20 years of BBC News Channel

The BBC News Channel is 20 years old today!

The 24-hour rolling news channel launched as BBC News 24 on 9 November 1997 at 5.30pm, becoming the first competitor to Sky News, which had been running since February 1989.

On 22 February 2006, the channel was named News Channel of the Year at the Royal Television Society Television Journalism Awards for the first time in its history.

BBC News 24 was renamed to the BBC News Channel in April 2008, and launched in high-definition in 2013.

The channel, which was named RTS News Channel of the Year earlier this year, is watched by over 7 millions viewers a week.

Remember when the graphics looked like this? This was our very first broadcast on the BBC News Channel, 20 years ago! #bbcnewschannel20 pic.twitter.com/EKppzZvNZi

— BBC Weather (@bbcweather) November 9, 2017

Happy 20th birthday @BBCNewsChannel from all of us on the launch team who cut our teeth there x @gavinesler @JaneHillNews @maxinemawhinney pic.twitter.com/p9iJMbEphS

— Dr Sian Williams (@sianwilliams100) November 9, 2017

Happy 20th birthday #News24 @BBCNews Channel – fond memories of working that day helping produce it’s Breakfast programme – in direct competition with @BBCBreakfast – seems crazy now!!

— Samantha Simmonds (@samanthaTVnews) November 9, 2017

I spent 9 yrs on BBC News Channel working with some of the finest journalists in the world Happy 20th Birthday #BBCNewsChannel20 pic.twitter.com/1t1Kq7DQ5o

— Babita Sharma (@BabitaTV) November 9, 2017

KLAXON. At 1530 for one appearance only @ChrisEakinNews and myself will be reunited on air @BBCNewsChannel to show @BBCSimonMcCoy how it's done. News 24 launched 20 years ago today and Chris and I were part of the original presenter line-up. #newschannelat20 pic.twitter.com/0FniGwcNIK

— maxine mawhinney (@maxinemawhinney) November 9, 2017

In the green room @BBCNewsChannel about to go on air #afternoonlive with @BBCSimonMcCoy to reflect on 20 years of the news channel pic.twitter.com/4VN4YbMHqw

— maxine mawhinney (@maxinemawhinney) November 9, 2017