12 May 2014
The BBC’s independent commentary and analysis of current affairs is now available directly to viewers in Ukraine thanks to a partnership between BBC World Service and Ukraine’s most popular TV channel, 1+1.
From the heart of the BBC’s news operation at New Broadcasting House in London, BBC Ukrainian (BBC Україна) journalists will appear live on the channel’s prime-time evening news programme, TSN, at 19.30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, providing 1+1 viewers with international perspective of current regional events as well as analysis of UK and global developments.
BBC Ukrainian has a number of partnerships with major news websites in Ukraine. This is the first collaboration with a TV channel. BBC World Service Europe Hub Editor, Artyom Liss, comments: “The popularity of BBC Ukrainian had been growing steadily, with audiences coming to the bbc.ua website for unbiased, balanced and reliable news, interviews and analysis. It’s great that, through collaboration with a TV channel such as 1+1, our journalists will be engaging with new audiences across Ukraine.”
Frederick Durman, Head of Business Development for Europe, BBC World Service, adds: ““We are really excited that our partnership with 1+1 will bring BBC Ukrainian to a wide audience at this critical time in Ukraine’s history.”
“TSN is the leading news programme in Ukraine, our anchors and journalists receive the most prestigious professional awards every year. Still, such collaboration for us is a great honor as BBC is the trendsetter in international news world and a golden standard for journalists. We aim to amaze our viewers, and I’m sure that the BBC input will add to our programme’s attractiveness,” – adds Sergiy Popov, Head of the Information Department of 1+1 Media.
The BBC Ukrainian website bbc.ua brings news stories, reports and features, picture galleries as well as audio and video content delivered by its journalists in Ukraine, Russia and the UK, as well as the BBC’s unparalleled global newsgathering operation. The Special Projects index on bbc.ua features BBC Ukraine’s editorial initiatives and special reports, while the dedicated index, Ukraine, offers news and information focusing on the country. Major, quickly developing events are covered on Live pages – an innovative tool of online journalism, which reflects news updates in real time. The BBC College of Journalism section shares the BBC’s guidelines on the use of unbiased language and style when reporting for TV, radio and online.
BBC Ukrainian is part of BBC World Service. (Source: Press release)
25 April 2014
News from the BBC Hausa service is now available via BBMTM in Nigeria, thanks to collaboration between BBC World Service and BlackBerry. Subscribers to the service will receive up to five BBC Hausa news alerts daily, each with shareable story links, with users able to engage with the BBC by sharing their comments and story ideas.
The launch of the BBC Hausa news content via BBM is part of the BBC’s ground-breaking move to see how “chat apps” could be used to deliver its content to, and engage with, a wider demographic of users. The app fits organically in the BBC Hausa offer as the service operates on a “mobile-first” basis, with its online content primarily optimised to be viewed on mobile phones.
Trushar Barot, Assistant Editor for the Social Media Hub at BBC News, says: “We had been speaking to BlackBerry for a few months about their plans to develop their BBM product. We were keen to try and find a BBC service that we felt would be a good fit to test the service. Many Nigerians use BBM, with consumption of news content on mobile phones also very high, so linking up with the BBC Hausa service felt like the right choice.”
BBC Hausa Editor Mansur Liman adds: “With over 96% of the traffic to the bbchausa.com website coming to its mobile version, BBC Hausa has prioritised its mobile offer as our key platform to reach our audiences. The launch of the BBC Hausa BBM in Nigeria – our biggest market – is a great development which will allow us to tap into new audiences, and also create a very simple, cheap and immediate way of connecting us with our users there.”
To connect to the account, subscribers will need to download the latest version of BBM (available on iOS and Android, as well as on BlackBerry handsets) and search for ‘BBC Hausa’ from the ‘Channels’ tab. Alternatively, users can connect via the BBM PIN: C00334DDD. Links to the BBC Hausa BBM channel will also be available via the website bbchausa.com and via the mobile website BBM.com/bbchausa.
BBC Hausa is part of BBC World Service. (Source: Press release)
21 March 2014
BBC Urdu has announced the re-launch of its TV programme, Sairbeen, on Pakistan’s Aaj News channel and online on bbcurdu.com. From Monday 31 March, the new-look Sairbeen will be broadcast live from London by Aaj News and streamed on bbcurdu.com at 19.30 PST (14.30 GMT) Monday to Friday, covering key global and regional issues.
Sairbeen developed a loyal audience base across Pakistan following its first broadcast in February 2013. Now re-launched in a more concise and dynamic format, as a Monday to Friday programme, Sairbeen returns to the screens as a live broadcast with BBC Urdu’s trademark editorial offer for Pakistan’s TV market. It will also become an essential, prime-time addition to the news schedule of Aaj News.
Recent surveys in Pakistan show that the BBC continues to be perceived as trustworthy and accurate. On trust, the BBC ranks highest among international broadcasters in Pakistan. BBC Urdu Editor, Aamer Ahmed Khan, comments:
“The feedback we get is very clear: there is a demand for Sairbeen on TV, for its breadth of coverage, connecting the local with the global, and for its independent, balanced and distinctive approach to any story. In Pakistan’s volatile environment, we are committed to helping our viewers understand the world and how the world sees Pakistan. We are thrilled to be coming back to the TV screens in Pakistan on Aaj News channel.”
