Fast Track: A-Z of employers: The BBC

Age: 75

History: The BBC was founded in 1922 and became a public corporation in 1927. Its first Director General, John Reith, adopted "educate, inform and entertain" as the BBC's guiding principle. Television transmissions began in 1936. The Thirties saw the broadcasting of the first foreign language service - the Arabic service - the first Royal Wedding and coverage of King Edward VIII's abdication. The Second World War disrupted TV broadcasts but radio continued its service from Broadcasting House. Some of the BBC's most successful programmes began in the Fifties, including Blue Peter, Panorama, The Archers and Today. BBC2 and Radio 1 both started in the Sixties; the first programme with Ceefax subtitling was broadcast in the Seventies as was the first radio coverage of the House of Commons. BBC breakfast television was launched in the Eighties. In the Nineties, Radio 5 Live was introduced as the BBC's 24-hour radio news and sport network.

Address: BBC Broadcasting House (below), London WIA 1AA

Ambience: Depends who you talk to. The rank and file invariably describe it as hugely political, strapped for cash, under resourced, run by management consultants and rife with short-term contracts - but most wouldn't want to work anywhere else.

Lifestyle: The BBC is the world's largest newsgathering organisation and journalism is the core of the corporation's output. The BBC has journalists based in all UK regions and in 42 bureaux overseas. Journalists work on specific programmes such as The Nine O'Clock News or the Today programme. In the longer term they may become news correspondents or specialist correspondents for BBC Newsgathering.

Vital statistics: The licence fee provides most of the BBC's income and will continue to do so into the new millennium. Extra revenue is earned through BBC Worldwide - the commercial arm of the corporation. BBC World Service is financed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. More than 21.5 million households have a TV licence and it is estimated that 95 per cent of all UK households view and listen to at least two hours of BBC programming a week. The advent of digital technology will further increase competition in British broadcasting but also provides the BBC with the opportunity to launch new services. In 1995, the BBC launched the world's first Digital Radio service.

Easy to get into? Although there are opportunities for graduates across a range of areas within the BBC - from engineering to finance - it is journalism that attracts the highest number of graduates for few places. Last year BBC News received 9,000 enquiries for eight places on the Network training scheme. However, for applicants with some experience, jobs are advertised on a regular basis at researcher and broadcast journalist levels. A news journalist needs a thorough knowledge of news events, an inquiring and objective mind and the ability to communicate clearly.

Pay: Initially in the region of pounds 16,000 to pounds 20,000 - possibly more depending on experience.

Training: For journalists who are new to broadcasting, there is a mix of formal and on-the-job training in radio, TV and multi-media. Increasingly, this involves training in some technical skills such as using digital cameras or picture editing.

Who's the boss? John Birt is the Director General and heads the Executive Committee that has overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of the BBC. Sir Christopher Bland is the chairman of the Board of Governors who are appointed under the Royal Charter to oversee the BBC as trustees for the public interest.