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BBC World
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the BBC radio network, see BBC World Service.
| BBC World | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Launched | 1991, as BBC World Service Television, rebranded BBC World in 1995 |
| Owned by | BBC |
| Audience share | Available in 281 million homes, in 1.3 million hotel rooms, on 48 cruise ships, 37 airlines and 29 mobile phone platforms. 76 million viewers per week (May 2007, [1]) |
| Slogan | "Putting News First" |
| Country | United Kingdom (for external consumption only) |
| Sister channel(s) | BBC News 24 |
| Website | http://www.bbcworld.com/ |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Hot Bird 6 | 12597 V / 27500 / 3/4 |
| Hot Bird 7A | 11334 H / 27500 / 2/3 & 11432 V / 27500 / 2/3 |
| Astra 1L | 11597 V / 22000 / 5/6 |
| Thor 2 | 11325 H / 24500 / 7/8 |
| SKY Italia | Channel 520 |
| Cyfra+ | Channel 104 |
| Cyfrowy Polsat | Channel 85 |
| Boom TV | Channel ? |
| Digital+ | Channel 75 |
| Bell ExpressVu | Channel 510 |
| Star Choice | Channel 501 |
| Astro Malaysia | Channel 93 |
| Tata Sky | Channel 536 |
| Dialog TV | Channel 2 |
| TrueVisions | Channel 72 |
| Astro Nusantara | Channel 32 |
| SKY Network Television | Channel 93 |
| SelecTV | Channel 5 |
| TVB Pay Vision | Channel 62 |
| SkyLife | Channel 528 |
| CanalSat | Channel 48 |
| Digiturk | Channel 122 |
| Dream | Channel 21 |
| Foxtel | Channel 606 |
| SKY Latin America | Channel 631 |
| DStv | Channel 50 |
| TV Vlaanderen Digitaal | Channel 51 |
| Cable | |
| UPC Ireland | Channel 206 |
| StarHub digital | Channel 13 |
| Rogers Cable | Channel 194 Digital (Analogue varies by region) |
| Shaw TV | Channels Vary |
| Cablevision | Channel 104 |
| now TV | Channel 320 |
| Cable TV | Channel 75 |
| Foxtel Digital | Channel 103 |
| SkyCable | Channel 29 |
| Global Destiny | Channel 43 |
| OneLink Communications (San Juan, Puerto Rico) | Channel 74 |
| TelstraClear InHomeTV | Channel 93 |
| Verizon FiOS | Channel 92 |
| CATV (50%) | various numbers |
| Foxtel Digital | Channel 606 |
| Kabel Deutschland | Channel 838 |
| RCS&RDS | Channel 53 |
| UPC | Channel 79 |
BBC World is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the biggest audience of any BBC channel. Founded in 1991 as BBC World Service Television (the name was changed in 1995), BBC World broadcasts for 24 hours with programming including BBC News bulletins, documentaries, lifestyle programmes and interviews. Its main global competitor is CNN International, though it also competes with other major news broadcasting companies. It is considered to be the most watched news channel, ahead of CNN.
The channel is transmitted by Red Bee Media from their network centre at the Broadcast Centre, part of the BBC Media Village, part of the BBC White City, in White City, west London. All news output originates from the nearby Television Centre where BBC World has a newsroom and studio separate from the rest of BBC News. This newsroom provides output from 0500-0030 British Time each weekday and from 0600-0030 each weekend. The news output from 0100-0500 is from the studio of the UK domestic channel BBC News 24.
Although the BBC World News studio produces output in 16:9 SDTV in line with the rest of BBC News, the channel is transmitted in 4:3. The news output is converted into a 14:9 frame for both digital and analogue broadcasting, resulting in black bands at the top and bottom of the screen.
BBC World was named Best International News Channel at the Association for International Broadcasting Awards in November 2006.[2]
Contents |
The channel originally launched as BBC World Service Television, though unlike BBC World Service radio which has always been government funded, the British government refused to extend the Foreign Office grant-in-aid. It was launched on March 11, 1991, after 2 weeks of real time pilots, initially as a half-hour bulletin once a day at 1900 GMT. The programme editor was Johan "John" Ramsland. The original picture editing team consisted of Bob Scholes, Peter Hodge & Mike Casey.
BBC World itself launched in 1995 with the split of BBC World Service Television into two stations: BBC Prime - an encrypted entertainment channel requiring subscription, and the free to air BBC World.
Throughout the past eleven years, the service has gone through several branding changes. From 1995 to 1997, the channel used few graphics to display the name of the channel, with the actual news studio modelled on that used for BBC News in the United Kingdom.
As part of the major relaunch of the image of the BBC including a new logo for the corporation in 1997, the channel received its first main refresh. Various fictional flags with some real were used. The idents were computer generated and developed by the Lambie-Nairn design agency.
The largest relaunch for BBC News came in 1999 with all output, both in the UK and for BBC World globally having a uniform look made up of red and cream. Music based on a style described as 'drums and beeps' was introduced, composed by David Lowe, a departure from the general orchestral versions of other news programmes.
