]] began and the first edition of ''[[BBC Look North (Yorkshire and North Midlands)|Look North]]'' is broadcast. Previously, the Yorkshire area had been part of a wider North region based in [[Manchester]].
** 24 June – [[BBC Radio Leeds]] launches.
** 3 July – [[BBC Radio Durham]] launches.
** 31 July – The first episode of ''[[Dad's Army]]'' is broadcast.

* '''1969'''
**10 July – The BBC publishes a report called "Broadcasting in the Seventies" proposing the reorganisation of programmes on the national networks and replacing regional broadcasting on [[BBC Radio 4]] with [[BBC Local Radio]].
** 9 September – The first edition of ''[[Nationwide (TV programme)|Nationwide]]'' is broadcast.
** 19–20 September – [[BBC News]] relocates from [[Alexandra Palace]] in North London to [[BBC Television Centre]] in West London.
**6 October – ''[[Chigley]]'' is the third and final programme to be shot in colour on BBC1 before regular colour broadcasting and also happens to be the first programme to feature the copyright year in [[Roman numerals]] in the end credits nearly seven years ahead of most programmes by the BBC.
** 15 November – BBC1 starts broadcasting in colour (simultaneous with rival [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]). [[NODD (Nexus Orthicon Display Device)|First appearance of the Mirror Globe, coloured blue on black]].
**[[BBC Local Radio]] is made permanent after the two-year experiment is judged to have been a success.

== 1970s ==
[[File:BBC logo (80s).svg|right|200px|BBC logo between 1970 and 1992]]
* '''1970'''
** A number of [[BBC Local Radio]] stations launch – [[BBC Radio Manchester]] (10 Sept), [[BBC Radio Bristol]] (4 Sept), [[BBC Radio London]] (6 Oct), [[BBC Radio Oxford]] (29 October), [[BBC Radio WM|BBC Radio Birmingham]] (9 Nov), [[BBC Radio Kent|BBC Radio Medway]] (18 December), [[BBC Radio Solent]] (31 Dec) and [[BBC Tees|BBC Radio Teesside]] (31 December).
** 4 April – BBC Radio's sports coverage transfers from [[BBC Radio 3]] to [[BBC Radio 2]].
** 14 September – [[Robert Dougall]] presents the first edition of the ''[[BBC Nine O'Clock News]]''. The programme, launched in response to [[ITN]]'s ''[[ITV News at Ten|News at Ten]]'', was controversially moved to 10{{nbsp}}pm in 2000.

* '''1971'''
** The BBC logo's boxes rounds off the corners and increases the spaces.
** The first programmes for the [[Open University]] are broadcast.
** 2 January - [[BBC Radio Newcastle]] launches
** 26 January – [[BBC Radio Lancashire|BBC Radio Blackburn]] launches.
** 25 February – 
***[[BBC Radio Humberside]] launches.
***The animated children's adventure series ''[[Mr Benn]]'' airs on BBC1 with the copyright year shown from the previous year (1970) in the end credits shortly before the BBC tv logo. However the other regular BBC programmes unlike ''The Trumptonshire Trilogy'' still wouldn't show any copyright years until the following year (1972).
** 29 April – [[BBC Radio Derby]] launches.
** 10 June – The BBC's new [[Pebble Mill Studios]] in Birmingham are opened by [[Princess Anne]].

* '''1972'''
** 4 April – The first edition of ''[[John Craven's Newsround|Newsround]]'' is broadcast.
** 25 August – When the government restricted the BBC to twenty local radio stations, the corporation responds by closing [[BBC Radio Durham]]. Its resources are transferred to [[Carlisle]] where BBC Radio Carlisle, now [[BBC Radio Cumbria]], was formed. 
** 2 October – Following a recent law change, BBC1 and ITV are allowed to begin broadcasting a full afternoon schedule with both broadcasters now broadcasting non-stop from lunchtime. [[BBC1]]'s afternoon schedule launches with the first edition of a new lunchtime magazine programme ''[[Pebble Mill at One]]''. 
** 4 November – Radios 2 and 4 begin broadcasting in stereo in South East England. Stereo was rolled out to the rest of the country over subsequent years.<ref>Brown, Ron [https://books.google.com/books?id=4hD8LSniK3MC&dq=%22new+scientist%22+%22steam+radio+comes+up+to+date%22&pg=PA264 "Steam radio comes up to date"], ''New Scientist'' 2 November 1972, p. 264</ref>

* '''1973'''
** 4 January – The pilot episode of ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' airs on television. The regular series, which begins on 12 November, becomes the longest-running sitcom in the world, running for 37 years.
** 2 April – BBC2 broadcasts the first programme produced by the BBC's [[Community Programme Unit]]. It had been commissioned the previous year to help members of the public create programmes to be broadcast nationally. 
**24 August – BBC2 broadcasts a [[trade test colour film]] for the final time, having done so during daytime closedowns to provide colour broadcasting in these intervals for use by television shops and engineers (the 'trade') to adjust their television sets.
** 10 September – ''[[Newsbeat]]'' bulletins air on [[BBC Radio 1]] for the first time. 
** 24 November – [[BBC Radio Cumbria|BBC Radio Carlisle]] launches.
** 17 December – The British government imposes early close downs of all three television channels in the UK from this date in order to save electricity during the crisis which culminates in imposition of a [[Three-Day Week]] from 31 December. The restrictions force BBC1 and BBC2 to end their broadcasting day at 10:30{{nbsp}}pm. They are lifted temporarily on Christmas Eve to allow the public to enjoy festive programming, then recommence on Monday 7 January 1974, ending on 8 February 1974.

* '''1974'''
** 7 January – A two-minute mid-afternoon regional news summary is broadcast on [[BBC1]] for the first time. It is transmitted immediately before the start of the afternoon's children's programmes.
** 1 April – [[BBC Tees|BBC Radio Teesside]] is renamed BBC Radio Cleveland.
** 23 September – [[Teletext]] service [[Ceefax]] goes live.
**December – The BBC1 Mirror globe changes colour from blue on black to yellow on blue.

* '''1975'''
** 1 January – [[BBC Radio Ulster]] is launched.
** 4 January – Due to cutbacks at the BBC, BBC Radio 2's broadcasting hours are cut back, with the station now starting their day at 6:00{{nbsp}}am instead of 5:00{{nbsp}}am, and their broadcasting day concluding at around 12:33{{nbsp}}am instead of 2:02{{nbsp}}am.  Later in the autumn of 1975, BBC Radio 2 would end their day slightly earlier at around 12:10{{nbsp}}am, except on Saturdays and Sundays when the station would continue until around 12:33{{nbsp}}am. These cutbacks would remain until 1978, however at Christmas 1975, 1976 and 1977 BBC Radio 2 hours were extended over the festive season.
** 6 January – Due to these cutbacks, [[BBC1]] stops broadcasting regular programmes on weekday afternoons between 2&nbsp;pm and 4&nbsp;pm other than schools programmes and sport. This meant ITV was often the only channel providing afternoon viewing. As an additional economy measure, BBC2 transmitters were turned off for much of the daytime if no programmes were being broadcast.

* '''1976'''
**September – The credits of each programme produced by the BBC reveals the copyrighted years in Roman numerals for the first time since ''[[Chigley]]'' in 1969.

* '''1977'''
** 3 January – [[BBC Radio Cymru]] is launched.
** 9 May – [[BBC Radio Orkney]] and [[BBC Radio Shetland]] launch as opt-out stations from [[BBC Radio Scotland]]. 
** 19 October – The first edition of a new weekly magazine programme for Asian women, ''[[Gharbar]]'', is broadcast. The programme had only been intended to run for 26 weeks but continued for around 500 weeks, finally ending in April 1987.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1977-10-19 BBC Genome Project BBC2 listings 19 October 1977]</ref>
** 25 December – ''[[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968–1977)|The Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show]]'' on [[BBC1]] attracts an audience of more than 28 million, one of the highest ever in UK television history.

* '''1978'''
** The BBC organises its first [[BBC Young Musician of the Year|Young Musician of the Year]] competition.
** 24 May – ''[[Nationwide (TV series)|Nationwide]]'' airs the famous [[Skateboarding duck]] report.
** 23 November –
*** All BBC national radio stations change their medium or long wave transmission wavelength as part of a plan for BBC AM broadcasting in order to improve national AM reception, and to conform with the [[Geneva Frequency Plan of 1975]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frequencyfinder.org.uk/History_Transmission.pdf|title = History of Radio Transmission in the UK|publisher= Frequency Finder}}</ref> [[BBC Radio 1|Radio 1]]'s transmission wavelength is moved from 247m (1214&nbsp;kHz) to 275 & 285m (1053 & 1089&nbsp;kHz) medium wave.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/transmitter.htm|title= Radio 1 History – Transmitters|publisher= Radio Rewind|access-date= 18 February 2010}}</ref> [[BBC Radio 2|Radio 2]]'s wavelength is moved from 1500m (200&nbsp;kHz) long wave to 433 & 330m (693 & 909&nbsp;kHz) medium wave.  [[BBC Radio 3|Radio 3]] is moved from 464m (647&nbsp;kHz) to 247m (1215&nbsp;kHz) medium wave.  [[BBC Radio 4|Radio 4]] is moved from various medium wavelengths to 1500m (200&nbsp;kHz) long wave.
*** The [[shipping forecast]] transfers from [[BBC Radio 2]] to [[BBC Radio 4]] so that the forecast can continue to be broadcast on [[long wave]].
*** The [[Radio 4 UK Theme]] is used for the first time to coincide with the network becoming a fully national service for the first time and to underline this the station officially becomes known as Radio 4 UK, a title that remains until mid 1984.
** November – Due to Radio 4's transfer from medium wave to long wave, [[BBC Radio Scotland]] and [[BBC Radio Wales]] launch as full-time stations on Radio 4's former Scottish and Welsh medium wave opt-out wavelengths of 370m (810&nbsp;kHz) and 340m (882&nbsp;kHz) respectively, albeit initially with very limited broadcast hours due to very limited coverage of [[BBC Radio 4]] on FM in both countries.
** 21–22 December – The BBC is crippled by its most famous strike, which leads to record viewing figures for [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]. BBC1 and BBC2 television are off the air on 21 and 22 December. On 22 December the unions called out their radio colleagues on strike, meaning BBC Radio 1, 2, 3 and 4 were "collapsed" into one emergency "All Network Service" from 4:00{{nbsp}}pm until the end of their broadcasting day at 2:05{{nbsp}}am.  The strike was settled by 10:00{{nbsp}}pm on 22 December with a pay increased awarded to BBC staff. BBC Television and Radio stations resumed normal broadcasting on 23 December.
** The [[BBC]] Film and Videotape Library is created as a permanent archive for its television programmes. Prior to this the BBC had no central archive and material stored in the BBC's various libraries were often either [[Lost television broadcast#Wiping|wiped]] or discarded so that new programmes could be recorded as videotape was expensive, and also because the BBC Film Library and the Engineering Department, which had handled videotape, had no mandate to retain material.<ref name=dampw/>

* '''1979'''
** 27 January – [[BBC Radio 2]] becomes the first national 24-hour radio station in the UK.
** 1 March – [[BBC2]] unveils its [[BBC Two 'Computer Generated 2' ident|computer generated ident]], the first computer-generated ident in the world. The second such ident is unveiled by US broadcaster [[NBC]].
** 27 August – The murder of [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|Lord Mountbatten]] by the IRA sets a record audience of 26 million for a news bulletin. Strike action at [[ITN]] led to the record viewing figures.
** 11 September – [[BBC Radio Foyle]] launches as an opt-out station from [[BBC Radio Ulster]].
** 25 September – The first edition of ''[[Question Time (TV series)|Question Time]]'' is broadcast.

