BBC relaunches global apps

BBC relaunches global apps

BBC relaunches global apps

Redesigned website and app offer a new contemporary look and more BBC content for digital audiences outside of the UK, alongside enhanced advertising capabilities.

BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC, and BBC News has announced the global launch of the all-new BBC.com and BBC app, transforming the way digital audiences read, watch, and find the BBC’s renowned journalism and storytelling outside of the UK. Available to users worldwide, the new website and app boast an updated design and navigation along with more of the trusted, impartial journalism that consumers rely on the BBC for across the world. The new BBC.com and BBC app also allow for a more premium and sustainable commercial offering with ad tech enhancements that unlock new opportunities for advertisers.

The BBC app, which replaces the International BBC News app, brings together content from across the BBC, for the first time ever. The app mirrors the refreshed BBC.com experience, offering stories and videos across Business, Innovation, Culture, Travel, Earth and more, alongside News, Sport, and live coverage. The BBC app is available for download today in the App Store for Apple users and for Android devices via Google Play.

Tara Maitra, Chief Commercial Officer, BBC Global Media & Streaming, BBC Studios, said: “We are excited to bring the new website and brand-new BBC app to audiences and partners around the globe, following a successful first introduction to consumers in North America,” said “These new digital products deliver an experience as premium as our news and storytelling and offers us the opportunity for future growth as we remain focused on finding new and innovative ways to make BBC content more easily accessible across the globe.”

Naja Nielsen, Digital Director for BBC News, said: “We know there is huge appetite for impartial BBC News journalism as we report – without an agenda – on the burning issues of our time. Thanks to our independent journalism, the BBC is the world’s most trusted international news media organisation, reaching more than 400 million people each week. As we expand and develop our global digital newsroom, I am thrilled our new global app and website will provide an excellent experience and much better showcase our world-beating journalism”.

BBC.com, which re-launched in North America last December, and the BBC app allow users to engage with the BBC’s content in a more cohesive experience. Some of the changes to the website and app include:

  • New Homepage: The new BBC.com homepage and home screen now include a mix of the biggest global news stories of the moment plus a selection of timely and relevant features, curated by BBC editors.
  • New Look, Same Trusted News: Visitors looking to dig deeper into what’s happening around the globe can navigate to News to find articles, videos, and live coverage. Those looking for news from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East can find it in the World section under News.
  • New Sections: BBC’s arts and entertainment coverage in Culture, technology, health and science in Innovation, and sustainability and environment in Earth. Sport, Business and Travel continue to offer agenda-setting stories from around the world, as well as the thought-provoking features readers have come to love from the BBC.
  • More BBC Videos: New Video section offers an extensive library of BBC videos and multimedia storytelling featuring content ranging from news and sport updates to captivating stories on climate, sustainability, science, health, entertainment, and history.
  • More Live Coverage: New Live section makes it easier to find live news updates and live global sport coverage as they unfold.
  • Up-to-the-Minute Breaking News Alerts: Audiences can sign up to receive the same breaking news notifications they always have.
  • The BBC Direct to your Inbox: Discover our newsletters, including The News Briefing, US Election Unspun, Tech Decoded, Future Earth, The Essential List and the brand-new In History

The new website and app, together, create a streamlined digital ecosystem that makes it easier than ever for audiences worldwide to discover a wider array of BBC content. The consistent, unified layout across web and app results not only in an improved user experience, but the unified, single product suite also allows for more opportunities and flexibility for advertising and sponsorship across both web and app.

Advertising partners can now take advantage of more premium high impact ad units that live seamlessly alongside the BBC’s content, making for a more effective consumer journey. Marketers will also benefit from advanced targeting capabilities featuring more sophisticated audience intelligence, segmentation, and attribution that connects campaigns across web and app products, delivering enhanced measurable results for partners.

