ABSTRACT

The BBC is a publicly funded and regulated corporation, a complex media organization, a community, a public space, and even an iconic cultural and social brand. It is a massive £3.7bn annual investment in the knowledge economy (BBC 2014: 4), which according to some studies has an economic impact in excess of £8bn per year (BBC 2013a). The scale and scope of the BBC and its activities are incredibly expansive, spanning the globe and reaching almost all UK citizens on a regular basis. Ninety-seven percent of UK citizens use the BBC each week, and they use it extensively (approximately 18 hours per week, on average) (BBC 2015a: 2).