2 March 2016
For the first time, the BBC’s international news services are to use chat apps to bring their hard hitting storytelling to even more people around the globe.
As BBC World News marks 25 years of TV news broadcasting, the channel’s international current affairs programme Our World will use Viber to tell the story of a kidnapping that took place in Mexico, publishing posts via a BBC public channel within the app. It will be delivered to Viber users across a week, replicating the timeline of the original events as told by the victims. This will then be tied in with the television broadcast of the half hour documentary Our World: Kidnapped in Mexico.
For their audiences on the continent and beyond, BBC Africa will be using WhatsApp to tell the story of young people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who are using new online ways to get their voices heard and bring change to their country. Across five days clips will be shared from its documentary ‘Young, Angry and Connected’.
The innovative pilot projects, which are set to start from this weekend, mark a significant step forward for the BBC’s use of instant messaging platforms. The broadcaster has been experimenting with chat apps in countries where mobile use outstrips desktop and to reach those people who would not necessarily access its journalism via traditional means. They were trialled as a way of gathering and sharing content during the 2014 Indian Elections and then again during the Ebola crisis, which saw thousands of people across West Africa signed up to receive the latest news and lifesaving information. But the use of the platforms to share content from its documentaries breaks new ground, helping to extend the life and reach of TV programmes.
Trushar Barot, BBC’s Mobile & Apps Editor, explained:
“There are now more users of chat apps globally than there are people on social media. That’s why BBC World Service is focussed on experimenting and developing long term strategies for these platforms. Using them is second nature to hundreds of millions of people around the world. These are the next generation of digital audiences we want to reach out to. Two years ago, we were the first news organisation to develop news accounts in chat apps, but we know we have to continue to innovate on them. Working with the likes of Viber to trial projects like this enables us learn quickly and deliver the types of digital content our audiences are going to increasingly expect.”
Our World: Kidnapped in Mexico on Viber – from 6th March
For the first time a linear TV documentary about a real life kidnapping case is being broken down and retold for users of a public channel on Viber. Users following the channel at www.viber.com/bbcstories will be able to follow the story of a kidnap victim and his wife told in text, images and animations, as if it were happening in real time. The posts will run across a week, around the broadcast of correspondent Vladimir Hernandez’s TV documentary on Friday, March 11th.
Jo Mathys, of the BBC’s Impact team, who developed the chat apps project said:
“What I find exciting about this project is the ability to tell a story as if in real time, and the sense of immediacy that chat app platforms provide. It’s as if the characters are talking directly to the audience. It’s a very different way of story-telling. There’s potential to tell a wide range of current affairs stories using this format.”
The full documentary Our World: Kidnapped in Mexico will be broadcast on BBC World News on Friday March 11th at 2030 GMT with repeats on Saturday March 12th at 1130, 1630 & 2230 GMT and on Sunday March 13th at 0330 & 1730 GMT.
See here for examples of the animations to be used: https://myshare.box.com/s/8sizmm5zrhc15as893zdjqz4eugjb9ic
Young, Angry and Connected on WhatsApp- from the 7th March
BBC Africa’s first ever WhatsApp series “Young, Angry and Connected” will bring the story of young Africans using social media and their mobiles to get their voices heard, to an audience in a unique way. The series will launch on Monday, March 7th and run until Friday, March 11th. A daily clip of around 2-3 minutes will be delivered to those who subscribe to the WhatsApp service number (+44 7734778817) and will be available in French and English. Once the number is added, users can write SIGN UP for English and SOUSCRIRE to receive editions in French. The documentary will then be available in full on BBC.com/Africa and www.bbcafrique.com at the end of the week.
WhatsApp is hugely popular in Africa, and a widely used app for people to communicate, including those involved in the story of Young, Angry and Connected. Many of those featured in the programme depend on WhatsApp to communicate to their peers across the country.
Vladimir Hernandez, Correspondent and Assistant Editor for World Service said: “The rising youth groups in Africa are mobile-first and bringing their story to a wider audience on a chat app is the perfect new way of telling their story.”
A short preview trailer for Young, Angry and Connected is available to watch here: https://myshare.box.com/youngconnected.
(Source: BBC press release)
24 May 2013
The BBC has today announced the appointment of James Stephenson as Head of News for BBC World News, the BBC’s commercially funded international news channel. James is currently Editor of the BBC News at Six and BBC News at Ten in theUK. He is also Deputy Head of the BBC Newsroom and will continue in that role.
James Stephenson has been Editor of the BBC News at Six and News at Ten since 2009. The period has included the 2010 General Election, the Eurozone crisis, the Arab uprisings, the 2012 US Presidential Election and the Olympics.