These new digital platforms and features, coupled with research that shows advertising within news can drive business results, together bolster the opportunity for marketers to reach the coveted BBC.com audience of engaged and informed news consumers. In fact, according to the IAB1, advertising in news creates a halo effect, with consumers more likely to consider making a purchase after being exposed to a brand’s advertisement within their preferred news sources. Findings show that 90% of consumers have either a positive or neutral response to brands that advertise within news, while nearly half of consumers find brands that advertise in the news to be more customer-focused and engaging, more innovative, and relevant to them. The study from the IAB reinforces internal findings into the aggregated performance of advertising on BBC.com, which show an 80%+ average lift in likelihood to recommend and consideration across key categories.2

BBC.com and the BBC app are the latest step in the company’s ongoing digital transformation, and is supported by its investment in North America, which includes an expanded newsroom that facilitates deeper analysis and local expertise of the regional stories affecting the world. Recently, the company also launched the BBC News FAST channel in the U.S. across leading services, more than doubling the channel’s reach in the region. Ranked as the most trusted news broadcaster in the world, the BBC is driven by its public service mission and editorial guidelines and standards for which the organization is known.

The development and operation of BBC.com and the BBC app is driven by BBC Studios Global Media & Streaming division, which leverages the power of the BBC to reach and engage audiences worldwide. GM&S is responsible for the distribution and advertising of BBC News globally outside of the U.K. GM&S is a division of BBC Studios, the BBC Group’s commercial arm that helps to fund innovation, internationally recognized programming, and the organization’s public service mission.

 

 

 

UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran reports on the threats faced by BBC News Persian journalists and their family members

UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran reports on the threats faced by BBC News Persian journalists and their family members

UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran reports on the threats faced by BBC News Persian journalists and their family members

The report published today by the UN Human Rights Council’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran raises concern that the Iranian authorities “harassed, threatened and intimidated journalists and other media employees working outside the country”, including those working at BBC News Persian, and for including BBC News Persian on a list of sanctioned organisations.

The Fact-Finding Mission was set up by the UN Human Rights Council on 24 November 2022, to investigate “the deteriorating situation of human rights in Iran, especially with respect to women and children” and human-rights violations in Iran related to the protests that began on 16 September 2022. The BBC World Service filed a submission highlighting Iran’s harassment of BBC News Persian journalists and their families in Iran and has been engaging with the UN Fact-Finding Mission in relation to its mandate. 

Focusing on Iran’s treatment of journalists working for Persian-language media outside Iran, the report says: 

“The mission has further established that the State authorities harassed, threatened and intimidated journalists and other media employees working outside the country, including those working at the BBC Persian service, Iran International television, Voice of America, IranWire and Deutsche Welle. The Iranian authorities summoned, threatened and in some cases arrested, detained and charged the family members of those journalists and media workers in an apparent effort to exert pressure on them and prevent them from reporting on the country. On 19 October 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sanctioned the BBC Persian service and Iran International television, and imposed asset freezes on their staff. Journalists also received serious threats, including to their lives and personal safety, leading to the involvement of the police in some countries. Journalists, in particular women journalists, faced heightened online vilification, harassment and attacks.” 

Recently the BBC became aware, through the publication of leaked documents, that a number of current and former BBC News Persian journalists have reportedly been secretly convicted in absentia in Iran of the crime of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic”.  

This has obvious, significant implications for these individuals, and earlier today, BBC Director-General, Tim Davie, said: 

“These developments add a new, even more sinister dimension to the threats and harassment our BBC Persian journalists have been exposed to for decades as punishment for doing their job. Instead of taking heed of the repeated calls from the UN and other international organisations to stop the horrendous multi-faceted harassment of Persian-language journalists, the Iranian authorities have been devising even more means of persecution using the Iranian judiciary. The Iranian authorities must stop harassing our journalists and their families.”

Since 2017, the BBC World Service has filed a number of UN complaints over the treatment of BBC News Persian staff and their families, represented by Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC and Jennifer Robinson at Doughty Street Chambers, and supported by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ General Secretary, said: 

“Iran’s all-out war on Iranian journalists abroad is a cowardly attempt to hide the truth by silencing its conveyors. For more than a decade, NUJ members and their families have been subjected to increasingly more harassment and threats, be it by Iranian authorities abusing legal system of the country or even by hiring criminals to directly target journalists on UK soil. This must be stopped now.  Every country and international organisation that believes in democracy or the rule of law needs to call Iran out. Failure to confront the Islamic Republic of Iran would be a green light to other authoritarian regimes to follow suit.”

