5.2. Broadcasting corporations: bbc ,cnn

Before you rea think over the following questions

• What are the advantages of television compared to printed media?

• What role is played by television in the life of the modern society? When and who is listening to radio today?

BBC     BBC World is the BBC's commercially funded international 24-hour news and information channel broadcasting around the world from its base at BBC Television Centre in London. BBC World is an integral part of the BBC's commitment to global broadcasting. Viewers who wish to keep ahead of global news events, but not just the headlines - turn to BBC World for the story behind the headlines - the why's and how's of the event as well. BBC World keeps its viewers not just informed, but well informed, with in-depth analysis and cutting edge interviews.

BBC World provides news, business and sport and explains not only what is happening but why.  The channels hourly news programmes offer unmatched, impartial, in-depth analysis of breaking news and events of global importance. 

Through World Business Report and Middle East Business Report, BBC World covers the most important financial, economic and company stories, while Sport Today rounds up the results and news from a wide variety of different sports.

In addition to its news bulletins, BBC World also broadcasts the best of the BBCs lifestyle and factual programming, including the weekly documentary strand The World Uncovered; Top Gear, for motoring fans; Talking Movies, the channels flagship guide to cinema; and the Imagination series on culture and the arts.

The daily interview programme HARDtalk grills leading newsmakers from politics, religion, sport and entertainment; and the award-winning weekly interactive discussion show Talking Point offers viewers the chance to submit questions to opinion formers.

The channel’s dedicated 24-hour fully digital newsroom and studio is located at BBC Television Centre in London.  It forms part of the worlds largest and most trusted newsgathering organisation and draws on the resources of more than 250 BBC News correspondents and 58 international BBC News bureaux across the globe.

BBC World brings impartial and objective journalism of the highest standard.

CNN

Cable News Network, almost always referred to by its first letters CNN, is a major U.S. cable news network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first station to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television network in the United States. While the news network has numerous affiliates, CNN primarily broadcasts from its headquarters at the CNN Centers in Atlanta, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

After its introduction by Ted Turner, the husband and wife team of David Walker and Lois Hart anchored the first newscast. Since its debut, CNN has expanded its reach to a number of cable and satellite television networks, several web sites, specialized closed-circuit networks (such as CNN Airport Network), and a radio network.

The network has 36 bureaus, more than 900 affiliated local stations, and several regional and foreign-language networks around the world. The network's success made a bona-fide mogul of founder Ted Turner and set the stage for the Time Warner conglomerate's eventual acquisition of Turner Broadcasting.

A companion network, Headline News (originally called CNN2) was launched on January 1, 1982 and featured a continuous 24-hour cycle of 30-minute news broadcasts. Headline News broke from its original format in 2005 with the addition of Headline Prime. The added Headline Prime programs featured confrontational personalities like radio talk-show host Glenn Beck and former Fulton County, Georgia prosecutor Nancy Grace.

CNN is sometimes referred to as CNN/U.S. to distinguish the North American channel from its international counterpart, CNN International. Its news gathering resources are second only to Britain's BBC News in the number of employed news journalists and worldwide news bureaus.

As of June 2008, CNN is available in over 93 million U.S. households. Broadcast coverage extends to over 890,000 American hotel rooms, and the U.S broadcast is also shown in Canada. Globally, CNN programming airs through CNN International, which can be seen by viewers in over 212 countries and territories.

The first CNN broadcast went live on June 1, 1980. By providing around-the-clock news reports and updates, the network became an alternative to the traditional morning and evening news cycle that had dominated television news since its inception. CNN gained further prominence with its exclusive live coverage of the Gulf War in 1991, which brought global attention to the network. A sister channel, Headline News (originally called CNN2), launched in 1982, and CNN International debuted in 1985. Since CNN's debut, more than 70 television networks have launched with 24-hour news coverage.

CNN's main slogan is "The Most Trusted Name in News.", which explicitly implies that they position themselves as the most reliable sourse of information.

(Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNN by MK)