The British Broadcastig Corporation

Every news corporation receives criticism at some point in time; people demand truthful and honest reporting. The integrity of a news organization depends on it, and as seen in the case of Dan Rather, one false story can end a career and lead to a network with a tarnished reputation. Credibility is key to every aspect of journalism; without it, you have nothing.

The British Broadcasting Corporation, also known as the BBC, provides countries with continually updated news and a well organized web site for Internet-users across the globe. The BBC's stated mission is "to inform, educate and entertain." The BBC's news and audio can be viewed and heard in 33 different languages. With a budget that exceeds more than 4 billion, BBC has the largest audience numbers and revenue than any other broadcasting corporation.

The British government created a department known as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or FCO, with its purpose being to promote the interests of the United Kingdom abroad. The BBC World Service is funded by the FCO, a government organization, while BBC's domestic radio and television services are funded through a licensing system . The BBC corporation operates under a Royal Charter that is reviewed every ten years. Up until 2007, the government appointed people to positions in the Board of Governors which was replaced in January of this year. The BBC Trust is the new overseeing body that replaced the Board of Governors and promises a new and revised system. The trustees are still appointed by the Queen on advice from ministers. The corporation claims to be independent but when government organizations are paying bills and appointing trustees to oversee the corporation, how free and independent are they? I find this interesting because in the U.S. we have had dozens of court battles concerning the rights of the Press and the first amendment. The separation of the press from the U.S. government has been vital for the free flow of information and the role the press has played as a watchdog has kept the government on its toes.

As far as credibility is concerned, I don't see a huge issue with the BBC, however it concerns me when the government has any role with a media outlet as huge as The British Broadcasting Corporation. In the U.S., people fight for the separation of business and state. The U.K. system is clearly different and I think it is important for people to realize this.