News that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has acquired the bbc.com domain should be heralded as a moment of breast-swelling pride for the TV licence fee payers of the UK.

Unfortunately, concerned of Tunbridge Wells might choke on his Cornflakes if he finds out what some people are saying it cost.

In its report on the acquisition from Boston Business Computing, which used the domain since 1987, New Media Age decided to hedge its bets.

In the same article it quoted two different sums - £20,000 and £200,000. That's a heck of a difference - £180,000 worth of difference to be exact.

No one at Auntie would say exactly how much the BBC had agreed to pay but it is understood to be nearer the cost of a very nice Ferrari rather than an upmarket Mondeo.

Thankfully, one report that the BBC was paying a staggering $30 million appears simply not to be true. ®