== 1980s ==
* '''1980'''
** 28 January – ''[[Newsnight]]'' is launched.
** February – [[BBC Radio Deeside]] is launched as an opt-out service from [[BBC Radio Wales]]. 
** March – The very first in-vision [[Ceefax]] transmissions are broadcast. Three 30-minute transmissions are aired at various points during weekday daytime downtime.
** Summer – Due to the continued expansion of [[BBC Local Radio]], regional opt-out programming on [[BBC Radio 4]] ends, apart from in the south west as this is now the only part of England still without any BBC local station. 
** 6 September – [[BBC2]] launches a computer generated clock, probably the first of its kind in the world.<ref>[https://cleanfeed.thetvroom.com/2343/features/bbc-two-clock-goes-electronic/ BBC Two Clock Goes Electronic]</ref> 
** 8 September – ''[[Watchdog (TV series)|Watchdog]]'' is launched as a weekly slot on [[BBC1]]'s news magazine programme ''[[Nationwide (TV programme)|Nationwide]]''.
** 11 September – [[BBC Radio Norfolk]] launches.
** 19 September – Regional peak time continuity on BBC1 ends and with it the weeknight closedown regional news bulletin.
** 11 November – [[BBC Radio Lincolnshire]] launches.
** 21 November – The charity appeal [[Children in Need]] is launched.

* '''1981'''
** 17 May – ''[[Grandstand (TV series)|Sunday Grandstand]]'' launches. It broadcasts during the summer months on [[BBC2]].<ref>[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1981-05-17 BBC Genome Project – BBC2 listings 17 May 1981]</ref>
** 4 July – [[BBC Radio Lancashire|BBC Radio Blackburn]] expands to cover all of [[Lancashire]] and is renamed accordingly. 
** 29 July – The [[Wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer]] is produced by BBC Television & Radio with an audience of 750 million viewers and listeners in over 60 countries.  Welsh Actor [[Richard Burton]] and Scottish writer, actor & royal expert [[Tom Fleming (actor)|Tom Fleming]] are among the commentators.
** Autumn – [[BBC Micro]] is produced for [[BBC Computer Literacy Project]].
** 4 September – The final edition of the ''Midday News'' is broadcast.
** 5 September – The BBC1 Mirror globe changes colour from yellow on blue to green on blue.
** 7 September – ''[[News After Noon]]'' is launched as a 30-minute lunchtime news programme, replacing the much shorter ''Midday News''.
** October – BBC Radio Deeside is expanded to cover all of north east Wales and is renamed [[BBC Radio Clwyd]].
** 23 October – The last teatime block of [[Open University]] programmes are transmitted on BBC2. From the 1982 season, only a single Open University programme is aired at 5:10{{nbsp}}pm, ahead of the start of the channel's evening programmes.
** 23 November – BBC Radio Birmingham expands to cover the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], [[South Staffordshire]], north [[Worcestershire]] and [[north Warwickshire]] and is relaunched as [[BBC Radio WM]].

* '''1982'''
** March – The BBC proposes to launch a satellite television service following the Corporation being awarded two of the five DBS satellite channels.<ref>The Times, Friday, 5 March 1982; pg. 15; Joint UK satellite set up By Bill johnstone Electronics Correspondent.</ref>
** 15 and 16 March – [[BBC Local Radio]] starts broadcasting to the [[Channel Islands]] when [[BBC Radio Guernsey]] and [[BBC Radio Jersey]] launch.
** 1 May – [[BBC Radio Cambridgeshire]] launches.
** 25 May – [[BBC Radio Cumbria|BBC Radio Carlisle]] expands to cover all of [[Cumbria]] and is renamed accordingly and as part of the expansion, [[BBC Radio Cumbria|BBC Radio Furness]] launches as an opt-out service.
** 16 June - [[BBC Radio Northampton]] launches.
** 20 June – The BBC relaunches its Sunday morning programme for the Asian community when ''[[Asian Magazine]]'' replaces ''[[Apna Hi Ghar Samajhiye]]'' which had been on air since 1968.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1982-06-20 – BBC Genome Project – BBC1 listings 20 June 1982]</ref>
** September – The [[BBC World Service]] becomes available to UK listeners for the first time, albeit only in south east England.
** 10 September – After 32 years on air, ''[[Listen with Mother]]'' is broadcast on [[BBC Radio 4]] for the final time.
** 1 November – BBC-produced Welsh-language programming is transferred from [[BBC1]] to the new [[S4C]] channel.
** 23 December – ''[[Service Information]]'' is broadcast for the final time.
** 31 December – The last remaining opt-out regional programming on [[BBC Radio 4]] ends when the final edition of ''[[Morning Sou'West]]'' is broadcast, ahead of the launches of [[BBC Radio Devon]] and [[BBC Radio Cornwall]].

* '''1983'''
** January – BBC1 starts broadcasting a full afternoon service, consisting of regional programmes, repeats and old feature films.
** 17 January – 
*** ''[[BBC Breakfast Time|Breakfast Time]]'', the UK's first national breakfast television service, is launched, ahead of the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] franchise [[TV-am]], which follows on 1 February. 
*** [[BBC Radio Devon]] and [[BBC Radio Cornwall]] launch. 
** late February/early March – [[BBC1]] begins broadcasting a 30-minute Ceefax slot prior to the start of ''[[BBC Breakfast Time|Breakfast Time]]''. It is called ''[[Ceefax AM]]''. It is first mentioned in the ''[[Radio Times]]'' on 21 March.<ref>[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1983-03-21 BBC Genome Project – BBC1 listings 21 March 1983]</ref> 
** 11 April – BBC Radio Tweed launches as an opt-out from [[BBC Radio Scotland]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6gkZUWrzbM&ab_channel=TV%26RadioTimelines BBC Radio Timeline 1990s to date]</ref>
** 16 April – [[BBC Radio Solway]] launches as an opt-out from [[BBC Radio Scotland]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6gkZUWrzbM&ab_channel=TV%26RadioTimelines BBC Radio Timeline 1990s to date]</ref>
** 18 April – [[BBC Radio Gwent]] launches as an opt-out service from [[BBC Radio Wales]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6gkZUWrzbM&ab_channel=TV%26RadioTimelines BBC Radio Timeline 1990s to date]</ref>
** 2 May – From today ''[[Pages from Ceefax]]'' is broadcast during all daytime downtime although BBC2 continues to fully close down for four hours after ''[[Play School (British TV series)|Play School]]''. The broadcasts are still known as ''[[Ceefax in Vision]]'' and were not listed in the ''[[Radio Times]]'' until 7 January 1984 when they became known as ''[[Pages from Ceefax]]''.<ref>[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1984-01-07 BBC Genome Project – BBC2 listings 7 January 1984]</ref>
** 2 July – [[BBC Radio Kent|BBC Radio Medway]] is expanded to cover all of the county of [[Kent]] and is renamed accordingly.
** 4 July –  [[BBC Radio York]] launches on a permanent basis – the station had been on air briefly the previous May to cover the [[Pope John Paul II's visit to the United Kingdom|visit]] to [[York]] of [[Pope John Paul II]].
** 5 August – The final edition of ''[[Nationwide (TV programme)|Nationwide]]'' is broadcast.
** 16 September – BBC2 closes down during the day for the final time – all future daytime downtime is filled by ''Pages from Ceefax''.
** 19 September – Programmes for schools and colleges are transferred to [[BBC2]] and an all-day educational strand called ''[[Daytime on Two]]'' is launched. Consequently, the morning broadcast of ''[[Play School (British TV series)|Play School]]'' transfers to [[BBC1]].
** 22 October – [[BBC Radio Sussex|BBC Radio Brighton]] expands to cover all of [[Sussex]] and is renamed accordingly.
** 24 October – ''[[Sixty Minutes (British TV programme)|Sixty Minutes]]'' launches as the new evening news programme to replace ''[[Nationwide (TV programme)|Nationwide]]''.
** Autumn – Shortly after the [[Home Secretary]] announced that the three remaining satellite channels would be given to the [[Independent Broadcasting Authority]] (IBA) to allow the private sector to compete against the BBC, the BBC starts talking with the IBA about a joint project to help cover the cost. The Government subsequently gives permission and a consortium emerges consisting of the BBC, [[ITV Granada|Granada]], [[ITV Anglia|Anglia Television]], Virgin, [[Thorn-EMI]], [[Pearson Longman]] and [[Consolidated Satellite Broadcasting]]. The BBC holds a 50% stake in the consortium.

* '''1984'''
** The BBC conducts five trials of citywide community stations in [[Greater Manchester]]. Each trial lasts for a few weeks and was on air for a few hours each day, opting out of [[BBC Radio Manchester]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6gkZUWrzbM&ab_channel=TV%26RadioTimelines BBC Radio Timeline 1990s to date]</ref> The experiment has not been repeated.
** 7 June – The first edition of ''[[Crimewatch|Crimewatch UK]]'' is broadcast on BBC1.<ref name="genome.ch.bbc.co.uk">[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_one_london/1984-06-07 BBC Programme Index BBC1 7 June 1984]</ref>
** 27 July – The final edition of ''[[Sixty Minutes (British TV programme)|Sixty Minutes]]'' is broadcast.
** 3 September – First broadcast of the ''[[BBC News at Six|Six O'Clock News]]'' on [[BBC1]]. The programme continues to this day.
** October – BBC2 launches a full afternoon service, consisting of repeats of ''[[Dallas (TV series)|Dallas]]'' and old feature films.
** 5 October – The last teatime [[Open University]] programme is broadcast on BBC2. However Open University programmes continue to be shown on BBC2 on weekday lunchtimes on an ad-hoc basis until 1988.
** 18 November – The BBC launches its first Sunday lunchtime political interview show, called ''This Week, Next Week''. It is replaced in 1988 by ''[[On the Record (British TV programme)|On the Record]]''.
** December – BBC1 stops broadcasting a late night news summary.

* '''1985'''
** 3 January – The last day of transmission using the [[405-line television system|405 lines]] system.
** 7 January – The BBC ends its experiment with afternoon broadcasting and from this date afternoon ''[[Pages from Ceefax]]'' is shown on BBC1 between the end of lunchtime programmes and the start of children's programmes, and on BBC2 Ceefax pages are shown continuously between 9{{nbsp}}am and 5:25{{nbsp}}pm apart from when ''[[Daytime on Two]]'' is in season and when sporting events are being shown.
** 23 January – Television coverage of proceedings in the [[House of Lords]] begins.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1985-01-23 BC Genome Project – BBC1 listings 23 January 1985]</ref>
** 18 February – BBC1 is given a major relaunch, along with the introduction of a new [[television ident|ident]], the COW (Computer Originated World). Also, computerised weather maps were used for the first time for all weather forecasts – prior to this date computerised maps had only been used during ''[[BBC Breakfast Time|Breakfast Time]]''.
** 19 February – ''[[EastEnders]]'' premieres on [[BBC1]].
** March – The charity appeal [[Comic Relief]] is launched.
** 23 April – [[BBC Radio Shropshire]] launches.
** May – The consortium which has been planning to launch satellite television in the UK, of which the BBC is part, collapses on costs grounds.<ref>The Times, Saturday, 15 June 1985; pg. 3; British satellite TV project collapses By Bill Johnstone Technology Correspondent.</ref>
** 24 June – [[BBC Three Counties Radio|BBC Radio Bedfordshire]] launches.
** 13 July – [[Live Aid]] is broadcast to the world on [[BBC1]] and [[BBC Radio 1]], the first broadcast of its kind.
** 2 September – A regional news bulletin following the ''[[BBC Nine O'Clock News|Nine O'Clock News]]'' is launched.
** 9 September – The weekday afternoon block of children's programming is rebranded as [[CBBC (TV channel)|Children's BBC]], and for the first time the children's block has dedicated idents and an in-vision presenter. Previously children's programming had been introduced by BBC1's team of regular duty announcers.
** 1 October – [[BBC Radio nan Gàidheal]] launches.

* '''1986'''
** 30 March – BBC2 receives a new look with the word TWO. BBC2's "TWO" logo features the red, green and blue coloured pieces two years and two months ahead of the BBC's corporate logo adding underlines.
** 1 April – All commercial activities of the BBC are now handled by BBC Enterprises Ltd.
** 9 June – BBC Television broadcasts its first Parliamentary review programme when the first edition of ''The Lords This Week'' is broadcast on BBC2.
** 24 October – The final edition of ''[[News After Noon]]'' is broadcast.
** 27 October – [[BBC1]] starts a full daytime television service. Among the new programmes is a new lunchtime news bulletin – the ''[[BBC News at One|One O'Clock News]]''. The programme continues to this day. Before today, excluding sport and special events coverage, BBC1 had closed down at times during weekday daytime, broadcasting trade test transmissions and, from May 1983, ''[[Pages from Ceefax]]''. [[BBC2]] also expands its programming hours, providing a full afternoon service but it wasn't until the end of the decade that BBC2 was on air all day every day.
** 5 November – [[BBC Essex]] launches.
** 8 December – Six weeks after launching its daytime service, BBC TV starts broadcasting hourly [[BBC News Summary|news summaries]]. Morning bulletins are shown on BBC1 and early afternoon summaries (at 2{{nbsp}}pm, 3{{nbsp}}pm and 3:50{{nbsp}}pm) are shown on BBC2. Each bulletin is followed by a weather forecast.
**28 December – After more than 20 years, BBC radio's national programme for the Asian community, ''[[Apna Hi Ghar Samajhiye]]'' (Make Yourself at Home), and broadcast on Sunday morning on [[BBC Radio 4]], ends.

* '''1987'''
** The [[BBC World Service]] launches ''[[BBC 648]]'' from the [[Orfordness transmitting station]]. The service provides a tailor-made service for northern Europe featuring some French and German programming programmes interwoven with the main output in English.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=10687 |author =Kim Andrew Elliott|date = 13 February 2011|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120331051929/http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=10687|archive-date = 31 March 2012|title = BBC World Service ends its version of border radio. MW 648 kHz will sign off 27 March.}}</ref>
**28 April – BBC television programming in Hindi and Urdu ends after more than 20 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-04-26|title=BBC One London – 26 April 1987 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1987-04-28|title=BBC Two England – 28 April 1987 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref> Three months later, on 25 July, a new English language programme for the Asian community launches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1987-07-25|title=BBC Two England – 25 July 1987 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref>
** 4 June – [[BBC TV Europe|BBC 1/2 Mix]], is launched as a subscription-funded television service, serving [[continental Europe]], initially serving [[Scandinavia]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=YFKHDAAAQBAJ&dq=%22BBC+TV+Europe%22+1987+Denmark&pg=PA107 ''Reinventing Public Service Communication: European Broadcasters and Beyond''], Petros Iosifidis
Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, page 107</ref>
** 22 June – The BBC's lunchtime children's programme moves from BBC1 to BBC2. It is shown slightly earlier, at 1:20{{nbsp}}pm.
** 31 October – [[BBC Radio 1]] starts broadcasting on VHF in London.<ref>[http://www.transdiffusion.org/rmc/features/width.asp The quality and the width – Radio – Transdiffusion Broadcasting System] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040822182804/http://www.transdiffusion.org/rmc/features/width.asp |date=22 August 2004 }}. Transdiffusion.org. Retrieved on 10 May 2012.</ref>

* '''1988'''
** 11 April – [[BBC Somerset|BBC Somerset Sound]] launches as an opt-out station from [[BBC Radio Bristol]].
** 9 May – The BBC launches a youth strand on BBC2 called [[DEF II]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1988-05-09 |title=BBC Two England – 9 May 1988 |work=BBC Genome |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=26 October 2016}}</ref>
** 1 September – 
*** BBC External Services is renamed the World Service.
*** Radio 1 starts regular broadcasts on VHF/FM in [https://web.archive.org/web/20040616182006/http://www.radiorewind.co.uk/sounds/New_Tmitter_88_LQ.wma Scotland], [https://web.archive.org/web/20050417052213/http://www.vintagebroadcasting.org.uk/audio/35.mp3 northern England], the Midlands, and south Wales, Avon and Somerset.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vintagebroadcasting.org.uk/r1vhf.htm |title=Radio One Comes to VHF – Vintage Broadcasting |access-date=2004-08-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040815044908/http://www.vintagebroadcasting.org.uk/r1vhf.htm |archive-date=15 August 2004 }}</ref> FM coverage is rolled out across the rest of the UK in stages over the next few years.
** 20 September – The [[Radio Data System]] (RDS) launches, allowing car radios to automatically retune, display station identifiers and switch to local travel news.
** 3 October – [[BBC Radio Gloucestershire]] launches.
** 7 October – [[BBC Radio London]] stops broadcasting and is replaced on 25 October by BBC GLR.
** 30 October – 
***[[BBC Asian Network|The Asian Network]] launches as a 70 hours-a-week service on the MW transmitters of [[BBC Radio Leicester]] and [[BBC Radio WM]].
***[[BBC Radio Manchester]] is relaunched as BBC GMR.
** Autumn – The BBC takes its first tentative steps into later closedowns – previously weekday programmes ended no later than 12:15{{nbsp}}am and weekend broadcasting had finished by 1:30{{nbsp}}am.
** Regular late evening weeknight programming starts to appear on [[BBC Local Radio]]. The programming tends to be regional rather than local with the same programme networked on several local stations. Consequently, stations are now starting to provide local/regional programming on weeknights until midnight. Previously stations had ended local programming by mid-evening, handing over to [[BBC Radio 2]] until the following morning.

* '''1989'''
** 16 January – The BBC launches ''[[The Late Show (BBC TV series)|The Late Show]]'', Britain's first daily television arts programme. It is broadcast four nights a week on [[BBC Two|BBC 2]] directly after ''[[Newsnight]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/56ea7cc1148e4d9ca1e7043efce97522 |title=The Late Show – BBC Two England – 16 January 1989 |date=16 January 1989 |publisher=BBC Genome |access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1989-01-16 |title=BBC Two England – 16 January 1989 |publisher=BBC Genome |access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref>
** 14 February – [[BBC Hereford and Worcester]] launches.
** 4 March – [[BBC Radio Wiltshire|BBC Wiltshire Sound]] launches.
** 1 April – BBC 1/2 Mix is relaunched as [[BBC TV Europe]].<ref>[http://www.sat-net.com/listserver/ts-news/msg00098.html''Transponder News''] TeleSat News, 21 July 1996</ref> The service also now becomes available to other parts of Europe.
** May – The [[BBC Night Network]] is launched on the BBC's six local radio stations in Yorkshire and north east England. The service broadcasts seven nights a week from 6:05{{nbsp}}pm (6{{nbsp}}pm at the weekend) until 12midnight. Two years later the service is expanded to include the BBC's four stations in the north west.
** 19 June – For the first time, BBC2 broadcasts during the morning when not showing ''[[Daytime on 2]]''. Programmes begin at 10{{nbsp}}am, as opposed to lunchtime.
** 29 September – The final edition of ''[[Breakfast Time (British TV programme)|Breakfast Time]]'' is broadcast.
** 2 October – The first edition of ''[[BBC Breakfast News]]'' is broadcast.
** 21 November – Television coverage of proceedings in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] begins.