Counsel for the BBC News Persian service, Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC and Jennifer Robinson, said:

“Iran has long attempted to silence journalists within its borders, but as the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran makes clear, Iran is now resorting to ever more extreme measures to try to silence journalists reporting on Iran, wherever in the world they may be. These drastic and dangerous tactics come at a time when independent reporting about Iran is needed more than ever – and particularly after the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini. The UN Fact-Finding Mission has today acknowledged and highlighted the harassment that BBC News Persian journalists face simply for doing their jobs. Journalism is not a crime, and Iran must be held to account for treating it as one.”

In a recent survey conducted internally among the BBC News Persian staff, half of the respondents said they had received online threats or been harassed online for working for the BBC. The work of the BBC journalists continues to cause harassment of their families or friends, with over 60% of the respondents having been harassed, threatened or questioned in Iran.  Nearly 70% said that they hadn’t been able to say goodbye to one or both their parents before they passed away in Iran. 

BBC staff launch new company to serve audiences with BBC Indian language services

BBC staff launch new company to serve audiences with BBC Indian language services

BBC staff launch new company to serve audiences with BBC Indian language services

Four BBC staff members have announced plans to leave the organisation and form a new entity in India which will provide audiences with a breadth of services across India, as commissioned by the BBC.

The establishment of Collective Newsroom Private Limited ensures the BBC and Collective Newsroom can meet their shared commitment to Indian audiences and cover stories on India that matter to global audiences. It is in compliance with the Indian Foreign Direct Investment law.

Collective Newsroom has been established as an Indian company, wholly owned by Indian citizens, with four existing staff members leaving the BBC to lead Collective Newsroom. These senior leaders have a wealth of editorial and programme-making experience. The BBC will commission Collective Newsroom to produce its six Indian language services as well as Indian digital output and Indian YouTube channel in English for audiences globally.

The BBC has a long-held and deep-rooted place in India’s media landscape, having first launched the Hindi language service in 1940. Since then it has developed a range of BBC output, expanding the number of Indian language services and growing audience figures from decade-to-decade with its agenda-setting and high impact journalism.

Rupa Jha, Senior News Editor, BBC India, and founding shareholder of Collective Newsroom, says: “Audiences in India can be assured that the BBC’s Indian language services and unique range of quality output will inform, educate and entertain audiences across our diverse and highly engaged country under the agreement between the BBC and Collective Newsroom. We launch Collective Newsroom with big ambitions for audiences in India and beyond.”

Jonathan Munro, Deputy CEO, BBC News says: “The BBC’s presence in India is steeped in a rich history that has always put audiences first, so we warmly welcome the formation of Collective Newsroom which continues that progression. The BBC will get first class content from Collective Newsroom that will be rooted in India and in line with the editorial standards audiences expect from the BBC. We look forward to working with them.”

Liliane Landor, Senior Controller, BBC News International Services, says: “Two of the BBC’s critical strengths are its truly global output for audiences and our reputation as a trusted source of news. We are deeply committed to excellence in journalism for and from India, and this agreement ensures the continued production of independent, international and impartial journalism that the BBC News brand is renowned for in India and around the world.”

Activity for BBC Monitoring and the BBC’s English language newsgathering operation for global output will remain with the BBC.

  • The four staff members leaving the BBC to lead Collective Newsroom are; Rupa Jha, Mukesh Sharma, Sanjoy Majumder and Sara Hassan
  • The BBC provides content in six Indian languages (BBC News Hindi, BBC News Marathi, BBC News Gujarati, BBC News Punjabi, BBC News Tamil, BBC News Telugu) as well as in English, to 82 million people around the country on average each week
  • BBC News Hindi is the BBC’s language service with the largest audience and in 2023, across all platforms, its weekly reach figure grew 27% year-on-year
  • The BBC World Service reaches 318 million people on average every week globally and operates 42 different language services

​Earlier in 2023 it looked as if a number of international TV news channels broadcast in India would have to close after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced a significant increase in the “net worth” of Indian companies holding downlink licences on behalf of global channels. After lobbying, this move was rescinded allowing the small-scale local licence holders to continue operating on behalf of international channels. 

Winners of the AIBs 2023 revealed

Winners of the AIBs 2023 revealed

Winners of the AIBs 2023 revealed

Clive Myrie and Nicky Woolf acclaimed presenters of the year

20 winners of 19th annual international AIBs celebrating journalism and factual productions revealed in London

The winners of the 19th annual AIBs have been revealed at a glittering awards dinner in London. The AIBs reward the best international journalism and factual productions across TV, radio, and digital platforms. Over 400 hours of content were submitted to the 2023 competition and 50 judges around the world evaluated the shortlist.

