BBC News 24 is the BBC's 24-hour news television channel in the UK, its international counterpart being BBC World. It first broadcast in November 1997 and at first only cable television subscribers could view it. In 1999, with the advent of digital television in the UK, satellite viewers were able to view the service. It is now also broadcast on digital terrestrial, as part of the Freeview package.
The BBC were initially criticised for the cost of running BBC News 24 channel, with so few viewers. Their response was to promote the channel through their ordinary channels BBC1 and BBC2, using terrestrial signals, and this is seen by some as influential (to a certain limited extent) in promoting the take-up of digital television.
In December 2002 the Lambert Report, an independent review commissioned by the government, criticised the BBC Governors for failing to ensure that News 24 had a distinct identity from the commercial rolling-news services provided by the ITV News Channel and Sky News. As a result the Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell announced new conditions on the "approvals" under which the BBC operates News 24.
In December 2003, the channel was relaunched, with cosmetic changes to the look and feel of the channel being the main obvious change. A new set was launched, replacing the "rhubarb and custard" beige and red design introduced in 1999. New graphics were also introduced, which are more attention grabbing, and the opening sequences and channel signature theme tune were refreshed. In addition, criticism was made that "no one notices breaking news" on the channel, so together with the new attention seeking graphics, a breaking news "sting" was developed, which is designed to grab people's attention whenever breaking news is flashed upon the screen. The relaunch also takes into account the criticisms in the Lambert Report, introducing more anaylsis and features into the schedules of the channel which makes it more distinctive from its commercial rivals.
BBC News 24 broadcasts from the BBC News Centre in BBC Television Centre, West London.
See also: List of British television channels
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