== 1990s ==
[[File:BBC logo (pre97).svg|220px|right|BBC logo between 30 March 1986 and August 1998]]
* '''1990'''
** 17 January – [[BBC CWR]] launches.
** 25 March – At 7{{nbsp}}pm [[BBC Radio 2]] becomes available on FM 24/7 for the first time after the final ever 'borrow' of its FM frequencies by [[BBC Radio 1]]. 
** 12 April – [[BBC Radio Suffolk]] launches.
** 27 August – [[BBC Radio 5 (former)|BBC Radio 5]] begins broadcasting on [[BBC Radio 2]]'s MW frequencies. BBC Radio's sports coverage transfers to the new station from Radio 2 and educational and children's programmes transfer from Radio 4 FM. Consequently, BBC Radio 2 becomes the first national BBC station to broadcast exclusively on FM and the full [[BBC Radio 4]] schedule becomes available on FM for the first time.
** 5 September – The new BBC building at [[BBC White City|White City]] opens.

* '''1991'''
** 7 January – The [[BBC East Midlands]] region is created and the first edition of [[East Midlands Today]] is broadcast.
** 16 January – [[Radio 4 News FM]] starts [[Gulf War]] broadcasts on [[BBC Radio 4]] [[FM broadcasting|FM]] frequencies.
** 16 February – BBC1 and BBC2 receive new idents generated from laserdisc, [[BBC One 'Virtual Globe' ident|BBC1 with a '1' encased in a swirling globe]], and [[BBC Two '1991–2001' idents|BBC2 with eleven idents based around the numeral '2']].
** 2 March – [[Radio 4 News FM]] closes and [[BBC Radio 4]] returns to [[FM broadcasting|FM]].
** 11 March – The BBC launches its first global television station – [[BBC World Service Television]]. In [[Europe]] it replaces [[BBC TV Europe]].
** March – After nearly eight years on air, [[BBC Radio Gwent]] closes.
** 1 April – The BBC becomes the statutory authority for issuing television licences, assuming the responsibility of licence fee collection and enforcement.
** 15 April – The World Service Television News service is launched. Unlike World Service radio which is funded by direct grant from the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]], WSTV is commercially funded and carries advertising, which means that it cannot be broadcast in the UK.
** 1 May – [[BBC Radio 1]] begins 24-hour transmission, but only on FM – Radio 1's MW transmitters still close down overnight, between 12 midnight and 6{{nbsp}}am.
** 31 July – The BBC's [[Lime Grove Studios]] close.
** 31 August – BBC television starts officially broadcasting in stereo using the [[NICAM]] system. (Some transmitters had been broadcasting in stereo since 1986, but these were classified as tests.)
** 16 September – The main [[BBC Radio 4]] service moves from long wave to FM as FM coverage has now been extended to cover almost all of the UK – Radio 4 didn't become available on FM in much of Scotland and Wales until the start of the 1990s. Opt-outs are transferred from FM to long wave.
** 14 October – World Service TV launches its Asian service.
** 14 November – [[BBC Radio Surrey]] launches.

* '''1992'''
** 21 January – 
***[[BBC Select (1992–1995)|BBC Select]] is launched as an overnight subscription service.
***[[BBC Radio Berkshire]] launches, initially as a sister station of [[Radio Oxford]], broadcasting for part of the weekday and weekend mornings.
** 29 February – [[BBC Radio 3]] ceases broadcasting on medium wave ([[AM broadcasting|AM]]).
** 17 April – [[BBC Radio Nottingham]] ends transmissions on one of its MW transmitters. [[BBC Tees|BBC Radio Cleveland]], [[BBC Radio Northampton]] and [[BBC Radio Oxford]] also stop broadcasting on MW.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbceng.info/Information/eid/press-releases/Engineering_Press_Releases_part1_23Mar1994_to_20Mar1989.pdf |title=BBC Engineering Press Release |date=27 November 1991}}</ref>
** 1 November – The satellite TV channel [[Gold (British TV channel)|UK Gold]], run by the BBC with [[Thames Television]], starts broadcasting.
** [[BBC Local Radio]] stations start broadcasting the [[BBC World Service]] rather than [[BBC Radio 2]] when not on air.

* '''1993'''
** 5 April – BBC Radio Bedfordshire expands to cover the counties of [[Buckinghamshire]] and [[Hertfordshire]] and is renamed [[BBC Three Counties Radio]].
** 13 April – For the first time all [[BBC News]] programmes have the same look following a relaunch of all of the main news bulletins.
** 26 April – [[BBC Dorset FM]] launches as an opt-out service from [[BBC Radio Devon]].
** Autumn – [[BBC GLR]] stops broadcasting on MW.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.amfm.org.uk/amfmnews/amfm17.html |title=AM/FM Online Edition #17: November 1993}}</ref> Also, [[BBC GMR]] stops broadcasting on MW.
** October – [[BBC Radio Clwyd]] closes, although news opt-outs continue until 2002.
** [[BBC Research & Development]] is formed from the merger of the BBC Designs Department and the BBC Research Department.

* '''1994'''
** 27 March – [[BBC Radio 5 (former)|BBC Radio 5]] ends transmission.
** 28 March – At 5&nbsp;am, [[BBC Radio 5 Live]], a dedicated news and sport network, starts broadcasting.
** 13 April – First BBC website created for the BBC2 series ''[[The Net (BBC TV series)|The Net]]''. This is followed a month later by the launch of the subscription-based ''[[BBC Online|BBC Networking Club]]''.
**23 May – The BBC2 youth strand [[DEF II]] comes to an end after six years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1994-05-23 |title=BBC Two England – 23 May 1994 |work=BBC Genome |publisher=BBC |access-date=26 October 2016}}</ref>
** 1 July – BBC Radio 1 ceases broadcasting on medium wave ([[AM broadcasting|AM]]) at 9{{nbsp}}am.
** July – [[BBC Arabic Television|Arabic Television]] television service launched with funding from the Saudi Arabian Mawarid Group.
** 1 August – [[BBC Radio Surrey]] and [[BBC Radio Sussex]] merge to form [[BBC Southern Counties Radio]].
** 19 September – BBC2 launches a weekday afternoon business, [[personal finance]] and consumer news programme ''[[Working Lunch]]'', which broadcasts for 42 weeks per year.

* '''1995'''
** 16 January – [[BBC World Service Television]] was renamed as [[BBC World]] it was launched as an international [[free-to-air]] [[television news|news channel]] on 26 January at 19:00 [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]].
** 30 January – [[BBC Prime]] launches as a local [[encrypted]] [[Variety show|variety]] and [[light entertainment|light entertainment channel]] by BBC Enterprises.
** May – [[BBC CWR]] closes as a stand-alone station and becomes an opt-out of [[BBC Radio WM]].
** 27 September – The [[BBC]] begins regular [[Digital Audio Broadcasting]], from the [[Crystal Palace transmitting station]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Rhys |last=Williams |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/bbc-switches-on-cd-quality-radio-1603198.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/bbc-switches-on-cd-quality-radio-1603198.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=BBC switches on CD-quality radio |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=28 September 1995 |access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref>
** 9 October – [[BBC Learning Zone]] is launched, broadcasting education programmes all night on BBC2. It replaces ''[[BBC Select (1992–1995)|BBC Select]]'' and ''Night School''.
** BBC Enterprises, the BBC's commercial arm, is restructured as [[BBC Worldwide]] Ltd.

* '''1996'''
** March – [[BBC Dorset FM]] closes and is replaced by a rebroadcast of [[BBC Radio Solent]] with localised news bulletins.
** 9 April – [[BBC Radio Oxford]] and [[BBC Radio Berkshire]] merge to form [[BBC Thames Valley FM]]. 
** 21 April – [[BBC Arabic Television|Arabic Television]] closes down when the Saudi backer pulls out following a row over coverage of the execution of a princess accused of adultery.
**4 May – Radio 3 commences 24-hour transmission.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio3/1996-05-04|title=BBC Radio 3 – 4 May 1996 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|access-date=2 December 2021}}</ref>
** 9 May – The BBC announces its plans for digital television. They include a free-to-air [[BBC News Channel|news channel]], widescreen versions of BBC1 and BBC2, "side channels" which will broadcast extra programmes related to what is on the main channels and several paid-for channels featuring programming from the BBC archives.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-5oGn8zanw BBC News – BBC unveils plans for Digital Services]</ref>
** June – [[BBC Radio 1|Radio 1]] starts live streaming on the internet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://support.bbc.co.uk/support/history.html|title=BBC Internet Services – History|publisher=BBC|access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref>
** 7 June – The BBC is restructured by the Director-General, [[John Birt]]. In the new structure BBC Broadcast will commission programmes, and BBC Production will make them.
** 13 October – BBC Television's long standing coverage of [[Formula One]] ends following ITV's acquisition of the rights from 1997 onwards (Formula One returns to the BBC in 2009). This is one of several high-profile sports rights that the BBC loses at around this time. These include losing the rights to the [[FA Cup]] and England football internationals to [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] and England rugby union internationals to [[Sky UK|Sky]].
** 4 November – The Asian Network expands into a full-time station when it increases the number of hours on air from 80 hours a week to 126 hours a week (18 hours a day). The station, which broadcasts on the MW frequencies of [[BBC Radio Leicester]] and [[BBC Radio WM]], is renamed [[BBC Asian Network]]. Consequently, Radios Leicester and WM become FM only stations.
** 29 December – What was billed as the last episode of ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' before the new millennium is watched by 24.35 million viewers, the largest ever TV audience for a sitcom.
** During 1996, www.bbc.co.uk becomes the home of the corporation's online activities.

* '''1997'''
** The BBC broadcasts the much praised "[[Perfect Day (Lou Reed song)|Perfect Day]]" corporate advertisement, featuring 27 artists singing lines of Lou Reed's original. The song later becomes a fund-raising single for [[Children in Need]].
** 28 February – The BBC sells its transmitters and transmission services to Castle Transmission Services for £244 million, to help fund its plans for the digital age.
** 4 March – The BBC and [[Living TV Group|Flextech]] agree on a deal to provide several BBC-branded channels – BBC Showcase, for entertainment; BBC Horizon, for documentaries; BBC Style, for lifestyle; BBC Learning, for schools, and BBC Arena, for the arts – plus three other channels: BBC Catch-Up, for repeats of popular programmes within days of their original transmission, a dedicated BBC Sport channel and a TV version of [[BBC Radio 1|Radio 1]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Willcock |first=John |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/flextech-to-inject-pounds-20m-into-bbc-deal-1270994.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/flextech-to-inject-pounds-20m-into-bbc-deal-1270994.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Flextech to inject £20m into BBC deal |work=The Independent |date=4 March 1997 |access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref>
** 6 September – The funeral of [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] is broadcast on BBC Radio & Television and aired to over 200 countries worldwide.  Nearly 3 billion viewers and listeners watch the ceremonies. In the US, the BBC's coverage is aired on A&E and [[C-SPAN]] Cable Networks. [[David Dimbleby]] hosts the coverage with [[Tom Fleming (actor)|Tom Fleming]] narrating the service inside [[Westminster Abbey]].
** 4 October – New corporate identity adopted. At a reported cost of £5m the new logo was introduced due to the increase in digital services, as it is designed to be more visible at small size it is better suited for use in websites and on screen "[[Digital on-screen graphic|DOGs]]." On Screen Identities changed, with BBC One adopting the [[BBC One 'Balloon' idents|Balloon Idents]], and BBC Two retaining their [[BBC Two '1991–2001' idents|2's used from 1991, with new legend]].
** 4 November – [[BBC News Online]], a web-based news service, launches.
** 9 November – [[BBC News (British TV channel)|BBC News 24]], the corporation's UK television news service, launches at 17.30, and is shown on BBC One through the night during closedown.
** December – [[BBC Online]] is officially launched.

