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BBC World Service Director, English Networks and News Phil Harding
said: "Seventy years ago a switch was thrown on a new wireless
transmitter in Northamptonshire and messages were beamed to Canada,
Australia and other parts of the Empire. As part of the 70th anniversary
programmes BBC World Service plans an ambitious concert for listeners
around the world with live links to five centres," in an official
statement.
"It is an example of the way BBC World Service, which now
has a global audience of 150 million and an internet presence in
43 languages, continues to stretch itself and to embrace the future,"
Harding was quoted as saying in the official press release.
Among the major special broadcasts that BBC Worldwide service has
scheduled for the week:
a World Service 70th Birthday Lecture delivered by UN secretary
general, Kofi Annan;
a World Service Global Party , a special live concert taking
place in five countries across four continents;
and a day of special programming on the birthday itself presented
from the site of the World Service's first re-broadcast - the top
of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.
UN secretary general Kofi Annan had delivered a 70th birthday lecture
from the United Nations building in New York and answered questions
from listeners around the world on 11 December to begin the fortnight
of special programmes.
Similar to the one being planned in Mumbai's Oberoi Towers Hotel,
another huge party will be hosted at Bush House, London, by DJs
John Peel and Emma B. Senegalese superstar Youssou N'dour and Mercury
Music award winner Ms Dynamite are slated to perform.
In Dakar, Baaba Maal tops the bill. Afghan musicians will play
in Kabul and enable their countrymen to enjoy a musical revival
after years of music being banned during the Taliban regime.
In Mexico, the eight-piece semi-acoustic tropi-punk bank, Los de
Abajo will perform.
On Thursday 19 December, the actual birthday, BBC World Service
will present the day's programmes live from Table Mountain in Cape
Town, South Africa.
Presenters Heather Payton (Outlook) and Ben Malor (Africa Live)
will introduce 14 hours of programmes, from dawn to dusk, and read
listeners' e-mails.
Once an hour A Day in the Life of the World will highlight
people connected to the BBC worldwide, including an engineer who
services a transmitter in the mid-Atlantic.
The other highlights in the fortnight of celebration include:
a special edition of Pick of the World;
an extended Newshour with a daily in-depth interview with
a key international figure;
and new analysis of significant world events in From Our Own
Correspondent by BBC correspondents who covered the stories
at the time including Kate Adie, Mark Tully, Brian Barron and Mike
Wooldridge.
Listeners' Tales, a series of short vox pops with celebrities
and listeners whose lives have been affected by the BBC World Service,
will be broadcast throughout December 19.
This is London, throughout the week of Monday 16 December,
will examine key moments in the life of the BBC World Service over
the last 70 years.
The other programmes will explore the birth of the Empire Service
(as the BBC World Service then was); the story of the Arabic Service;
the Cold War days; and the BBC World Service since 9/11.
The votes cast by listeners around the world will determine The
World's Top 10 records and will be announced by Steve Wright
on Saturday 21 December in Wright Round the World.
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