Editing Shipping Forecast (section)

==History==
[[File:Robert Fitzroy.jpg|thumb|Robert FitzRoy circa 1850]]
The Shipping Forecast was established by Vice-Admiral [[Robert FitzRoy]], the first professional [[weather forecasting|weather forecaster]], captain of {{HMS|Beagle}} and founder of the Met Office.<ref name="fitzroy" /> In October 1859, the steam clipper ''[[Royal Charter (ship)|Royal Charter]]'' was wrecked in a strong storm off [[Anglesey]]; 450 people lost their lives. In response to this loss, FitzRoy introduced a warning service for shipping in February 1861, using telegraph communications. This remained the United Kingdom's Met Office primary responsibility for some time afterward. In 1911, the Met Office began issuing marine weather forecasts which included [[gale]] and storm warnings via radio transmission for areas around Great Britain. This service was discontinued during and following the [[First World War]], between 1914 and June 1921, and again during the [[Second World War]] between 1939 and 1945.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/1/f/Fact_sheet_No._8.pdf|title=National Meteorological Library and Fact Sheet 8 – The Shipping Forecast|publisher=Met Office|year=2012|version=1|pages=3–5|access-date=10 April 2013}}</ref>

The programme was first broadcast on the radio on 1 January 1924, then called ''Weather Shipping''. From October 1925, it has been broadcast by the BBC.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-shipping-forecast-broadcast-turns-100|title= The Shipping Forecast broadcast turns 100|work=Gov.uk|date=2024-01-01}}</ref>

Today, although most ships have onboard technology to provide the Forecast's information, they still use it to check their data.<ref name=Jefferson>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-02-18/secrets-of-the-shipping-forecast|author=Peter Jefferson|year=2012|title=Secrets of the Shipping Forecast|work=Radio Times|access-date=27 July 2013}}</ref>

On Friday 30 May 2014, for the first time in more than 90 years, BBC Radio 4 failed to broadcast the Shipping Forecast at 0520. Staff at [[Broadcasting House]] were reading out the report but it was not transmitted. Listeners instead heard [[BBC World Service]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/may/30/bbc-chipping-forecast-fail-broadcast-radio-4|title=BBC fails to air Shipping Forecast for first time in more than 90 years|author=Mark Sweney|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=18 November 2014|date=30 May 2014}}</ref>

The 150th anniversary of the shipping forecast was on 24 August 2017.<ref name="BBC150">{{cite news|title=Radio 4's Shipping Forecast is 150 years old|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-41030909/radio-4-s-shipping-forecast-reaches-150-years-old|date=24 August 2017|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

Between 30 March 2020 and 5 July 2020, as a result of emergency rescheduling because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]], the number of bulletins a day was reduced to three, at 00:48, 05:33, and either 12:03 (weekdays) or 17:54 (weekends).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl7j/2020/04/03|title=Radio 4 schedule 30th March 2020}}<br />- {{cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876590/COVID-19_BBC_Radio_4_Marine_Weather_Bulletins_Broadcast_Times.pdf|title=MaritimeSafety Information(MSI)reduced service: BBC Radio 4 Weather Bulletins}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl7k/2020/07/06|title=Radio 4 LW schedule 6th July 2020}}</ref>