BBC launches emergency lifeline radio programme for Iran

4 February 2026

BBC launches emergency lifeline radio programme for Iran

BBC World Service has launched a temporary emergency lifeline radio programme for Iran in response to the ongoing turmoil in the country, and the unprecedented crackdown on protests.

To complement the existing BBC News Persian video and digital services, the radio programme will be available on mediumwave and shortwave across Iran to increase the population’s access to news and information. To broaden its offer and availability of programming, the BBC World Service has also made some of its TV content available on mediumwave radio.

Since 8 January, the Iranian people have been subject to an internet blackout. Prior to this, BBC News Persian’s digital services saw their biggest reach in a year with their platforms reaching more than 33 million people.

The short-term programme will cover the latest news and developments in Iran and will place events inside the country within their wider regional and international context. It will feature voices from inside Iran alongside clear, informed analysis of the most recent political, social, and economic developments shaping the situation in the country.

The programme will air daily for 30 minutes across medium and shortwave frequencies from 16:30 GMT / 20:00 Iran Standard Time. The temporary programme has been granted resource from existing funds until the end of March 2026.

Fiona Crack, Interim Global Director, BBC News, says: “A key role of the BBC World Service is to step up in times of crisis to provide news and information for our audiences in greatest need. BBC News Persian reaches one in four adults in Iran, which is an astonishing feat considering their reporting is banned in the country.

“The team have been essential in telling the urgent story of the Iranian people to audiences around the world, and our new radio programme will give the Iranian people more ways to access independent and impartial news.”

Tarik Kafala, Interim Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa, says: “BBC News Persian have worked tirelessly to deliver journalism throughout this period of unrest as the demand for trusted news has soared in Iran. The teams have supplied extended TV hours in Iran and an increased offer on digital platforms for the Iranian people. They have reported for UK audiences across bulletins, live pages and on forensic journalism with BBC Verify.”

The BBC World Service has a history of launching emergency services in times of crisis. In April 2025, BBC News Burmese started providing audio and video content on a satellite channel in the aftermath of Myanmar earthquake.

In April 2024, following the fall of the Assad regime, the BBC World Service set up an enhanced audio channel on FM and mediumwave for the people of Syria. This follows the emergency radio service for Gaza in November 2024 and for Sudan in May 2023 amid conflict.

In February 2022, the BBC News Ukraine service extended TV bulletins following the invasion of the country.

Where to find the programme –

The live programme will be available at 16:30 GMT (20:00 Iran Time) on 702kHz medium wave and 9465kHz short wave

The programme will be repeated at 18:00 GMT (21:30 Iran time) on 702kHz mediumwave and 5395kHz shortwave

A visualised version of the programme will be broadcast on BBC Persian TV at 18:00 GMT (21:30 Iran time)

The AIBs 2023 – 19th global journalism and factual awards open for entry

5 April 2023

The AIBs 2023 – 19th global journalism and factual awards open for entry

Global competition inviting entries across 19 categories to showcase the world’s best journalism and factual productions across TV, radio and digital platforms

The Association for International Broadcasting has revealed the 19 categories in its 19th global competition that celebrates the world’s best journalism and factual programming.

Each year this renowned and respected competition – called the AIBs – attracts entries in many languages from all over the world. In 2022, more than 400 hours of content was submitted to the AIBs.

New for 2023 are two Presenter of the Year awards – one for TV, the other for radio (or their digital equivalents). There is also a new category rewarding the most innovative docudrama.

“The AIBs are immensely popular in the global media industry,” comments Simon Spanswick, AIB chief executive. “We are looking forward to seeing the extraordinary range of stories that are told around the world, helping journalists and programme makers to showcase their work on the global stage. We are privileged that so much remarkable work is entrusted to the AIBs each year and we look forward to celebrating success in our 19^th contest.”

The 19 categories in the AIBs 2023 are:

TV/VIDEO/DIGITAL

PRESENTER of the YEAR
DOCUDRAMA
SHORT FEATURE
NATURAL HISTORY
SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY
SPECIALIST FACTUAL
SPORTS JOURNALISM
HUMAN INTEREST
NEWS COVERAGE
POLITICS and BUSINESS
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS DOCUMENTARY
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DOCUMENTARY
INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY

RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST

PRESENTER of the YEAR
DOCUDRAMA
SPECIALIST FACTUAL
HUMAN INTEREST
NEWS COVERAGE
INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY

The competition is open for entry until 30 June 2023. Full information on all the categories, including what the international panel of judges will be looking for, is online at http://theaibs.tv.