* '''1998'''
** 25 January – ''[[Grandstand (TV series)|Sunday Grandstand]]'' becomes a year-round programme. Previously it had only broadcast between May and September.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1998-01-25 BBC Genome Project – BBC Two listings 25 January 1998]</ref>
** March – The BBC closes the [[BBC Radiophonic Workshop]], 40 years after it had first been established to create sound effects for BBC programmes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/39f0d457-37ba-43b9-b0a9-05214bae5d97 |title=The BBC Radiophonic Workshop – New Songs, Playlists & Latest News – BBC Music |publisher=BBC |access-date=17 April 2017}}</ref>
** August – The BBC's domestic TV channels become available on [[Sky UK|Sky Digital]]'s satellite service. An [[unintended consequence]] of this is that people in the rest of Europe can now watch BBC One and Two, using viewing cards from the UK, as the signal is encrypted for rights reasons. This applies even within the UK: people in England can now watch BBC channels from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and vice versa.
** 23 September – 
***The BBC launches [[BBC Choice]], its first new TV channel since 1964, available only on digital TV services. However viewers can only watch the launch online due to digital receivers not being on sale to the general public. 
***Following its purchase of the cable-only Parliamentary Channel, the BBC launches [[BBC Parliament]] on digital satellite and analogue cable with an audio feed of the channel on [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thetvroom.com/bbc-uk/bbc-parliament-01-01.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204064725/http://thetvroom.com/bbc-uk/bbc-parliament-01-01.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 February 2013 |title=BBC Parliament • September 1998 – October 2002 |publisher=Thetvroom.com |access-date=15 April 2015 }}</ref>
** 15 November – The public launch of digital terrestrial TV in the UK takes place. Consequently, BBC Choice is now viewable by the general public via their television sets which have digital equipment.
** [[BBC Radio 5 Live]] replaces the [[BBC World Service]] as [[BBC Local Radio]]'s overnight downtime filler.

* '''1999'''
**''[[BBC 648]]'', which provided French and German language content for northern Europe from the [[Orfordness transmitting station]], ends with the closure of the BBC's German service.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/305187.stm] ''BBC's German Service goes off air'', BBC News, 27 March 1999.</ref> – the French for Europe service had closed in 1995.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/history/audio.shtml] ''75 years BBC World Service – A History''.</ref> Consequently, all programming from this transmitter was in English only.
** 10 May – BBC network news is relaunched with new music, titles and a red and ivory set. This design was used for the 25 October relaunch of News 24, enhancing cross-channel promotion of the service.
** 1 June – [[BBC Knowledge]] starts broadcasting on digital services.
** 20 June – The BBC broadcasts live cricket for the final time when it shows live coverage of the [[1999 Cricket World Cup Final]], bringing to an end of sixty years of continuous cricket coverage on the BBC. The terrestrial rights transfer to [[Channel 4]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/cricket/194168.stm |title=Channel 4 wins rights to home Tests |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=16 October 1998}}</ref>
** 23 September – [[BBC Red Button|BBC Text]] is launched, initially on digital terrestrial services before being rolled out onto satellite and cable platforms.<ref name="10years">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/11_november/06/button.shtml|title=BBC's Red Button celebrates its 10th anniversary|date=6 November 2008|publisher=BBC Press Office|access-date=13 November 2008}}</ref>
** 31 December – BBC One airs live coverage of millennium celebrations from Britain and all around the world in ''[[2000 Today]]''. The presenting team is led by [[David Dimbleby]], [[Michael Parkinson]] and [[Gaby Roslin]].<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_one_london/1999-12-31 BBC Programme Index – BBC One listings 31 December 1999]</ref>

== 2000s ==
[[File:BBC logo (1997-2021).svg|220px|right|BBC logo between 4 October 1997 and Future date in 2024 or 2025]]
* '''2000'''
** 14 February – [[BBC Thames Valley FM]] closes and [[BBC Radio Oxford]] and [[BBC Radio Berkshire]] relaunch as separate stations although Radio Berkshire operates as an opt-out service of Radio Oxford.
** 25 March – BBC GLR closes and is relaunched as [[BBC Radio London|BBC London Live 94.9]].
** 20 May – Due to the loss of many major sports rights in recent years, the BBC does not broadcast this week's edition of ''[[Grandstand (TV programme)|Grandstand]]'' – [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] was showing the [[FA Cup Final]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Mcleod |first=Maurice |title=Sport-free BBC shelves Grandstand on Cup final day |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/sportfree-bbc-shelves-grandstand-on-cup-final-day-279324.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/sportfree-bbc-shelves-grandstand-on-cup-final-day-279324.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=[[The Independent]] |location=London |date=17 May 2000 |access-date=24 May 2014}}</ref> Apart from when Christmas Day fell on a Saturday or a major national event taking place, this had been the first time that Grandstand had not been broadcast on a Saturday afternoon since the programme's inception in 1958.
** 15 September – Final edition of ''[[Breakfast News]]'' on BBC One and BBC News 24, the last conventional news broadcast in the morning.
** 2 October – The first edition of ''[[BBC Breakfast]]'' is broadcast, the new morning show on BBC One and News 24 from 6:00–9:30. (9:00 on BBC News 24).
** 13 October – Final edition of the ''[[BBC Nine O'Clock News]]'' on BBC One. 
** 16 October – The ''[[BBC News at Ten|BBC Ten O'Clock News]]'' launches on BBC One amid controversy, having been moved from 9{{nbsp}}pm to cash in on the axing of ITN's ''[[ITV News at Ten|News at Ten]]'' the previous year.
** 16 October – [[Oxfordshire]], once part of the South East, becomes part of ''[[South Today]]''.

* '''2001'''
** 3 March – A bomb explodes outside Television Centre. The blast was later attributed to dissident Irish Republican terrorists and it is suggested the BBC [[Panorama (TV series)|''Panorama'']] programme which named individuals as participants in the Omagh bomb was the motive.
** 30 March – The national variations of [[BBC Choice]] are discontinued in favour of introducing regional opt-outs on [[BBC Two]] to digital services, which are introduced later in the year.
** 3 September – As part of a major reorganisation of the BBC's south east region, [[Kent]] and [[Sussex]] get their own news programme, ''[[South East Today]]'', replacing ''[[Newsroom South East]]''.
** 1 October – ''[[BBC London News]]'' is launched as a [[London]]-only news programme.
** October – [[BBC Three Counties Radio]] launches opt-out programming for the county of [[Buckinghamshire]].
** 5 November – [[BBC 2W]] is launched, broadcasting on digital services in [[Wales]] on weekday evenings.
** 19 November – Last showing of the then-current [[BBC Two]] idents. These set of idents would have ended in 1997 with [[BBC One]]'s ident change but due to popularity the [[BBC Two 1991–2001 idents|1991 idents]] continued only with a new BBC logo and some newer ident sets. The new idents were [[BBC Two "Personality" idents|ivory 2's]], interacting in a yellow world, with the purple box logo, the first BBC channel to have one.
** November –  [[BBC Red Button|BBC Text]] is renamed BBCi which is conceived as being a cohesive [[cross-platform|multi-platform]] brand name for all the BBC's digital interactive services, encompassing the corporation's digital teletext, interactive television and website services.<ref name="bbcsnews0711">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1643259.stm|title=BBCi heralds new interactive era|date=7 November 2001|work=BBC News|access-date=2 October 2008}}</ref><ref name="whatisBBCi">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/home/whatisbbci/|title=What is BBCi?|date=15 December 2002|publisher=BBC|access-date=2 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011215000308/http://www.bbc.co.uk/home/whatisbbci/ |archive-date=15 December 2001}}</ref>

* '''2002'''
** 2 February – [[BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra]] is launched.
** 11 February – The [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] and [[CBeebies]] channels begin broadcasting.
** 2 March – [[BBC Four]] is launched at 19:00 in a [[simulcast]] with [[BBC Two]]. It replaces [[BBC Knowledge]].
** 11 March – [[BBC 6 Music]] is launched.
** 29 March – [[BBC One]] rebrands with the controversial [[BBC One 'Rhythm & Movement' idents|Rhythm and Movement Idents]], including dancers in red dancing in different locations. The red box logo was also used for these idents. For the first time in 39 years, a globe is not included in the presentation.
** 16 August – [[BBC Radio 1Xtra]] is launched.
** 9 September – The BBC transfers its England regional current affairs programming from BBC Two to BBC One and launches a new programme called ''[[Inside Out (2002 TV programme)|Inside Out]]''. The series, which is broadcast for roughly half the year and in blocks spread across the year, focuses on stories from the local area of each [[BBC English Regions|BBC region]], It replaces a number of different titles previously used on [[BBC Two]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/08_august/30/insideout_yorkslincs.shtml|title= Regional current affairs move to BBC ONE – Inside Out launches on 9 September|date=30 August 2002|publisher=BBC Press Office|access-date=17 February 2010}}</ref>
** 28 October – [[BBC Asian Network]] launches as a national station.
** 30 October – [[BBC Parliament]] launches on [[digital terrestrial television]], having previously only been available as an audio-only service. However capacity limitations mean that the picture is squeezed into just one quarter of the screen.
** 11 November – 
*** The first edition of [[East Yorkshire]] and Lincolnshire edition of ''[[BBC Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)|BBC Look North]]'' is broadcast, while the Leeds-based ''[[BBC Look North (Yorkshire and North Midlands)|Look North]]'' programme now covers West, North and South Yorkshire and the North Midlands.
*** [[BBC Radio Swindon]] outputs from the renamed [[BBC Radio Wiltshire]] begin.
** 15 December – [[BBC Radio 4 Extra]] is launched as BBC7.