Guests from countries as diverse as South Korea, Norway, Canada, Germany, South Africa, the UAE, Taiwan, France, and the UK joined the celebration at Church House Westminster, right alongside Westminster Abbey. The evening’s host was veteran journalist and news anchor Simon McCoy.

Opening the evening, AIB chief executive Simon Spanswick said: “this competition is needed more than ever, as we face a world in increasing chaos and danger. In many areas, that chaos and danger threaten media freedom and the ability of journalists to hold power to account.

“That’s why journalists and producers need to shout about their work and remind everyone about the importance of journalism and the need to bring stories to global audiences.”

Guests at the awards night saw and heard clips from all the shortlisted entries. Many said that the range of journalism was so wide and absorbing that they want to watch and listen to all the programmes in full.

Collecting the award for the Specialist Factual TV/Video category was Sir Michael Palin, who was rewarded for his programme Michael Palin: Into Iraq.

Commenting on the AIBs awards night, Sir Michael said: “I’m interested in news, and I’m interested in how people report on different places. What struck me tonight is the very difficult areas which these people have gone into, to reveal what’s really going on.”

Across the 20 categories there were commendations from the judges, and an overall winner.

See the Winners’ and Finalist Book here.

NEWS COVERAGE 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner – The War in Ukraine – BBC News

Highly commended – Afghanistan after the Taliban – BBC News 

NEWS COVERAGE 

RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST  

Winner – Partygate: The Inside Story – ITV News 

Highly commended – The Death and Funeral of HM The Queen – BBC News Content for BBC News 

SHORT FEATURE 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner Hell on Earth: Darién Gap – The Deadly Migrant Route – ITN Productions for Channel 4 (Channel 4 News)  

Highly commended – We CRASHED a BMW S1000 RR Superbike while filming with LEGEND Troy Corser – Deutsche Welle – DW 

Highly commended – Eco-Warriors of Africa – VOA 

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner – Eternal Spring (長春) – Lofty Sky Entertainment 

Highly commended – Murder in the Pacific – An Oxford Scientific Films production for BBC 

SPORTS JOURNALISM 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner Fault Lines: Blood Sport – Al Jazeera English 

SPECIALIST FACTUAL 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner Michael Palin: Into Iraq – ITN Productions for Channel 5 

 

 

 

 

 

Highly commended – The East End Through Time with Jay Blades – Hungry Jay Media for Channel 5 

Highly commended – Spike Milligan: The Unseen Archive – Yeti Television 

SPECIALIST FACTUAL

RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST 

Winner Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On – BBC Long Form Audio 

Highly commended – Finding Samantha – RTÉ 

Highly commended – First Eat with Nakkiah Lui – Pipi Films for Audible Australia  

INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner The Monkey Haters – BBC Eye / BBC World Service 

Highly commended – Wayne Couzens: Killer in Plain Sight – Flicker Productions for Channel 5 

INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY  

RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST 

Winner The Shamima Begum Story – BBC News Long Form Audio  

Highly commended – The Sound: Mystery of Havana Syndrome – Project Brazen / Goat Rodeo 

HUMAN INTEREST 

RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST 

Winner Love, Janessa – BBC World Service and CBC Podcasts by Antica Productions and Telltale Industries 

Highly Commended – This Coal Life – Radio Workshop NPC 

HUMAN INTEREST 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner Lyra – Erica Starling Productions for Channel 4  

Highly Commended – Murder in Mayfair – BBC Arabic, BBC Current Affairs 

Highly Commended – Nazanin – 649 Media for Channel 4 

SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY 

TV/VIDEO  

Winner Under Poisoned Skies – BBC News Arabic 

Highly Commended – TechXplore Japan – Electric Eel Studios for BBC World Service 

Highly commended – We Can Do Hard Things – Very! for CNA, Mediacorp Pte Ltd 

NATURAL HISTORY 

TV/VIDEO 

WinnerNingaloo Nyinggulu – Artemis Media in Association with Matter of Factual for ABC and Love Nature  

Highly Commended – 101 East: Mining the Pacific – Al Jazeera English 

Highly Commended – Australia’s Wild Odyssey – Wild Pacific Media for Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Arte France 

