Bbc.co.uk
- The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. The correct title is bbc.co.uk.
bbc.co.uk is the URL and brand name for the BBC's online services. It was introduced on May 6 2004. Under its previous names, the BBC's online service first went live in 1997.
Formerly BBCi (still the brand for interactive TV services) and before that BBC Online, the Web-based service of the BBC is one of the world's largest and most visited web sites (12th most visited according to Alexa in May 2004). It currently contains over two million pages.
The websites include news from BBC News Online, an extensive sports section, music, science, technology and entertainment pages, among other things. It also possible to see and hear many of the BBC's television and radio stations there.
As might be expected, the website has a decidedly British orientation, although the news and sport sections each give the reader a choice between UK and international versions.
The BBC's site is entirely free from advertising, in line with the rest of the BBC's services. This is due to the BBC's funding, derived primairly from compulsory television license fees from UK tax payers. This has meant bbc.co.uk has sometimes caused some controversy, as web users outside the UK can use the services (including the entire BBC radio services) without having to pay for them. It has been suggested in the past that the BBC block users outside the UK, or that the BBC create a version of their site supported by adverts for such users. So far, however, such moves have been resisted.
In February 2001, BBC Online incorporated Douglas Adams' previously independent h2g2 project into its group of web sites.
Unusually for a high traffic website, bbc.co.uk has extensive technical information available about its operation.
Graf Inquiry
In early 2004 the site was made the focus of a government inquiry, launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, led by Philip Graf. Commerical rivals have argued that the BBC's site offers thigs that are available in the commercial sector, creating unnecessary competion and not being in line with the BBC's public service remit.
As a result of the inquiry BBC is to "prioritise news, current affairs, education and information which is of value to the citizen." The BBC also shut down a small number of sections of the site, including the popular Soap section, in response to the concerns of running too many services that could be provided commerically.