* '''2003'''
** 9 February – [[BBC Three]] is launched at 19:00 in a [[simulcast]] with [[BBC Two]]. It replaces [[BBC Choice]].
** 8 December – [[BBC News 24]] is relaunched with a new set and titles, as well as a new Breaking News sting. Networked news on BBC One and Two remains with the same titles though the set was redesigned in a similar style to that of News 24.

* '''2004'''
** 28 January – Publication of the [[Hutton Inquiry]], and subsequent resignation of the Chairman [[Gavyn Davies]].
** 30 January – Resignation of the Director General, [[Greg Dyke]]. [[Mark Byford]] takes over as acting Director General.
** 16 February – Network news titles are relaunched in the style of BBC News 24, introduced two months earlier.
** 6 May –  The BBC website is renamed [[BBC Online|bbc.co.uk]], after the main [[Uniform resource locator|URL]] used to access the site.<ref name="bbccouk">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/05_may/04/bbc_co_uk.shtml|title=BBC website gets new look and new name: bbc.co.uk|date=4 May 2004|publisher=BBC Press Office|access-date=30 September 2008}}</ref>
** 17 May – Appointment of [[Michael Grade]] as new chairman.
** 21 May – Appointment of [[Mark Thompson (television executive)|Mark Thompson]] as new Director General.
** June – The [[BBC North]] region is fully split to form the [[BBC Yorkshire]] and North Midlands region and the [[BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire]] region. 
** 1 October – BBC Technology, incorporating the BBC's Broadcast Engineering division, is sold to [[Siemens AG]] Business Services for approximately £200m, and a £2bn, 10-year outsourcing contract.

*'''2005'''
** 20 March – Mark Thompson announces staff of 27,000 to be cut by 3,780.
** 26 March – ''[[Doctor Who]]'' returns to the air, sixteen years after the last full series was broadcast.
** 23 May – Over one third of staff join strike in response to job cuts, [[n:BBC drops programmes as third of staff join strike|dropping programmes]].
** 1 August – BBC Broadcast, formerly Broadcasting & Presentation and responsible for the playout and branding of all BBC Channels, is sold to [[Creative Broadcast Services]], owned by the Macquarie Capital Alliance Group and [[Macquarie Bank]]. It is renamed Red Bee Media on 31 October.
** 3 November – [[BBC CWR]] returns as a stand-alone station.
** December – The Czech and Polish sections of the [[BBC World Service]] cease to exist. Eight other sections are to follow soon.

* '''2006'''
** 3 April – BBC GMR changes its name back to [[BBC Radio Manchester]].
** 23 April – The "[[Radio 4 UK Theme]]" is used for the final time. It is replaced by a news bulletin.
** 27 May – The BBC's first scheduled [[HDTV]] broadcast on [[BBC HD]]
** 14 August – ''[[The One Show]]'' is first broadcast on [[BBC One]], initially as a four-week trial. It is seen as a modern-day version of highly popular series ''[[Nationwide (TV programme)|Nationwide]]'' with the programme resulting in popular journalism returning to [[BBC One]]'s early evening schedule. The programme returned on a permanent basis the following July.
** 1 September – [[BBC Entertainment]] replaces BBC Prime in global markets.
** 7 October – [[BBC One]] rebrands from the [[BBC One 'Rhythm & Movement' idents|Rhythm and Movement]] idents to the [[BBC One 'Circle' idents|"Circle" Idents]], which acts as a link to the classic globe icon used for almost 40 years and as a symbol of unity.
**13 November – [[BBC Parliament]] broadcasts in full screen format for the first time on the [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]] service, having previously only been available in quarter screen format.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/bbc_parliament/6144072.stm|title=BBC Parliament goes full screen|access-date=1 May 2009 | date=13 November 2006|work=BBC News}}</ref> The [[BBC]] eventually found the [[bandwidth (signal processing)|bandwidth]] to make the channel full-screen after receiving "thousands of angry and perplexed e-mails and letters",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/10/resizing_parliament.html|title=BBC NEWS – The Editors|access-date=1 May 2009}}</ref> not to mention questions asked by MPs in the Houses of Parliament itself
** 28 November – Resignation of Chairman Michael Grade, to join ITV.
** 16 December – After more than 35 years, BBC Two airs the final [[Open University]] course-related television broadcast. With Open University course content now available through media such as [[podcast]]s and [[DVD]]s it is deemed no longer necessary for the programmes to be aired on television. However, the Open University continues to make programming for a broader audience, with series including ''[[Coast (TV series)|Coast]]'' and ''[[Child of Our Time]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www3.open.ac.uk/media/fullstory.aspx?id=9898|title=End of a cultural era – but OU on TV evolution continues|website=www3.open.ac.uk|access-date=22 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2609c15ac27b49f594dae26638c89d76|title=BBC Learning Zone: Open University/General Interest|date=16 December 2006|publisher=BBC|work=BBC Genome|access-date=22 February 2019}}</ref>
** 31 December – The BBC's then-current [[Royal Charter]] and Agreement expires.

* '''2007'''
** 22 January – [[BBC News 24]] is relaunched with new titles and new Astons.
** 28 January – The final edition of ''[[Grandstand (TV series)|Grandstand]]'' is broadcast.
** 18 February – [[BBC Two]] rebrands from the [[BBC Two 'Personality' idents|yellow 2's]], to the [[BBC Two 'Window on the World' idents|Window on the World 2's]].
** July – [[BBC Knowledge (Worldwide)|BBC Knowledge]] launched as a global channel by BBC Worldwide.
** 11 August – BBC Radio Cleveland is rebranded as [[BBC Tees]] due to its broadcasting area no longer being associated with the name Cleveland. 
** 3 September – [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] identity relaunched, with its third marketing campaign since the launch of the [[CBBC Channel]].
** 20 October – [[BBC Switch]], a teenage block of shows is launched to cater for the under-served 12- to 16-year-olds, launches.
** 1 December – [[BBC HD|BBC HD channel]] is officially launched after around eighteen months of trial broadcasts.
** 3 December – BBC Somerset Sound is rebranded as [[BBC Somerset]] and becomes available on FM for the first time.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2007/11/20/radiosomerset_fm_feature.shtml, BBC Somerset goes FM, 2007-11-20]</ref>
** 25 December – [[BBC iPlayer]], an online service for watching previously aired shows, is launched.

* '''2008'''
** 12 February – [[BBC Three]] has its identity relaunched, showcasing new shows such as ''[[Lily Allen and Friends]]''.
** 11 March – [[BBC Arabic Television]] launches.
** 21 April – [[BBC News 24]] and [[BBC World]] are renamed [[BBC News (British TV channel)|BBC News]] and [[BBC World News]] respectfully.
** 19 September – [[BBC Alba]], a Scottish Gaelic language digital television channel, launched through a partnership between BBC and [[MG Alba]].
** The BBC gradually drops the BBCi name from its digital interactive TV services also, replacing it with the name [[BBC Red Button]].

* '''2009'''
** 2 January – [[BBC 2W]] closes.
** 14 January – The BBC's [[BBC Persian Television|Persian language TV channel]] is launched.
** 30 March – [[BBC Southern Counties Radio]] closes resulting in the return of [[BBC Surrey]] and [[BBC Sussex]] as stand-alone separate stations.
** 4 April – [[BBC Radio Swindon]], which had opted out of BBC Radio Wiltshire, is closed. The two stations are merged as [[BBC Wiltshire]].

==2010s==
*'''2010'''
**19 February – ''[[EastEnders]]'' celebrates 25 years with a special live edition, where the murderer of [[Archie Mitchell]] is revealed. Over 16 million viewers tuned in to find [[Stacey Slater]] to be the killer.
**31 March – [[BBC One Wales]]'s analogue system shuts down after 58 years.
**30 July – [[BBC Two]] broadcasts its final ''[[Working Lunch]]''.
**3 November – [[BBC One HD]]; a high-definition simulcast of a national version of BBC One is launched across all digital platforms.
** 18 December – [[BBC Switch]] is switched off.
** After 44 years, the final edition of ''[[The Money Programme]]'' is broadcast on BBC Two.

*'''2011'''
**27 March – Due to budget cuts, transmission of the [[BBC World Service]] on 648&nbsp;kHz MW ends. The transmissions, from the [[Orfordness transmitting station]] in [[Suffolk]], had been on air since 1982 and had provided coverage of the World Service to much of northern Europe. 
**2 April – BBC7 is relaunched as [[BBC Radio 4 Extra]].

*'''2012'''
**7 March – [[Brighton]] moves from South region, to South-East region, after the [[ITV Meridian|Meridian]] digital switch-over.
**May – [[BBC Somerset]] launches as a full-time station.
**12 July – The [[BBC World Service]] relocates to [[Broadcasting House]] after 70 years at [[Bush House]].
**27 July-12 August – The [[2012 Summer Olympics]] take place and with the exception of news programming [[BBC One]] is devoted entirely to live coverage of the Games and [[BBC Radio 5 Live]] operates a temporary station – ''5 Live Olympics Extra'' – to provide additional coverage of the Games.
**17 August – [[BBC Radio Kent]], [[BBC Radio Lincolnshire]], [[BBC Radio Merseyside]] and [[BBC Radio Nottingham]] stop broadcasting regular programmes on medium wave. It is part of a five-week trial to find out if listeners will miss or complain about the lack of AM services.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2012/08/bbc-local-radio-starts-switching-off-am/ BBC local radio starts switching off AM]</ref> At the end of the trial, the BBC decides that BBC Radio Nottingham's MW transmitter and Radio Kent's relay at Rusthall near [[Tunbridge Wells]], will remain off-air.
**17 September – [[George Entwistle]] is appointed as Director-General.
**3 October – Broadcast of ''[[Exposure (British TV series)|Exposure]]: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile'' which uncovered allegations of sexual abuse by [[Jimmy Savile]].
**23 October – 
***The BBC's teletext service [[Ceefax]] is switched off following all regions switching to digital broadcasting. The very last ''[[Pages from Ceefax]]'' transmission had taken place two days earlier. 
***[[BBC One Northern Ireland]] commences broadcasting in HD.
**10 November – George Entwhistle resigns as Director-General, to be replaced temporarily by [[Tim Davie]]. Entwistle's 54-day tenure as Director-General is the shortest in the corporation's history.
**14 November – 90th anniversary broadcast at 17:33.
**22 November – [[Tony Hall, Baron Hall of Birkenhead|Tony Hall]] is announced as the new Director-General, taking the post in March 2013.
**21 December – Children's Programmes air on [[BBC One]] for the last time.
**At the end of 2012 the BBC loses the rights to show horse racing. This brings to an end a relationship between the BBC and televised horse racing which dates back to the 1950s.

