BBC Account News

Learn more about what we do

Everything you need to know about the workings of the BBC

The BBC is the world’s leading public service broadcaster

We’re impartial and independent, and every day we create distinctive, world-class programmes and content which inform, educate and entertain millions of people in the UK and around the world.

We do this across:

A portfolio of television services, including the UK’s most-watched channel BBC One, the pioneering online-only youth service BBC Three, and our multi award-winning channels for children, as well as national and regional television programmes and services across England. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Ten UK-wide radio networks, providing the best live music broadcasting in the UK, as well as speech radio which informs, educates and entertains. We also have two national radio services each in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and 39 local radio stations across England and the Channel Islands, providing an invaluable and unique service to listeners across the UK
Our digital services including BBC News, Sport, Weather CBBC and CBeebies, iPlayer and BBC Sounds, BBC Red Button and our vast archive
BBC World Service television, radio and online on more than 40 languages

Established by a Royal Charter, the BBC is principally funded through the licence fee paid by UK households. Our role is to fulfil our mission and promote our Public Purposes.

Our commercial operations including BBC Studios, the BBC’s award-winning production company and world-class distributor, provide additional revenue for investment in new programming and services for UK audiences.

The BBC’s Board ensures that we deliver our mission and public purposes which are set out in the Charter. The Executive Committee is responsible for day-to-day management. We are regulated by Ofcom.

Governance and regulation

Charter and Agreement
The Royal Charter is the constitutional basis for the BBC
Mission, values and public purposes
Our mission and public purposes are the foundation for everything that we do
Licence fee and funding
Find out how we are funded - and how that money is spent
Regulation
We are regulated by Ofcom. It issues an operational framework and sets a licence which contains the regulatory conditions we are required to meet.
Audit arrangements
The Comptroller and Auditor General, supported by the National Audit Office, is our external auditor
BBC/S4C strategic agreement
How we will work with S4C to deliver services for the benefit of Welsh-speaking audiences
Complaints
How to complain to the BBC and how we handle complaints

Reports and policies

Annual report and accounts
Our assessment of the BBC’s performance over the last 12 months
Annual plan
Our strategic plans for the year ahead
Policies and guidelines
Our policies and guidelines are important in ensuring we deliver our mission and public purposes
Reports
Our most recent publications
Consultations
How you can give your views about our services and future strategy
External events register
The BBC publishes a summary of the external events register for on-air staff in journalism and senior leaders, as part of the BBC’s renewed commitment to impartiality