In October 2012, he was also appointed Deputy Head of the BBC Newsroom with responsibility for BBC news output on TV, radio and online in the UK and internationally.
James joined the BBC as a researcher on Panorama and worked on a range of current affairs programmes before becoming Assistant Editor of Newsnight in 1998 and Deputy Editor in 2000. The programme won RTS News Programme of the Year for its coverage of the year following 9/11.
In 2003, James launched the Politics Show on BBC One. He was also responsible for a number of other political programmes, including as Editor of the 2005 General Election Night and Executive Editor of Question Time.
James served as Middle East Bureau Chief from 2007 to 2009.
In January, BBC World News completed a very successful launch from new studios in Broadcasting House. James will lead the next phase of the channel’s news development, driving the coverage of breaking and developing stories as well as big events and global themes. Innovation will continue, focusing on continued development of the channel’s programmes, innovative production and engaging storytelling in line with the channel’s commitment to help audiences Live the Story.
He will also take a leading role in improving how we deliver the best BBC news video in a multiplatform way, to our international website, BBC.com as well as on BBC World News.
Mary Hockaday, Head of the BBC Newsroom said: “James will bring excellent editorial leadership to BBC World News, an absolute commitment to the highest quality and most trustworthy journalism as well as an ambitious approach to television production and sharing our journalism across platforms for audiences in a digital age. James has a very strong track record leading high profile output and newsgathering teams in BBC News, as Editor of the BBC News at Six and BBC News at Ten, the Middle East Bureau and political programmes atWestminster. He has all the right qualities to develop our international journalism working with our production teams and journalists inLondonand around the world.”
Richard Porter, Controller of English, BBC Global News said: “I’m absolutely delighted that James will be leading the next phase of development of our news output. This is a very big year for BBC World News, with investment in new studios and in our journalism, and the launch of the Live the Story brand campaign. James is ideally suited to take us further forward, with his huge experience of journalism and production, and his understanding of the competitive landscape. I look forward to welcoming him into the World’s Newsroom.”
James Stephenson said: “I am delighted to have been asked to run BBC World News. The channel is the strongest it has ever been and this year’s move to Broadcasting House has placed it at the heart of the BBC Newsroom. I look forward to working with the World News team and the whole of BBC News to make the most of all we can offer to our global audience.“
James will take up the role shortly. His predecessor, Andrew Roy was recently appointed to run the BBC’s international Newsgathering operations in the role of World Editor, BBC News.
16 May 2013
AP reports that a Vietnamese satellite TV platform has dropped BBC World News and CNN from its channel line-up on Thursday 16 May. K+, a joint venture between a Vietnamese company and Canal Overseas, part of the Canal+ Group, appears to be interpreting the “Decision 20” regulation – which places onerous conditions on foreign TV channels – in a particular way, in direct contrast to a majority of other Vietnam-based platforms.
AIB has been lobbying on the issue over the past few months and is now seeking further clarification both from K+ and the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communication.
“We are disappointed that Vietnamese audiences are having their choice of international TV channels restricted,” said Simon Spanswick, AIB chief executive. “There is still uncertainty around the proposed pay-TV regulations promulgated in Vietnam. K+ appears to be out of step with the Vietnamese market and the latest interpretation of Decision 20. We look forward to the channels that have been taken off air being restored very quickly.”
As of the European afternoon on 16 May, the K+ website was still showing BBC World News and CNN as channels available to the platform’s subscribers.
27 March 2013
Survey finds tablets complement TV viewing and finds 25-34 age demographic the biggest news enthusiasts
BBC World News and BBC.com/news have today released the results of the largest global study to date on the consumption of news in the digital age. The study, which was conducted by InSites Consulting, surveyed more than 3,600 owners of digital devices in Australia, Singapore, India, UAE, South Africa, Poland, Germany, France and the US in order to determine the growing impact of TV, smartphones, tablets and laptops on people’s news consumption habits. Survey participants were top income earners and owners of at least three devices amongst television, tablet, smartphone and laptop/desktop.
Key findings include:
- Tablet owners watch more TV news, not less, with 43% of tablet users saying they consume more TV than they did five years ago, and most saying they use tablets alongside TV.
- Young professionals, the 25-34 year old demographic are the biggest news enthusiasts.
- Second screening for news is becoming commonplace, with users often using devices in tandem. 83% of tablet users say they have used their tablets while watching television.
- TV still dominates overall usage, taking 42% of people’s news consumption time compared with laptops (29%), smartphones (18%) and tablets (10%).
- News audiences expect to see advertising nearly as much on mobile (79% tablet, 84% smartphone) as they do on TV (87%) and online (84%).