In its new format, Sairbeen continues to expand on its basic premise of strong original journalism, drawing on the BBC’s unparalleled international newsgathering presence. Underpinned by regional reporting from BBC Urdu correspondents in Washington, Delhi and across Pakistan, and by in-depth analysis from BBC Urdu’s leading journalists, Sairbeen brings a different and more global perspective to news and important contemporary issues. Arts, technology, travel and social media are also within the programme’s focus.
Sairbeen is presented by Aliya Nazki, voted the best emerging current-affairs anchor by a leading media watchdog. It is also presented by Shafi Naqi Jamie, one of BBC Urdu’s most experienced and well-known broadcasters.
Aliya Nazki says: “I have been counting down to Sairbeen’s re-launch in this new, exciting format, and looking forward to reconnecting with viewers in Pakistan and wherever they are in the world. We welcome back to Sairbeen all those who want to get to the heart of the story and understand the ‘why’ behind the news. Come and live the story with us! ”
Aaj News Group COO Shahab Zuberi says: “It is a matter of great honour and prestige for Aaj News to collaborate with BBC. Sairbeen is an excellent addition to our schedule as it brings top-quality, independent news and information to anyone who wants to keep abreast of regional and world developments.”
Sairbeen will be aired at 19:30 PST Monday to Friday. Each edition of Sairbeen will be repeated on Aaj News at 11.00 on the following day and will be available on bbcurdu.com on demand until the next broadcast.
BBC Urdu is part of BBC World Service. (Source: Press release)
9 December 2013
The text and video content from the BBC Turkce website bbcturkce.com is now available to users of Turkey’s leading radio aggregator, Karnaval.com, thanks to a syndication agreement between BBC World Service and the Karnaval.com proprietor, Spectrum Medya.
Visitors to Karnaval.com will now see the most recent news and features from bbcturkce.com displayed on the News section of the website. The BBC Turkce videos are placed on the main page of Karnaval.com alongside news headlines and images from bbcturkce.com. Users of Karnaval.com will also see the BBC Turkce ticker with the main news stories from bbcturkce.com.
Frederick Durman, Head of Business Development – Europe and Latin America, BBC Global News, says: “This collaboration between BBC World Service and Spectrum Medya is part of BBC Turkce’s strategy to further boost digital presence in Turkey, reflecting both the boom in digital platforms Turkey is experiencing and the changing landscape in traditional media especially where news is concerned.”
BBC Turkce Editor, Murat Nisancioglu, adds: “We are thrilled that visitors to Karnaval.com will be invited to follow the world agenda with the BBC. We are looking forward to further extending our user base in Turkey’s growing digital market via this collaboration with Karnaval.com.”
CEO of Karnaval – Spectrum Medya, Ali A. Abhary, comments: “We are incredibly proud to work with one of the world’s most respected news organisations to bring BBC Turkce content to our users. Karnaval is quickly becoming a one-stop-shop for music, entertainment and news – with over 6.9 million monthly unique listeners across our properties. BBC Turkce provides our audiences with access to hard-hitting, international journalism of the highest calibre on domestic, international and lifestyle news topics.”
BBC Turkce is part of BBC World Service.
3 June 2013
BBC World Service has become the first international media organisation in Burma (Myanmar) to deliver news on the mobile platform. Thanks to a ground-breaking agreement between BBC World Service and Burma’s leading mobile aggregator, Blue Ocean Operating Management, the country’s mobile-phone users can now receive two BBC Burmese audio news bulletins every day. The BBC is also the first provider of audio bulletins on mobile phones in Burma.
The BBC Burmese audio bulletins will be updated at 8am and 6.30pm local time every day via automatic feed. In addition, there will be special bulletins for breaking news. To listen on demand, subscribers can call 01-2399600.
There are around 4 million mobile subscribers in Burma, and the number is set to grow with the further liberalisation of the mobile market. BBC World Service Head of Business Development Asia Pacific, Indu Shekhar Sinha, says: “As Burma’s media scene goes through rapid change, we are thrilled to be spearheading the delivery of international audio news bulletins to Burmese mobile-phone users. We have also agreed with Blue Ocean Operating Management that the introduction of audio bulletins will be followed by the launch of a BBC Burmese news SMS, providing users with short text news updates.”
BBC World Service is a mass broadcaster in Burma. BBC Burmese has a weekly audience of 8.4 million listeners in Burma, reaching 22.9% of the country’s population. Independent surveys also show that BBC Burmese has established itself as a trusted international broadcaster in Burma.
Tin Htar Swe, Editor of BBC Burmese and BBC World Service South Asia Hub, adds: “The BBC continues to keep its audiences in Burma informed about regional and international events, via radio, online on bbcburmese.com, and increasingly via Facebook. This exciting development means these audiences will have access to our impartial and independent news content on the go. With the growing number of mobile-phone users in Burma, this is a great way for us to keep connected with our audiences and further expand our outreach in the country.”
Managing Director of Blue Ocean, Htun Htun Naing, comments on the collaboration between the BBC and Blue Ocean: “I’m very excited to launch this mobile service which is a first in Myanmar. We are always eager to develop and introduce new services to Myanmar people. With the BBC’s unbiased, independent news content and its existing listener base on the one hand, and our cutting-edge technology on the other, I believe this can soon become a very successful service.”
The BBC World Service radio output in English is available on the radio service of the digital receiver of Forever Group in Burma. Three BBC TV channels – BBC World News, BBC Entertainment and CBeebies – are available on Forever Group’s as well as SkyNet’s pay TV platform in Burma.
