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Across
the globe, BBC World News has a content
tie-up with 34 mobile platforms. "Mobile
is the fastest growing out-of-home platform
for us," Barnard said.
Speaking
on the channel's growth, Barnard said BBC
World News has a global weekly television
audience of 78 million, an increase of 2
million over last year. There has been a
25 per cent rise in weekly Asian audiences
over the last five years while in Europe
it has grown 50 per cent. The website also
has seen strong growth and attracts 29 million
users a month.
Ad
sales grew 20 per cent in 2007, showing
that there was space for impartial balanced
news. "We have also seen growth in
hotel room distribution, up from 1.4 million
to 1.6 million in 2007. We saw a 20 per
cent increase in hotel room distribution
in China. In India, we are distributed in
40,000 luxury hotel rooms," said Barnard.
Editorially,
BBC World News is looking to deliver more
live up-to-the minute news reporting across
a broader news agenda. It will also focus
on providing more in-depth news and debate,
plus global and regional news, business
and sports programming.
Barnard said that BBC will add more news
content across TV, video-on-demand and podcasts.
BBC
World News is planning to expand World News
Today programmes from five to seven hours
a day. BBC World News will launch a World
News Today-Business Edition later in the
month.
In
July, a new World New Today programme will
be launched which will target the Asian
evening-peak audience.
Weekends
will be focussed on delivering topical lifestyle
and documentary programming, including commissioned
programmes for broadcast.
Some
of the programmes that are in the pipeline
include Euro 2008 (June/July), Inside Olympics
(August) and the US Elections (October/November).
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