In 2003 and 2004 a second makeover, using the same 'drums and beeps' style music but new graphics took place, although on a much smaller scale to that of 1999. The music was changed slightly while the main colour scheme became black and red, with studios using a frosted glass, white and red design for colourings. Later in 2004 the channel's slogan became Putting News First, replacing Demand a Broader View.
BBC World is most commonly watched as a FTA Channel. The channel is available free-to-air (FTA) in Italy, via digital terrestrial television, and in all parts of Europe and many parts of the world FTA via satellite. (It was also available via terrestrial FTA in Berlin from c. 2000 to March 2007). Although not officially available in the UK it is available to people who point their satellite dishes at Astra 1, Hot Bird and Thor. In most of the world, it is carried on nearly all satellite and cable platforms.
BBC World is available online through the website of Dong-a Ilbo, a Korean newspaper[3], but this stream cannot necessarily be viewed from all countries (inaccessible from the USA as of October 2007).
It is also available online through the subscription service RealPlayer Plus and online live streaming service Jalipo. In Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates it is additionally available as a subscription mobile phone service, having also been available as a terrestrial channel.
A daily version of its news bulletins are also rebroadcast on many FTA terrestrial channels like in New Zealand, where it is carried overnight on TV ONE, and in Trinidad and Tobago where it is carried overnight on TV6.
In Europe, analogue satellite broadcasting via Hot Bird 6 ceased on 18 April 2006 at midday, although its digital free-to-air signal is replicated on Hot Bird 6, Hot Bird 7A, Thor 2 and on Astra 1KR.
It is also available 24/7 in Australia on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television as well as the 3 mobile phone network. In New Zealand, it is also broadcast via satellite on SKY Network Television and via cable on TelstraClear.
In Asia, it was originally carried on STAR TV, the pan-Asian satellite television service based in Hong Kong, which was later acquired by Rupert Murdoch, but switched to PanAmSat in 1996. It is also available on Astro in Malaysia. In India it was FTA till 15 June 2006 but is now a pay channel.
BBC World has been available in Africa on DStv since late 1995, and its bulletins have also been rebroadcast on South African Broadcasting Corporation's (SABC) terrestrial channels in South Africa. In 1996, it became available in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In Canada, the channel is available on Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice satellite services, as well as on most digital cable services. Shaw Cable and Rogers Cable carry the channel as part of their analogue cable packages.[4]
BBC World is not widely available on cable/satellite services in the United States, although in 2006, Discovery Networks (which is a partner in BBC America) announced it was seeking widespread distribution for the channel. American viewers are still able to watch select BBC World bulletins on BBC America and select PBS stations. Currently BBC World is available to Verizon FiOS subscribers, whose service is available in various parts of the country, notably New York City.
The main regular presenters on the station are Lucy Hockings, Sally Bundock, Martine Dennis, David Eades, George Alagiah, Mishal Husain, Nik Gowing, Zeinab Badawi, Philippa Thomas, Matt Frei and Mike Embley. Overnight presenters include Alastair Yates, Deborah MacKenzie, Karin Giannone and Martine Croxall.
Regular relief presenters and reporters on the channel include Anya Sitaram, David Jessel, Geeta Guru-Murphy, Jonathan Charles, Kirsty Lang, Tanya Beckett, Lindsay Brancher, Lyse Doucet, Nisha Pillai and Peter Dobbie.
Business presenters include Sara Coburn, Dharshini David, Jamie Robertson, Maryam Moshiri, Aaron Heselhurst and Sally Eden.
Sport presenters on the channel include Robin Bailey, Amanda Davies, Francis Collings, Mike Bushell, Adnan Nawaz and Dominic Cotton.
The BBC has a reputation amongst many for independent and accurate reporting of news and current affairs[5]. Unlike other parts of the Corporation, BBC World is funded by commercial sponsors, which has raised questions about its ability to report impartially. However BBC World Ltd, which runs the channel, is a different company from BBC News, which supplies the bulletins.
BBC World has occasionally made mistakes, as in the incident where on the twentieth anniversary of the Bhopal disaster, 3 December 2004, BBC World was duped into broadcasting an interview with a hoaxer (later revealed to have been Andy Bichlbaum, a member of The Yes Men) claiming to be a representative of Dow Chemical Company offering a US$12,000,000,000 settlement to the 120,000 surviving victims of the Bhopal disaster.[6] Upon discovery of the hoax, the BBC's Press Office immediately put out a statement regarding what had happened and the story was dropped from subsequent BBC World News bulletins and those on the 24 hour UK news channel, BBC News 24.[7]
- Further information: List of BBC programs
BBC World is, for the most part, the same channel all over the world — except for the commercials. However, there are some regional programming variations. For example, a number of programmes are made exclusively for regional viewings, such as Indian feeds, and The Record Europe, which can only be viewed in Europe. In addition, the Asia Business Report from Singapore is only aired in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. The rest of the world sees the World Business Report (World Business Report is showed in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East, but are on at different times depending on the country.)
On most feeds of BBC World, commercials are inserted by the cable or satellite provider similar to other channels. When a cable or satellite provider does not insert commercials, the "Breakfiller" (see right) shows promotions for upcoming programmes on the channel. During BBC News, a news story that has not been promoted airs during what would be the commercial break. This is the case on the broadband versions of BBC World, and on versions of BBC World aired in the United States on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) stations. However, there are some global commercials and sponsorships which air throughout the network.
Half-hour BBC World News bulletins are made available to PBS stations in the United States through WLIW in New York City. 80 to 90% of Americans are able to receive them, though broadcast times vary between different localities, with it airing on several PBS stations in markets such as New York City and Washington, D.C..
On PBS stations, BBC World News does not appear with commercials (the breaks are replaced with news stories) but omits the Met Office international weather forecast at the end, replacing it with underwriting announcements. The PBS airings are tape-delayed on some stations.
BBC World News bulletins are also available on BBC America in the U.S., three times on weekday mornings (as part of a 3-hour block of BBC World coverage), and once on weekend mornings. Met Office forecasts are removed, but commercials are included. Another BBC World news program, BBC World News America, airs on BBC America twice each evening.
BBC World News bulletins also appear on CBC Newsworld in Canada, and Access 31 in Perth, Australia.
Travellers on the Heathrow Express rail service from London Paddington to London Heathrow Airport are also treated to a specially-recorded BBC World bulletin - introduced with a namecheck of "Welcome to BBC World News onboard the Heathrow Express" - during the fifteen minute journey. This short bulletin is updated twice a day, and is shown in both classes on LCD televisions throughout the train.
Many airlines from across the world also play pre-recorded extracts of the BBC World News, have text headlines from it or have a full bulletin available on the in-flight entertainment systems. Airlines with BBC World include Emirates Airline, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and United Airlines. Travellers can watch the bulletins on Channel 1 shortly after take-off on British Airways flights from the United Kingdom.
Since its inception, and more so since its extensive association with BBC News 24, the countdown to the hourly news bulletin has been a feature of the channel. With music composed by David Lowe, it has changed several times over the decade.
A 'ribbon-around-the-world' countdown was used starting in February 2003, when a large scale rebranding was brought out on both BBC World and BBC News 24. However, the countdowns in the latter featured some visuals of the world and the UK in the background as the countdown proceeded, while the former merely had the usual 'world-spinning' image.
A new international version of the BBC World countdown was introduced on 5 September 2005, using many clips featured in the News 24 countdown. Content featured includes reporters and technical staff working in the field while unlike that of News 24, the countdown will end in an international location rather than a view of the BBC Television Centre. A week prior to the change, the channel's well established break-filler also switched to a new musical arrangement, without a change in its visuals.
The countdown received a new musical composition on 22 January 2007 as part of a wider refresh of BBC News bulletin titles though the visuals remained the same.[8] On 11 September 2007, the break-filler underwent a major change and now more closely resembles its previous incarnations. The promotional videos now fill the entire screen and are interspersed with news and market updates, schedules, and other information. There is also no longer a unifying music composition and each promotional video has its own music. The information screens, however, do have common music.
- ^ BBC's global news audiences reach record 233m
- ^ Key Dates BBC World
- ^ Online broadcast of BBC World - Dong-a Ilbo
- ^ Rogers Channel line up
- ^ One World Media Awards - BBC Press Office
- ^ BBC Press Office release regarding the hoax - BBC Press Office
- ^ Bhopal blunder hurts BBC - The Age
- ^ Listen (798 kb Windows Media Audio)
- BBCWorld.com
- Demand BBC World site - Setup by BBC World for American Audience
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| UK channels |
BBC One (in Northern Ireland • Scotland • Wales) · BBC Two (in Northern Ireland • Scotland • Wales) · BBC Three · BBC Four · BBC News 24 · BBC Parliament · CBBC Channel · CBeebies · BBC HD · Gaelic Digital Service |
| International channels |
BBC America · BBC Canada · BBC Food · BBC Kids · BBC Prime · BBC Entertainment · BBC World · BBC Knowledge · BBC Lifestyle · BBC Arabic Television |
| Joint ventures |
Animal Planet · People+Arts · UKTV (UK and Ireland) · UK.TV (Australia and New Zealand) |
| Closed channels | |
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|---|---|
| Africa | CNBC Africa • SABC Africa • Nile TV International |
| Asia | ABS-CBN News Channel • Al Jazeera English • CNBC Asia • Channel NewsAsia • CCTV-9 • Press TV • CTV News Channel • TVBS-NEWS • CTi News • Phoenix InfoNews Channel • STAR News • SET News • Era News • Unique Business News • ETTV News • ETtoday • FTV News • NDTV 24x7 |
| Europe | BBC World • CNBC Europe • EuroNews • France 24 • Russia Today • Sky News • Deutsche Welle • SKY TG24 • TVE 24H • SIC Notícias |
| North America | Bloomberg Television • Caribbean Media Corporation • CBC Newsworld • CNBC • CNN International • Fox News Channel • VOA TV |
| Oceania | TVNZ 7 |
| South America | teleSUR • TV Chile |