BBC Monitoring is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation that monitors the mass media worldwide. It is based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. BBC Monitoring is funded by subsciptions from governments and enterprises throughout the world. It does not receive any licence fee money. The work of BBC Monitoring is published on the BBC News webpage and also on Ceefax page 147.
History of BBC Monitoring
The organisation was formed in 1939 to provide the British Government access to foreign media and propoganda. It provided a valuable source of information during World War II, particuarly where foreign journalists are banned. The organisation played an important role in helping observers keep track of developments during the Cold War, the disintegration of the Iron Curtain and collapse of the Soviet Union. Also monitored were the Yugoslav wars and the Middle East.
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