POLITICS and BUSINESS 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner India: The Modi Question – BBC Current Affairs 

Highly commended – The Labour Files – Al Jazeera I-Unit 

Highly commended – Sudan and the Long reach of Russia’s Ukraine War – CNN Worldwide 

DOCUDRAMA 

RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST 

WinnerBefore-After: Anna Lindh 2003 – Swedish Radio Drama 

DOCUDRAMA 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner The Confession – ITN Productions for Amazon Prime Video  

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS  

DOCUMENTARY 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner Panorama: Mariupol – The People’s Story – Top Hat Productions/Hayloft Productions 

Highly Commended – Our World – I Call Him by His Name – International Current Affairs, BBC 

Highly Commended – The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper – The Trek: A Migrant Trail to America – CNN Worldwide 

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
DOCUMENTARY 

TV/VIDEO 

WinnerSaudi Arabia Wields Cinema as a Tool of Soft Power – France 24 and Nicolas Bertrand 

Highly Commended – Kenya – Fighting for Water | Off The Grid – TRT WORLD 

PRESENTER of the YEAR 

RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST 

Winner – Nicky Wool

PRESENTER of the YEAR 

TV/VIDEO 

Winner – Clive Myrie 

The 2024 AIBs – the 20th that the Association for International Broadcasting will stage – are set to open for entry in April, with the awards event in London, shortly after the US Presidential Elections.

BBC Studios appoints SVP Scripted and SVP Factual for EMEA

BBC Studios appoints SVP Scripted and SVP Factual for EMEA

BBC Studios appoints SVP Scripted and SVP Factual for EMEA

Ahead of Mipcom 2023, BBC Studios have announced that Chris Kinsman and Rebecca Ransley have been promoted to the newly created roles of Senior Vice President Factual and Senior Vice President Scripted for BBC Studios’ Content Sales Markets EMEA.

 Based in London and reporting to Nick Percy, President of Global Markets, Chris and Rebecca will lead the teams responsible for co-production and finished tape sales across all EMEA markets, setting the sales strategy and directing co-production and content financing opportunities for their respective genres. Chris and Rebecca will work closely with BBC Studios’ content sales leads across Global Markets and North America, as well as with BBC Studios Production leadership.

Nick Percy, President, Global Markets said, “Both Chris and Rebecca bring a wealth of experience and expertise to their new roles which have been created to reflect the evolving needs of our business. With these promotions I am delighted to be able to recognise the quality of their leadership and the strength and expertise of our sales teams.”

Chris Kinsman, SVP Factual, Content Sales Markets EMEA said, “For a number of years Rebecca and I have worked alongside each other, so we’re delighted to be jointly leading the integrated EMEA sales team with these new roles and we’re looking forward to unlocking further opportunities for our world class factual and scripted programming.”

Rebecca Ransley, SVP Scripted, Content Sales Markets EMEA said, “With BBC Studios’ ambitious growth plans and growing pipeline it’s the perfect time to have refreshed our team structure in line with the company’s objectives allowing closer and richer conversations with our partners.”

Chris has spent almost twenty years nurturing key strategic relationships for the EMEA region at BBC Studios. Having worked across sales and co-productions in France and content sales in Italy and Iberia, Chris then went on to lead the Western Europe Content Sales team for Factual. Over the course of his time at BBC Studios, Chris has led commercial partnerships across key EMEA markets for Factual, overseen the negotiations and delivered multiple co-productions for key BBC Studios’ content and fostered long lasting partnerships.

With over a decade of experience within roles at BBC Studios, Rebecca has managed sales teams across multiple EMEA markets working with both local and global partners. Over recent years she has worked closely on BBC Studios’ scripted output and its sales strategy across EMEA, ensuring a natural progression into her new role. Prior to her time at BBC Studios, Rebecca held a variety of commercial and production roles at the BBC including at BBC Panorama.

BBC Studios recently announced that it will be heading to Mipcom with a standout slate packed with distinct, high-quality programming, including Mammals, The Famous Five, Truelove, Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution and The Unique Boutique.

Bespoke events include a fireside chat with CEOs for Global Distribution and Productions, Rebecca Glashow and Ralph Lee, and live play-along game of primetime entertainment format, The 1% Club.

BBC Studios will be located at P0.E1 within the Palais des Festivals Verrière section at the market.

[Source: BBC press release]