BBC Focus

Infobox Magazine
title = BBC Focus

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editor = Jheni Osman
frequency = Monthly
circulation = 70,000 [ABC Dec-Jul 2008]
category =
company = BBC Worldwide
firstdate = December 1992
country = United Kingdom
language = English
website = [http://www.bbcfocusmagazine.com/ Official home page]
issn = 0966-4270

"BBC Focus" is a British monthly magazine about science and technology published in Bristol, UK by Bristol Magazines Ltd, a BBC Worldwide company. Edited by Jheni Osman, it covers all aspects of science and technology and is written for general readers as well as people with a knowledge of science. The magazine was taken over by the BBC in mid-2005 which has led to most issues featuring an article which corresponds with a BBC television series. There are also regular celebrity features and interviews. The magazine's circulation is 70,000, having risen by 14 per cent from the previous year [http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/aug/14/abcs.pressandpublishing2] .

Regular content

* Agenda - the past month in science
* Eye Opener - interesting or amazing photos on a common theme
* Q&A - a section welcoming science queries from readers and answers from an expert panel
* Mathematical Puzzles, a factual multiple choice quiz and a crossword
* Letters to the editor
* The Guide - reviews of factual books, films, television and radio, exhibitions and events, gaming and internet plus 'tried and tested' - reviews of similar products
* Last Word - Robert Matthews writes, often about problems in science

As of issue #173, "The Guide" section of the magazine had a small redesign with increased focus on interactive media, with newly separate sections for Games reviews and the web including a new column on web issues such as collaborative video editing with the header 'Happening'.

Coverage of Wikipedia

In 2006, an article in "BBC Focus" assessed four online encyclopaedias, including Wikipedia. An expert on bird flu looked at the entries in each of these to assess how up-to-date each of these were. Wikipedia was found to be the most up-to-date and was assessed as giving a generally accurate report on bird flu, whereas the Encyclopaedia Britannica online gave information that was six months out of date. With other criteria being assessed, the magazine came to the conclusion that Wikipedia was its "Best Buy" for an online encyclopaedia.

External links

* [http://www.bbcfocusmagazine.com/ Official home page]
* [http://www.originpublishing.co.uk Origin Publishing]
* [http://focusmag.infopop.cc/groupee BBC Focus Magazine Online Forum Community]