- People respond to advertising across all the screens, with 1 in 7 users indicating they responded to a mobile ad in the last four weeks whilst responses to TV and desktop are 1 in 5 and 1 in 4 respectively.
The survey found that, rather than competing, different platforms complement one another allowing people to layer their device usage throughout the day. Smartphones and laptops are most popular throughout the working day, peaking at around 1pm. TV usage spikes dramatically from 5pm onwards, and at its peak time of 7pm TV use is 50% higher than for any other device.
The survey also found that, in breaking news situations, users turn to television as their primary and first device (42%), with the majority (66%) then turning to the internet to investigate stories further. Users rated national and international news of most importance (84%, 82%), closely followed by local news (79%). Financial and business news (61%) were more highly valued than news about sports (56%) and arts/entertainment news (43%).
Jim Egan, CEO of BBC Global News Ltd said: “Avid news consumers are hungry for information wherever they are and expect to stay in touch on all the devices they now own. There’s been speculation for years that mainstream uptake of smartphones, laptops and tablets will have a negative impact on television viewing, but this study has found that the four devices actually work well together, resulting in greater overall consumption rather than having a cannibalising effect.”
21 January 2013
BBC World News announced the appointment of Linda Yueh as Chief Business Correspondent, a new Singapore-based position that signals the channel’s continuing commitment toAsiaand determination to expand the breadth and depth of its international business coverage.
The BBC is investing heavily in new programmes and facilities for its international news channel, as it seeks to build on recent successes building audiences and reputation around the world. Last week the channel unveiled a dramatic new look when it re-launched from its new studios in centralLondon. A refreshed schedule includes a new daily programme, Global, presented by long-time BBC News presenter and reporter Jon Sopel. Other recent appointments include Yalda Hakim, one ofAustralia’s brightest international journalists who joined the channel as a current affairs correspondent and presenter for a new weekly current affairs programme which goes on air in the Spring.
Linda Yueh will be based inSingapore, and will travel extensively throughoutAsiaand globally to cover the main economics and business news stories. In addition to reporting across BBC outlets on TV, radio and online, she will host her own weekly business programme that will provide expert commentary and insight into business, political and macro-economic trends. Linda already has a strong online profile, and this will continue as she takes on her new role for the BBC in April.
Linda Yueh was most recently the London-based Economics Editor for Bloomberg Television and brings with her a wealth of experience in business journalism. Prior to joining Bloomberg, she was a full-time economist and a regular media commentator. She is currently a Fellow in Economics atOxfordUniversityand an Adjunct Professor at theLondonBusinessSchool. Linda Yueh is also an associate of the London School of Economics and Political Science’s Centre for Economic Performance as well as of IDEAS: the International Affairs, Diplomacy & Strategy research centre. She previously worked as an international corporate lawyer with the New York-based law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and served as a special advisor to the World Economic Forum (WEF) inDavos,Switzerland. Linda Yueh has also consulted and advised a number of international organisations and governments.
Richard Porter, Controller of English, Global News said: “With her experience as a journalist, an academic, and an economist, Linda is the ideal candidate to be the BBC’s Chief Business Correspondent. She will be able to go behind the numbers and delve deeper into stories as she provides incisive coverage and economic analysis of breaking news stories. As part of our on-going commitment toAsia, Linda is the latest addition to a very talented pool of news correspondents currently based in the region, and will fit well into our plans to expand our global coverage in 2013.”
Jon Zilkha, Head of the BBC Business and Economics Unit, said: “We are delighted that Linda has chosen to join the BBC at a time when audiences are looking to us to guide them through the enormous challenges and changes in the world economy. No one could be better placed to help us tell the vital story ofChina’s continuing growth and what it means for the rest of the world. Linda’s knowledge and insight will be a terrific addition to our reporting team led by Robert Peston and Stephanie Flanders.”
Robert Peston, BBC Business editor, said: “I have long been an admirer of Linda Yueh’s journalism and economic analysis. It will be great to work with her and I am confident she will be making a significant positive contribution to the scope and quality of the BBC’s global business coverage”.
Linda Yueh said: “I am excited to join the BBC as its Chief Business Correspondent. At a time of rapid change in the world economy, I relish this opportunity to report on global business and present my show from a part of the world that is developing at a remarkable pace with vast implications for our everyday lives. I look forward to working with Robert Peston, for whom I have great respect, and the other talented journalists at the BBC – who set the standard for credibility and impartiality in reporting from around the world.”
Linda is a British/American dual national who is of Chinese ethnicity. She earned her PhD (DPhil) in economics from Oxford University, after obtaining degrees from Yale, Harvard, and New York Universities. She is the author of several books on economics and business, including three on China.