*'''2013'''
**4 January – Children's Programmes air on [[BBC Two]] for the last time. 
**7 January – The debut of a national networked evening programme on [[BBC Local Radio]], hosted by former [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]] presenter [[Mark Forrest (radio presenter)|Mark Forrest]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://radiotoday.co.uk/2012/10/mark-forrest-to-host-bbc-networked-show/ |title=Mark Forrest to host BBC networked show |publisher=Radio Today |date=4 October 2012 |access-date=13 October 2012}}</ref> The show, introduced as part of cost-cutting measures, replaces all local programming, apart from local sport coverage.
**14 January – [[BBC One Scotland]] commences broadcasts in HD.
**29 January – [[BBC One Wales]] commences broadcasts in HD.
**26 March – [[BBC Two]] commences broadcasting in HD following the closure of BBC HD.
**31 March – [[BBC Television Centre]] closes in [[Shepherd's Bush]] with the majority of TV services moved to [[Broadcasting House]] in central London.
**2 April – [[Tony Hall, Baron Hall of Birkenhead]] becomes the new Director-General.
**5 April – [[BBC Monitoring]] moves to Licence Fee funding.
**8 July – After eight years, [[BBC Local Radio]] returns to [[Dorset]] when a breakfast show for the county, as an opt-out from [[BBC Radio Solent]], is launched.
**25 October – The BBC hosts [[100 Women (BBC)|100 Women]], a day of debate and discussion across radio, television and online featuring a hundred women from around the world.
**10 December – HD broadcasts begin for [[BBC Three]], [[BBC Four]], [[BBC News (British TV channel)|BBC News]], [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] and [[CBeebies]].

*'''2014'''
**The BBC broadcasts the much praised "[[God Only Knows]]" corporate advertisement, featuring 21 artists singing lines of [[The Beach Boys]]' original. The song also became a fund-raising single and an advertisement for BBC Music for the first time since "[[Perfect Day (Lou Reed song)|Perfect Day]]" in 1997 for [[Children in Need]].
**6 March – The BBC announce that [[BBC Three]] will become internet-only from February 2016, in an effort to save £90m. Their plans were approved on 26 November 2015 
**30 August – [[Rona Fairhead]] becomes the first woman to be appointed as Chair of the [[BBC Trust]].

*'''2015'''
**6 October – After 27 years, the name [[BBC Radio London]] returns to the airwaves following a name change from BBC London 94.9.

*'''2016'''
**16 February – [[BBC Three]] closes as a linear channel and becomes an [[over-the-top content|over-the-top]] [[Internet television]] service although all of the long-form programmes commissioned for BBC Three are to be shown at a later date on BBC One.
**19 February – [[BBC Radio Bristol]] stops broadcasting on MW following the sale of the land on which the transmitter was located, to developers. 
**31 March – [[BBC Three]] fully closes down on all digital television platforms – it had carried promotional information regarding the [[BBC Three (online)|BBC Three internet service]] since 16 February.
**11 April – [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] extends its broadcast hours from 7{{nbsp}}pm to 9{{nbsp}}pm, using capacity which had previously been used by [[BBC Three]].

*'''2017'''
** 20 March – The final edition of ''[[Crimewatch]]'' is broadcast on BBC One. The programme ends as a monthly evening programme after nearly 33 years on air<ref name="genome.ch.bbc.co.uk"/> although it isn't until October that its cancellation is confirmed when it is announced that its daytime spin-off series ''Crimewatch Roadshow'' (now ''[[Crimewatch Live]]'') would continue to air.<ref>{{cite web |title=Crimewatch AXED after 33 years as revamp of BBC favourite fails to save ratings nosedive |date=17 October 2017 |url=https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/867372/Crimewatch-axed-33-years-revamp-BBC-show-fails-save-falling-ratings-Crimewatch-Roadshow |publisher=Daily Express}}</ref>
**2 April – The [[BBC Trust]] is closed at the expiry of the 2007 Royal Charter, which had a 10-year lifespan. The Trust is replaced by the [[BBC Board]].

*'''2018'''
**15 January – The MW transmissions of BBC Radios Sussex, Surrey, Humberside, Wiltshire, Nottingham, Kent and Lincolnshire end and MW coverage for BBC Devon, Lancashire and Essex is reduced. Altogether a total of 13 MW transmitters are switched off.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/entries/46b21269-723b-4cfd-b8f3-fc735d09d0a3 Clifton, Keiran, 'About the BBC', 2017-08-10]</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.a516digital.com/2017/08/bbc-starts-medium-wave-switch-off.html |title=BBC Starts MW Switch-off |publisher=a516digital.com |date=12 August 2017 |access-date=22 September 2017}}</ref><ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2018/01/bbc-confirms-local-radio-medium-wave-closures/ BBC confirms local radio MW switch-offs]</ref>
** 28 January – After nearly 78 years on air, ''[[The Sunday Hour]]'' is broadcast on [[BBC Radio 2]] for the final time.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/r2-good-morning-sunday BBC Press Release: A new look for Sunday mornings on Radio 2]</ref>
** 29 January – [[BBC Radio Cymru]] 2 began broadcasting at 6:30&nbsp;am on 29 January 2018.<ref>{{Cite press release|title=The countdown begins – BBC Radio Cymru 2 takes to the airwaves in January 2018|date=2017-11-27|work=BBC Media Centre|publisher=[[BBC]]|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/bbc-radio-cymru-2-2018|quote=A brand-new breakfast show will take to the airwaves every morning of the week – including Saturday and Sunday – offering a choice for Welsh speakers across the country on DAB, website, BBC iPlayer Radio and TV.}}</ref> It airs as an opt-out service from 7 to 9&nbsp;am on Mondays–Saturdays and from 7 to 10&nbsp;am on Sundays.
** 8 May – Another long-running [[BBC Radio 2]] programme ends when, ahead of schedule changes, ''[[The Organist Entertains]]'' is broadcast for the final time after 49 years on air.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl8v/2018/05/08|title=BBC Radio 2 schedule 8 May 2018|website=BBC Radio 2}}</ref>
** 24 October – The FM frequency of [[BBC Radio 3]] at more than 30 relay transmitters in Wales is reallocated to [[BBC Radio Wales]]. Consequently, the reach of Radio Wales on FM increases from 79% to 91% but Radio 3's FM availability in Wales falls to 92%.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/radio-wales-fm Major FM boost for BBC Radio Wales]</ref>
** 1 November – [[BBC Sounds]] is launched. 
** 29 November – HD versions of BBC Two Wales and BBC Two Northern Ireland start broadcasting.<ref>[https://www.a516digital.com/2018/10/bbc-confirms-arrangements-for-new-hd.html BBC confirms arrangements for new HD channels]</ref>

*'''2019'''
**17 February – Ahead of the launch of [[BBC Scotland (TV channel)|BBC Scotland]], [[BBC Two Scotland]] closes.
**19 February – [[Virgin Media]] becomes the first platform to stop broadcasting some BBC channels in standard definition when it removes the standard definition feeds of [[BBC Four]], [[BBC News (British TV channel)|BBC News]], [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] and [[CBeebies]].<ref>[https://www.a516digital.com/2019/02/virgin-media-to-move-bbc-hd-channels-to.html Virgin Media to move BBC HD channels to prime EPG slots]</ref>
**24 February – [[BBC Scotland (TV channel)|BBC Scotland]] launches. It broadcasts between 7:00&nbsp;p.m. and midnight and includes an hour-long 9:00&nbsp;p.m. newscast called ''[[The Nine (BBC Scotland)|The Nine]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC to launch Scottish TV channel with hour-long news programme|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/22/bbc-to-launch-scottish-tv-channel-with-hour-long-news-programme|website=The Guardian|date=22 February 2017 |access-date=23 February 2017}}</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-44126219 February 2019 date for new BBC Scotland television channel]</ref> Between noon and 7:00&nbsp;p.m., the channel simulcasts BBC Two but with BBC Scotland continuity, thereby accommodating the daytime sport and politics programming opt-outs which had been displaced following the closure of BBC Two Scotland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16683725.bbc-faces-strict-quotas-to-ensure-it-delivers-on-promises-on-scottish-content-on-new-channel/|title=BBC faces strict quotas to ensure it delivers on promises on Scottish content on new channel|website=Herald Scotland|date=3 September 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-12}}</ref>

==2020s==
[[File:BBC Logo 2021.svg|alt=BBC Logo from 20 October 2021|right|220x220px|BBC Logo used since 20 October 2021]]
*'''2020'''
**15 January – The BBC announces a further switching off of MW transmitters. The switch-offs, being done as a cost-cutting measure, see the end of MW transmissions of Radios Cornwall, Newcastle, Merseyside, Solent, [[BBC Three Counties Radio]] and [[BBC Radio York]]. Also, [[BBC Radio Cumbria]] stops broadcasting on MW in [[Whitehaven]] and [[BBC Radio Norfolk]]'s [[Norwich]] MW transmitter goes silent. In addition, [[BBC Radio Scotland]] stops broadcasting on MW in [[Aberdeen]] and [[BBC Radio Wales]] loses some MW coverage in central [[Wales]].<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/01/bbc-radio-to-close-more-medium-wave-transmitters/ BBC Radio to close more MW transmitters]</ref> The transmitters broadcast a retune advice loop prior to full switch-off in early April.<ref>[http://www.frequencyfinder.org.uk/updates_fa.html Frequency Finder – FM and AM updates]</ref>
**15 July – [[BBC One Wales]] and [[BBC Two Wales]] transmission and presentation comes from the new [[BBC Cymru Wales New Broadcasting House|BBC Wales headquarters building]] for the first time, the first broadcast to come from the building, replacing the presentation suites at [[Broadcasting House, Cardiff]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-07-15|title=BBC Wales goes live from new Cardiff HQ|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-53420795|access-date=2020-10-01}}</ref>
**25 July – BBC Cymru Wales's new headquarters building broadcasts its first radio programmes on [[BBC Radio Cymru]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC – First radio broadcast from BBC Wales's new headquarters – Media Centre|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2020/central-square-radio|access-date=2020-10-01|website=bbc.co.uk}}</ref>
** 28 July – The [[BBC]] axes the teatime edition of ''[[Newsround]]'' after 48 years after concluding that the typical child no longer turns on traditional television channels when they return home from school. They will focus on the morning edition instead which will be aimed at schools, where it is often used by teachers in classrooms, in addition to investing in the programme's website.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jul/28/newsround-bbc-axes-childrens-evening-edition-after-48-years|title=BBC axes evening edition of Newsround after 48 years|work=The Guardian|date=28 July 2020|access-date=29 July 2020}}</ref>
**1 September – [[Tim Davie]] becomes the new Director-General.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52933648|title=Tim Davie: BBC executive named director general|work = [[BBC News]]|date=5 June 2020|access-date=5 June 2020|language=en-GB}}</ref>
**28 September – ''[[BBC Wales Today]]'' and ''[[Newyddion]]'' are broadcast from their new studios in Central Square, Cardiff for the first time, completing BBC Cymru Wales's move from their old headquarters at [[Broadcasting House, Cardiff]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-09-28|title=TV news last and firsts for BBC in Cardiff|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-54300029|access-date=2020-10-01}}</ref>
**9 October – [[BBC Radio 1 Dance]] launches. It is the BBC's first full time radio service to be broadcast exclusively online, and is available only via [[BBC Sounds]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Annual Plan 2021/22|url=http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/reports/annualplan/annual-plan-2021-22.pdf|access-date=2021-04-22|website=BBC Downloads}}</ref>
** 7 December – [[BBC Radio Bradford]] launches, broadcasting on the MW frequency of [[BBC Radio Leeds]] each weekday between 6&nbsp;am and 2&nbsp;pm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/11/bbc-radio-bradford-service-to-launch-in-december/|title=BBC Radio Bradford service to launch in December|date=26 November 2020|access-date=26 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/12/bbc-radio-bradford-to-broadcast-on-774-khz-am/|title=BBC Radio Bradford to broadcast on 774 kHz AM|date=4 December 2020|access-date=4 December 2020}}</ref>

