BBC marks 20 years online

The BBC is celebrating its 20th anniversary on the World Wide Web, having launched the BBC Networking Club on 13 April 1994 and becoming one of the first major organisations to establish an online presence.

The Networking Club was a not-for-profit subscription website offering early social networking, bulletin board features and information about the BBC. It went live to coincide with the first episode of the educational TV series, The Net.

The BBC has pioneered many early internet technologies and carried out a number of significant online milestones, including the first live audio streaming in 1995 for Radio 5 live series, The Big Byte, and a prototype site for the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 to test online sports coverage.

Then in 1997, BBC Online officially launched and BBC News online was introduced to audiences.

Ralph Rivera, Director, BBC Future Media, said: “The BBC was there at the beginning, helping to usher in a whole host of online technologies that are now ingrained in our everyday lives.

“We’re continually looking at how we can use the technology of tomorrow to bring even better services to our audiences today, and help improve access to information and entertainment.”