BBC Online

The BBC has maintained a presence online officially since December 1997, and it has developed into one of the largest and most visited websites in the world. Originally branded BBC Online, then BBCi and currently bbc.co.uk, television promotions have consistently pointed viewers of programmes in the direction of support, resources, fun and extra information available on its web pages – as well as further viewing opportunities via the Red Button (now, confusingly, referred to as BBCi).

In addition to this, on 25 December 2007, the BBC’s iPlayer was launched as its internet television service offering catch-up viewing and listening on-demand, up to seven days following the broadcast of the TV or radio programming – also opening up the possibility of accessing programming not otherwise available in that viewer’s own region. In response to the need to reduce budget spending on its web pages (and with small consideration to the concerns of rival broadcasters and news agencies unable to rely on automatic and fixed funding from the licence fee), the announcement was made on 2 March 2010 that the BBC intended to reduce its output online by 25%.