* '''2021'''
**15 January – Launch of [[BBC Radio Wolverhampton]] on DAB, a station broadcasting to Wolverhampton until 31 March between 6&nbsp;am and 2&nbsp;pm.<ref name="BBCWolverhampton">{{Cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2021/01/bbc-radio-wolverhampton-and-sunderland-details/|title=BBC Radio Wolverhampton and Sunderland details|date=13 January 2021|access-date=15 January 2021}}</ref>
**18 January – Launch of BBC Radio Sunderland, on DAB, a station broadcasting to Sunderland until 31 March between 6&nbsp;am and 2&nbsp;pm.<ref name="BBCWolverhampton" />
**2 March – The BBC confirms that [[BBC Three]] will be relaunched as a television channel in January 2022, six years after [[BBC Three (online)|going online]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56251020|title=BBC Three will return to TV screens after six-year break|work=BBC News |date=2 March 2021|access-date=2 March 2021|via=bbc.co.uk}}</ref>
**15 April – 
***The BBC confirms that more BBC Local Radio stations will switch off their mediumwave frequencies during May and June 2021. The stations that will no longer be available on AM are [[BBC Essex]], [[BBC Radio Cambridgeshire]], [[BBC Radio Devon]], [[BBC Radio Leeds]], [[BBC Radio Sheffield]], [[BBC Hereford & Worcester]], [[BBC Radio Stoke]] and [[BBC Radio Lancashire]].<ref name="radiotoday.co.uk">[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2021/04/ten-more-stations-turn-off-medium-wave-services/ Ten more stations turn of MW services]</ref>
***The BBC launches its second online station – [[BBC Radio 1 Relax]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Brand new wellbeing stream Radio 1 Relax launches on BBC Sounds |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2021/radio-1-relax|access-date=2021-04-22|website=BBC Media Centre}}</ref>
**6 May – [[BBC Radio Ulster]] and [[BBC Radio Foyle]] stop broadcasting on MW.<ref name="radiotoday.co.uk"/>
**20 October – The BBC launches a new 'modernised' appearance, including new logo and idents, to provide a better experience for customers in response to research conducted a year ahead of the BBC's 100th Anniversary.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bright|first=Kerris|date=19 October 2021|title=Modernising audience experience across the BBC|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/articles/2021/modernising-audience-experience|website=[[BBC]]}}</ref> The new logo which increases the spaces between the boxes again replaces the [[Gill Sans]] font (used since 1997) with Reith Sans, bringing it in line with the rest of the BBC brand.

* '''2022'''
**10 January – BBC Three begins test broadcasts ahead of its linear relaunch on 1 February.
**1 February – [[BBC Three]] relaunches as a television station, six years after it became an online only service.<ref>{{cite web|last=Grater|first=Tom|date=2 March 2021|title=BBC Three Returning As Broadcast Channel In January 2022|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/bbc-three-returning-broadcast-channel-january-2022-1234704644/|access-date=2 March 2021|website=Deadline Hollywood|language=en-US|archive-date=2 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302141137/https://deadline.com/2021/03/bbc-three-returning-broadcast-channel-january-2022-1234704644/|url-status=live}}</ref>
** 13 July – Dedicated evening continuity for BBC One viewers in Northern England launches but it is not accompanied by any additional north-specific programming and there is no special on-screen BBC North branding.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dedicated BBC One North continuity launches |url=https://cleanfeed.thetvroom.com/14273/news/dedicated-bbc-one-north-continuity-launches/|access-date=19 July 2022 |publisher=thetvroom.com |date=2 March 2022}}</ref>

* '''2023'''
**22 March and 26 April – The roll-out of regional BBC One takes place, in two parts.<ref>[https://rxtvinfo.com/2023/regional-bbc-one-hd-coming-to-freeview-in-two-phases/ Regional BBC One HD Freeview roll-out starts Wednesday]</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/regional-bbc-one-hd-roll-out Regional versions of BBC One HD to roll out in England by spring 2023]</ref>
** 3 April – The [[BBC News Channel]] closes as a stand-alone channel. It merges with [[BBC World News]] to form a single worldwide news channel called BBC News with programmes based on BBC World News output although the ability to break away from international programming for a major UK news story is to be retained. The weekday simulcasts of the BBC One news bulletins and ''[[BBC Breakfast]]'' continue to be shown on the channel and a simulcast of ''[[Newsnight]]'' is launched.
** 14 August – The BBC's [[Maida Vale Studios]], which have been the venue for performances by artists including [[The Beatles]] and [[Adele]], are sold to a group led by composer [[Hans Zimmer]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Ian |last=Youngs |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66497106 |title=Hans Zimmer: Composer becomes co-owner of historic BBC Maida Vale studios |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=14 August 2023 |accessdate=14 August 2023}}</ref>
** September – ''[[Test Match Special]]'' ends on Radio 4 long wave after 30 summer seasons of cricket commentary on that frequency.

*'''2024'''
**8 January – The BBC stops broadcasting in standard definition on satellite.<ref>[https://cleanfeed.thetvroom.com/19340/news/bbc-confirms-satellite-sd-switch-off-date/ BBC confirmed satellite SD switch-off date]</ref>
** 7 February – The BBC announces plans to launch four new radio stations on [[DAB+]], including a Radio 2 spin-off playing music from the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and a Radio 1 spin-off playing music from the 2000s and 2010s.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Steven |last=McIntosh |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68226389 |title=Radio 2 spin-off among four new stations planned by BBC |date=7 February 2024 |accessdate=7 February 2024 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}</ref>
**31 March – Radio 4's long wave opt-outs end. ''[[Yesterday in Parliament]]'' and ''[[The Daily Service]]'' move to [[BBC Radio 4 Extra]] and Shipping Forecasts are reduced from four bulletins to two on weekdays and three at the weekend. The opt-outs end ahead of an intention to end Radio 4's long wave broadcasts.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/articles/2023/bbc-radio-4-long-wave-transition BBC Radio 4 begins information campaign to transition listeners from Long Wave]</ref>
** 15 April – [[BBC Radio 4]] switches off its [[medium wave]] frequencies. They had been used to provide reception on AM where the long wave signal was weak, such as in [[London]], [[Northern Ireland]] and south west England.<ref name=BBCLW>{{Cite web |first=Roy |last=Martin |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/03/date-set-for-the-closure-of-bbc-radio-4-medium-wave-frequencies/ |title=Date set for the closure of BBC Radio 4 medium wave frequencies |date=21 March 2024 |accessdate=21 March 2024 |publisher=Radio Today}}</ref> It broadcast a retune loop informing listeners to retune to other ways of reception.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z3kYvzXfEs |title=BBC Radio 4 ‘AM retune loop’ - 15/04/2024 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-15 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref>
** 4 November – [[BBC Radio 3 Unwind]], a radio station playing relaxing classical music, launches.
** 8 November – Radio 1 Anthems launches on BBC Sounds, joining an enhanced Radio 1 Dance which commenced earlier this year.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/radio-1-anthems-bbc-sounds-extension Radio 1 announces ‘Radio 1 Anthems’ extension for BBC Sounds]</ref>
** 18 November - A man in his 20s accuses the former BBC newsreader [[Huw Edwards]] of trying to groom him when he was 18 years old.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-18 |title=Huw Edwards tried grooming me as a school pupil, claims man |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2l4pxr5e7o |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

*'''2025'''
**After 23 years, the [[CBBC|CBBC channel]] will cease transmission as a linear channel, with all programmes becoming internet-only. [[CBeebies]], however, will continue to produce programs for terrestrial viewing.
**Also in 2025, [[BBC Four]] is expected to close, with programmes becoming internet-only. However, some of its archive programming will switch to [[BBC Two]].
**Radio 4 is expected to cease broadcasting on long wave.

== See also ==
{{portal|BBC}}
* [[Timeline of BBC One]]
* [[Timeline of BBC Two]]
* [[Timeline of non-flagship BBC television channels]]
* [[Timeline of the BBC News Channel]]
* [[Timeline of BBC Parliament]]
* [[Timeline of the BBC Television Service]]
* [[Timeline of BBC Local Radio]]
* [[Timeline of BBC Radio 1]]
* [[Timeline of BBC Radio 2]]
* [[Timeline of BBC Radio 3]]
* [[Timeline of BBC Radio 4]]
* [[Timeline of BBC Radio 5 Live]]
* [[Timeline of BBC Radio London]]
* [[BBC Archives]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|History of the BBC}}
*[https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc History of the BBC]

{{BBC}}
{{Telecommunications}}

[[Category:Timelines of mass media in the United Kingdom|BBC]]
[[Category:British history timelines|BBC]]
[[Category:Television in the United Kingdom by year|BBC]]
[[Category:Company timelines|BBC]]
[[Category:BBC timelines| ]]