The awards will be presented at the annual AIBs gala evening taking place this year on 10 November at Church House Westminster in the heart of London. The event attracts guests from all over the world who travel to London to meet colleagues, exchange ideas and to discover if they have won one of the coveted AIBs. Highlights of the 2022 event can be seen at https://vimeo.com/792992840/214dea2fb8.

The AIBs are run by the not-for-profit Association for International Broadcasting, the industry body for the international broadcasting and media industry.

Final few days to enter the AIBs 2020

17 July 2020

Final few days to enter the AIBs 2020

We are into the final seven days to enter the AIBs – the annual international competition for journalism and factual productions.

The AIBs cover TV, radio and digital platforms and are open to work in any language.

There are 20 categories in this year’s competition, ranging from daily journalism to investigative documentary, natural world to human interest, science to politics.

We recognise that the past few months have been challenging for everyone, and that’s why we only launched the AIBs after discussions with a wide range of producers and journalists. Everyone we spoke with agreed that despite the global pandemic, recognising the work of teams and individuals across the world involved in factual story telling remains important.

The closing date is fast approaching – Friday 24 July – so do not delay in getting your entries together to join colleagues from Singapore, Qatar, the UK, the US, Hong Kong, Germany, Belgium, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Australia and Japan who have already submitted their work for our international panel of judges to consider.

Full information about this year’s AIBs is on our special website at http://theaibs.tv, and you can see the full entry book in page-turning format at https://theaibs.tv/AIBs-2020/Entry-book/index.html.

The AIB team is also available to answer any questions that you may have and to help solve any problems you encounter in entering your work. Full contact information appears below.

We look forward to seeing your work and that of your colleagues showcased to the world in this year’s AIBs.

Good luck!

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World .Radio Advisory Board meets as Pioneers Programme accelerates

5 July 2017

The second World .Radio Advisory Board meeting was held in Geneva on 4 July 2017 at the headquarters of the EBU. This Board, chaired by AIB Chief Executive Simon Spanswick, steers the development of the new .radio top level domain and resolves issues surrounding name allocations in the new TLD.

At present, the .radio TLD is being offered through the Pioneers Programme. This allows companies that have a serious interest in using – and promoting – the new .radio extension to gain exposure globally. The Association for International Broadcasting is a pioneer, providing a special web site for its annual awards – the AIBs – at www.theaibs.radio. Companies interested in becoming a .radio pioneer and having use of a .radio domain in advance of the opening of registration requests can contact the AIB for more information.

In August, “sunrise” registrations will be opened, with general availability from 15 November 2017.

“The .radio top level domain will allow every organisation with radio operations, or companies and individuals with close links to radio, to demonstrate their involvement in the radio industry,” commented Simon Spanswick, WRAB President and Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “This is the first community domain in the world, and it’s great that the radio industry is able to lead this new global domain initiative.”

Pictured above, from left: WRAB Members at the Geneva meeting – Giacomo Mazzone (EBU); Simon Spanswick (AIB); Olya Booyar (ABU); Graham Dixon (EBU); Alain Artero (EBU)

AIB confirms support of .radio TLD

31 January 2017

The Association for International Broadcasting has confirmed its commitment to supporting the .radio top level domain at the Salon de la Radio in Paris. The new .radio top level domain is a community-based domain that the AIB has supported throughout the application process, along with other broadcasting unions. ICANN granted the .radio domain last year, with the EBU as the principal organiser.

The first World .Radio Advisory Board meeting took place in Paris on 30 January where a range of issues concerning the launch of the top level domain were discussed. At the meeting, the President and Vice-Presidents of the Advisory Board were elected.

The AIB’s chief executive, Simon Spanswick, was elected President (centre in picture above); Nawaaz Doohkee, Head of Legal Affairs at the ABU (third from right) and Vincent Sneed, Director of Regulatory Affairs at the AER (third from left) were elected Vice Presidents.

“It is a great honour to be elected to lead the work of the World .Radio Advisory Board,” commented Simon Spanswick. “Along with my colleagues from other broadcasting unions and associations, we will be working to make the .radio top level domain a tremendous success across the radio industry. There has already been interest from broadcasters and from other organisations involved in the ever growing radio industry in making effective and creative use of this new top level domain. In the coming months as we move closer to the opening of registrations, we will be working to ensure that everyone involved in radio around the world has the opportunity to harness the power of .radio addresses on the Internet.”

For more information on the .radio top level domain, visit register.radio.