Home from Home on the Internet (bbc.co.uk)

Member Name: Deany

Product:	bbc.co.uk
Date:	12/07/01 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Up-to-date news, Just about all shows covered, Live radio links

Disadvantages: None

I love this website. As a Brit living away from home (Germany to be precise) the BBC website provides my first port of call when I arrive at work in the morning. As soon as I sit down at my desk I boot up the computer, get Internet Explorer going and head for the BBC homepage. Then I spend a pleasant quarter of an hour or so catching upon the news, seeing what is going on in my favourite shows and following whatever interesting links I happen to find.

In fact, the whole website is pretty much a survival pack for those of us outside of the UK. If I catch a snippet of news about Britain on German radio or TV I’ll be sure to check out the full story on the BBC news page, if I’m heading back home for a weekend I can check out the weather in advance, should I feel bored I can catch up on the latest goings-on in the soaps or listen to Radio 1 for a while. It’s a home from home on the internet.

The section I visit most often has to be the news page. It updates at regular intervals throughout the day and when special events are on (the Budget, Wimbledon, elections) the updates seem to happen on a minute-by-minute basis. There are news reports, both written and audio/video, as well as links to special features and background information. During the recent general election a whole new section was added with information on each MP and constituency, discussion boards, interviews with MPs, a virtual election “game” and much more. Not only is there the main news page, but there are subsections on a wide variety of topics from Entertainment to Science & Technology – each of which is updated on a daily basis at least.

The news pages on their own would be enough to make this an invaluable website, but there is so much more. Pick just about any BBC show you can think of and there will be a section devoted to it somewhere on the site. For those of us unable to do without a regular fix of EastEnders there is a section devo
ted to the residents of Albert Square with episode updates appearing after each instalment. Fans of Ground Force can gain gardening tips from Alan Titchmarsh, sci-fi fan devotees will find a whole section devoted to Star Trek and those given to nostalgia can explore the BBC’s vaults and watch clips of classics like Dad’s Army and Bagpuss. In short, if it’s been on the Beeb, you’ll find it on the website.

And the website doesn’t just devote itself to the programmes. There is an education section that compliments the programmes for schools shown during the day. Here you can learn a few phrases of a foreign language, swot up on history or learn how to plan your revision time for exams.

There are also links to local BBC websites. The one for my home city, Leeds, is well structured with a good quality content. Should I be feeling homesick I can catch up on the local news, take a look at the city through a variety of webcams or find out what will be going on during my next trip home. There is even a section where you can download pictures of various locations in the city and use them as desktop wallpaper.

Another area of the website that I visit regularly is the Radio 1 subsection. I am lucky to have a pair of headphones at work and, although in a foreign country, I am just a few clicks away from the likes of Chris Moyles and Mark & Lard. It really brightens up my working day when I can listen to a bit of music and have a laugh at the presenters. The Radio 1 subsection also provides a wealth of information on bands, live concerts and entertainment news.

The BBC website in general in well laid out. A handy breakdown by topic runs along the left hand side of the screen, which becomes more detailed the further down you go into the website. As long as you know the area that what you are looking for falls under – Entertainment, Food, Gardening, Education… – it is usually no problem finding it.
The homepage provides direct links to News, Weather and Sport and shows a constantly changing selection of what is on the site at the moment. Some of the more interesting links I have found have been showcased on the homepage and by clicking on them I have discovered whole new sections of the site. It is hard to get lost and a quick click on the BBC logo at the top of the screen will always get you back to the homepage.

Such a short review will never do justice to a website of this size. I suggest you take a look yourself and explore what it has to offer. I’m sure there will be something for everyone, whatever your interests.

Summary: