Tag: BBC World News

Pak cable ops switch off BBC World News

NEW DELHI: Pakistani cable television operators have begun blocking the BBC‘s international news TV channel, BBC World News, reportedly in response to a documentary broadcast by the channel entitled Secret Pakistan.

Other foreign channels broadcasting “anti-Pakistan” material have been warned that they too will be blocked.

The BBC said it was deeply concerned by the move, and called for its channel to be speedily reinstated.

“We condemn any action that threatens our editorial independence and prevents audiences from accessing our impartial international news service,” a BBC spokesperson said. “We would urge that BBC World News… to be reinstated as soon as possible.”

The two-part BBC documentary questioned the country‘s commitment to tackling Taliban militancy. It argued that some in Pakistan were playing a double game, and quoted US intelligence officials as saying that they had acted as America‘s ally in public while secretly training and arming the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Correspondents say the Pakistani government is likely to have put pressure on the operators to impose the ban, although Pakistan has denied this. The country‘s High Commission in London said the cable operators had taken the decision to block BBC World News on their own.

“The government of Pakistan strictly believes in the freedom of press and media,” said a statement from the High Commission.

The decision to block BBC World News and the warning to other international news channels came after a media uproar in Pakistan over a NATO air strike that killed 24 Pakistani troops near the Afghan border over the weekend.

The operators called on the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) “to revoke the landing rights of foreign channels” if they were found to be “propagating” information harmful to the country.

Correspondents say it is not possible to see BBC World News in most Pakistani cities, with the ban expected to be extended to rural areas too.

Cable Operators Association spokesman Khalid Arain said that no anti-Pakistan foreign channel would “ever” be broadcast in the country. He said BBC World News would only be put back on air if the corporation offered assurances that it would not broadcast anything “against Pakistan”.

December 1, 2011
BBC World News appoints Nidhi Dutt for India Business Report

MUMBAI: BBC World News has appointed Nidhi Dutt as presenter of India Business Report, the half-hour weekly programme which airs every Sunday at 11 am and 10 pm.

Prior to BBC, Dutt was with the Australia Network, where she covered events in India and across South Asia for ABC Television as well as on radio and online.

India Business Report examines the business landscape across India. It has, in the last few years, presented the varied facets of the Indian economy to audiences not just in South Asia but across the world. The programme talks to the entrepreneurs transforming the economy, the business leaders behind India’s surge onto the international scene and the small businesses that are set to make their mark in the years ahead.

Commenting on the appointment, BBC World News editor business programmes Peter Eustace says, “India is already a major player in the global economic landscape, so India Business Report is a key programme for us. With the country forecast to become the world’s third largest economy by 2040, it will only grow in importance. Nidhi has the experience and expertise to illuminate this dynamic and expanding market for global audiences.”

Dutt has also worked at Thomson Reuters, as well as with the English news channel Times Now.

August 11, 2010
BBC World News launches ‘The Hub with Nik Gowing’

MUMBAI: BBC World News has launched The Hub with Nik Gowing, a news programme aimed primarily at audiences in South Asia as part of a new look and schedule that that the channel kicked off on 1 February 2010.

The programme is part of a suite of changes to both weekday and weekend schedules, with the introduction of six tailored news broadcasts.

The half-hour show airs from Monday to Friday at 9.30 pm and serves as a news ‘nerve centre’ for South Asia, providing both the headlines, and detailed analysis of the global news agenda. Gowing’s experience as the longest serving presenter on BBC World News, his trademark rigorous interview technique, and his unrivalled political and diplomatic contacts, will give local viewers a unique insight into the top stories of the day. The Hub will take audiences live to the scene of breaking news for the latest developments, and every edition will offer a summary of the key world stories for viewers in South Asia, and the Middle East.

World News Today with Zeinab Badawi, Business Edition with Tanya Beckett, Impact Asia with Mishal Husain and GMT with George Alagiah have all kicked off as part of the refreshed channel output.

The programmes will be supported by new on-air graphic packages and will broadcast from BBC World News’ redesigned studio based in London. And in addition to the news programmes airing on TV, viewers can interact with the presenters via a dedicated facebook page, programme pages on bbc.com/news, on Twitter, via the BBC’s Global Minds community, and other social media platforms.

A new programme aimed at a global audience, to be fronted by Lyse Doucet, is also in development and will join the line-up in February.

Changes to the weekend line-up : BBC World News’ new weekend schedule begins on Friday evenings (Asia evening peak) with a refreshed mixture of topical documentary, current affairs, lifestyle and travel programmes. Introducing the weekend line up from 5 February is Weekend World, a new weekly interactive show, presented by Paddy O’Connell.

Highlights airing in the February weekend schedule include:This World: Gypsy Child Thieves (four part weekly series from 20 February), Alvin Hall’s Guide to Good Business (eight part weekly series from 6 February), Saudi Goes to Market (two part weekly series from 6 February) plus episodes of premier discussion forums The World Debate and Doha Debate. Flagship travel programme fast:track, technology show Click and Talking Movies will also air during the weekend.

For the first time, bite-size four minute editions of these flagship programmes will air during the week to keep viewers regularly entertained and updated on their favourite subjects. Over both the week and weekend schedule, the channel will also ensure the prevalence of news by broadcasting bulletins at the top of each hour.

BBC World News editorial director Richard Porter says, “The channel changes represent the next stage of our editorial development at BBC World News. We’re reacting to our audiences’ have requested from us – they’ve expressed a real desire for news programmes relevant to their regions, bringing the strengths of our presenters to the fore. By realigning our weekday and weekend schedules, we can provide viewers with accessible and wide-ranging content that suits the way they want to watch us.”

February 3, 2010
BBC World News launches ‘The Yearbook’; gets Chivas Regal as title sponsor

MUMBAI: BBC World News has launched a new series of vignettes called The Yearbook and has whisky brand Chivas Regal as the title sponsor.

The Yearbook series follows the stories of six real life school friends from Singapore, whose lives have taken different and interesting routes since they left school.

Each one-minute vignette takes up the story of a different individual, while showing how the friends have maintained their relationships together since they graduated.

Apart from sponsoring the event, Chivas Regal will also be taking a supporting advertising campaign online on bbc.com from January 2010.

TheYearbook vignettes will run in BBC World News Asia Pacific feed from this week until the end of March. Advertising for the brand will also appear on BBC Knowledge.

Says BBC advertising sales regional director Cindy Tan, “We’re happy that Chivas Regal has chosen to sponsor the Yearbook vignettes and to advertise with us. It’s a real vindication of our strength in the Asia Pacific region and the way our multi-platform offering helps advertisers to reach a high quality audience. We have a compelling offering for luxury advertisers, and particularly strong evidence that such brands thrive in the environment of bbc.com.”

Adds Chivas Regal VP – marketing Xavier Beysecker, “BBC World News has a strong and broad distribution in Asia, and its reach amongst our key audiences makes it perfect for us. The fact that we can extend our campaign across a range of channels, including bbc.com. Also, this means we are communicating across multiple touch-points. The Yearbook series matches the values of our ‘Live with Chivalry’ campaign perfectly, and we’re looking forward to seeing it on air.”

December 22, 2009
BBC Worldwide Channels signs new distribution agreement for BBC World news with KT Corp

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide Channels has announced a new agreement to distribute BBC World News on Qook TV, KT Corp’s brand. The feed will go live from tomorrow for its residential services, such as landline telephony, internet and IPTV, in South Korea.

With the addition of World News, Qook TV’s viewers will be able to get the latest world news including current affairs programmes specifically targetted at the Asian market like Asia Business Report. Available on channel 353 on Qook TV, World News will be reaching an additional 350,000 subscribers in South Korea.

BBC Worldwide Channels Asia GM, senior VP Mark Whitehead says, “BBC World News is carried on all major cable and satellite platforms in South Korea. The addition of Qook TV is our first foray into the IPTV platform in Korea, and a reflection of our commitment to maintaining and expanding the availability of BBC World News on new technology platforms such as IPTV in the country.

KT Corp senior VP for the Media Group Jong-Ryul Suh says, “KT Corp is proud to be representing such a popular and respected international news channel as BBC World News. Qook TV will continue to provide the variety of channels that our audience really want.”

September 16, 2009
BBC World News to host ‘Spirit of Golf’ tournament in New Delhi

MUMBAI: BBC World News is set to host the Spirit of Golf 2009 tournament, to be held on 24 January at the Jaypee Green grounds, New Delhi.

BBC World News is hosting the event in association with the Ministry of Tourism, India. Participants will include corporate leaders and top bureaucrats.

BBC Worldwide director advertising sales Jonathan Howlett says, “It’s wonderful to be returning to New Delhi for the 2009 Spirit of Golf tournament, and it’s equally great to be continuing our long standing association with the Ministry of Tourism, as well as many returning sponsors. The tournament has become a highlight of our calendar, especially with the great facilities here in India.”

While wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon is an associate sponsor for Spirit of Golf 2009, the prizes for the tournament have been sponsored by HP, RBS, Visit London, Thistle & Guoman, Virgin Atlantic, Sri Lanka Tourism and Volkswagen.

Ministry of Tourism joint secretary Leena Nandan says, “People from across the globe have been taken with Indian art, culture and heritage; however, India has a contemporary side to it as well, and our golf infrastructure is a manifestation of that. With this in mind, we are delighted to be associated with the BBC World News Spirit of Golf tournament in 2009.”

January 21, 2009
BBC World News to air Intelligence Squared debates

MUMBAI: BBC World News is set to launch Intelligence Squared, a series of topical debates, taking place in London and New York, which are set to stimulate and challenge the channel’s audience across the world.

Intelligence Squared is an established debate forum founded in the UK six years ago. It attracts many speakers and includes audience participation and a vote on the outcome.

The first debate’s motion is ‘George W Bush is the worst American president of the last fifty years.’

The channel will telecast the debate from 10 January and speakers include Bush’s former deputy chief of staff Karl Rove; The Weekly Standard editor William Kristol; The Bush Tragedy author Jacob Weisberg; and British journalist Simon Jenkins.

This will be followed in February with a debate from London, with the motion ‘The United Nations is terminally paralysed: the democratic world needs a forum of its own.’ In March the motion will be ‘Major carbon reductions are not worth the money.’

The debates will be chaired by BBC World News presenter Zeinab Badawi in London and ABC News’ John Donvan in New York.

BBC World News commissioning editor Mary Wilkinson says, “We are excited about broadcasting the Intelligence Squared debates to the BBC World News audience. Combining current and provocative issues with high-profile panellists, we are confident the series will appeal to the channel’s 78 million weekly viewers around the globe.”

Intelligence Squared, which broadcasts on radio in the US, is an initiative of the Rosenkranz foundation. Chairman Robert Rosenkranz says, “The BBC World News series will engage a global television audience in the same high level discourse that radio listeners in the US have so appreciated.”

The US debates are produced by Dana Wolfe, a former producer at ABC News Nightline.

January 6, 2009
BBC World News to air special show to assess global financial crisis

MUMBAI: BBC World News is airing a show Financial Crisis: Global Impact. The two-hour long show will be aired from 20-24 October.

The show will include exclusive reports from five BBC World News presenters from five different cities across the world including Mumbai.

The presenters include Nik Gowing (Mumbai), Mishal Husain (Singapore), Jonathan Charles (Moscow), Matt Frei (Washington) and Stephen Sackur (London) who will outline how the financial crisis has affected economies and markets in each region.

The show will conclude with Hardtalk, a special 30-minute studio debate chaired by BBC’s Stephen Sackur. Guests from political, cultural and business arenas will discuss the world economy in the live edition of the show.

October 16, 2008
BBC World News, tourism ministry tie up for travel series

MUMBAI: BBC World News and Ministry of Tourism (MoT) have entered into a year-long partnership to promote Indian tourism in the global market.

As part of the partnership, BBC World News will produce a six-part travel series Travel India, one corporate film and five ad films on India’s tourist spots.

Hosted by cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle, Travel India will include journeys to spiritual spots, places of scenic beauty, and urban centers for business in conjunction with underdeveloped rural centers. For a wider reach of the global audience, the show is available across Europe, Asia-Pacific, South Asia, Middle East, Australia and UK. Besides it will also be available as in-flight ads in BBC World News programs on United Airlines and US Airways.

The five-minute corporate film will be based on Ayurveda and Wellness.

The five 30-sec ads called ‘Colours’ is based on the different colurs depicting various facets of Indian soil and culture.

MOT joint secretary Leena Nandan said, “We are extremely pleased that the multi-hued dimensions of India will be seen on BBC World News, a medium that has the credibility and reach to influence travellers across the world. I am confident that a series like Travel India will successfully showcase not just the glorious past and the dynamic present that all Indians take great pride in, but the varied facets of India than can be can we explored, enjoyed and experienced .”

BBC Worldwide ad sales regional director South Asia Seema Mahapatra said, “Our relationship with MOT goes long way back. We have produced similar shows for the ministry even in the past like documentary on medical tourism, ayurveda etc.”

“Internationally BBC World News has similar tie-ups with Suzlon. For them we produce Eco-diary, which gives a list of conference and seminars happening all over the world,” Mahapatra added.

October 7, 2008
BBC World News’ Travel India begins airing 3 October

MUMBAI: BBC World News is launching a travelogue Travel India. The six-part series of journey to India’s spiritual sites, urban business centres and underdeveloped rural areas will be presented by Harsha Bhogle. It will air every Saturday at 7 pm.

Bhogle starts his journey from the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat and then makes his way to Bikaner. Moving on, Bhogle reaches the Golden Temple in Amritsar before travelling to Kashmir where he visits Wagah. He then travels to Delhi and Uttar Pradesh where he visits Benares.

His journey continues to Bihar and West Bengal where he meets the Sunderbans tribes. Then he hops to the south where he has a stopover at Hyderabad, before going to Kanyakumari. After his journey of the south, he heads west to Nashik to tipple and taste some wine along with a crash course in wine making. He then travels back to Mumbai to wrap up his adventure, a trip that takes a full circle back to the point of origin.

BBC World News programmes head Paul Gibbs says, “The Travel India series uncovers the diverse and unexplored facets of India as it stands today. It’s an exciting discovery of the unexpected which gives a unique and intriguing insight into amazing India.”

October 3, 2008