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  • Three Indian women, including Dia Mirza and Harmanpreet Kaur, named in BBC’s 100 Women 2023 list

    Three Indian women, including Dia Mirza and Harmanpreet Kaur, named in BBC’s 100 Women 2023 list

    Mumbai: Three Indian women have been included in this year’s BBC 100 Women list of inspiring and influential women.

    For the first time, to recognise the disproportionate impact of climate change on the lives of women and girls, this year’s BBC 100 Women list specifically highlights a group of women leading the battle against the climate crisis.

    By naming 28 climate pioneers from all corners of the globe, the BBC 100 Women list 2023 celebrates those inspiring and leading their communities to tackle and adapt to the devastating impact of climate change in their regions.  

    The announcement of this year’s list kicks off the BBC’s 100 Women 2023 season – focusing on women’s right and diverse life experiences around the globe, with special content including interviews, documentaries, features, digital and social journalism, across the BBC’s UK and global TV and radio services, BBC iPlayer and BBC.com.

    The Indian women included in this year’s list are:

    1   Dia Mirza, award winning actress from Indian cinema, who is involved in numerous environmental and humanitarian projects.

    2   Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the India women’s national cricket and the first Indian woman to be named as one of Wisden’s five Cricketers of the Year.

    3   Arati Kumar-Rao, an independent photographer, writer, and National Geographic Explorer, who documents the changing landscape across South Asia, caused by climate change. One of BBC 100 Women’s 28 Climate Pioneers.

    Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, who was born in England in the 1940s, but became one the first Westerners to be ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monastic after travelling to India at the age of 20, is also included on the list.

    Other notable names from the BBC 100 Women 2023 list include former First Lady of the United States, attorney and campaigner Michelle Obama, footballer Aitana Bonmatí, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, actresses America Ferrera, beauty mogul Huda Kattan, AI expert Timnit Gebru, campaigner Ulanda Mtamba, writer Oksana Zabuzhko and feminist leader Gloria Steinem.

    Yet it is the new names that make the BBC 100 women list so unique. Among them are the 28 Climate Pioneers, announced to coincide with the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28, starting later this month in Dubai.

    They include Paraguayan sprinter Camila Pirelli, South African freediving instructor Zandile Ndhlovu, Pakistani midwife Neha Mankani, Nigerian mental health advocate Jennifer Uchendu and Thai campaigner for indigenous and LGBTQ+ rights Matcha Phorn-in.  

    Other women celebrated for their work tackling the climate crisis in different fields, include Brazil’s state minister Sonia Guajajara, firefighter Sofia Kosacheva, and climate advisers Iryna Stavchuk and Christiana Figueres.

    The season will look at the practice of child marriage, as 12 million underaged girls are forced into marriage every year. It will explore the spike in climate anxiety concerns with a data-led project, and hear from women whose reproductive choices have been impacted by environmental concerns. It’ll go on the road with Mexican truck drivers in a heavily male-dominated and dangerous business, and also travel up the mountains with a group of shepherdesses who brought wealth and transformed their community in less than a generation.

    The full BBC 100 Women List 2023 can be found here: BBC 100 Women

    BBC News International Services senior controller Liliane Landor: “It is fantastic to see the truly remarkable women named on this year’s BBC 100 Women list. This diverse list of influential and ground-breaking grassroots women, who have been making a difference in their field – from community level to international politics – are an inspiration to us all.

    “In a year where extreme heat, wildfires, floods and other natural disasters have been dominating headlines, and where wars have weighed heavily, it is more important than ever that the BBC World Service continues to shine a spotlight on women globally and their fight back against climate change.”

    Alongside the list, BBC 100 Women will present a season of specially commissioned content and documentaries, featuring the untold stories of some of this year’s BBC 100 Women, including:

    In Conversation

    BBC News will broadcast exclusive conversations with some of the most globally recognised women on this year’s list:

    BBC 100 Women In Conversation: Amal Clooney, Michelle Obama and Melinda French Gates

    Each year, 12 million underaged girls are forced into marriage – a crisis that at the current rate will take over 300 years to fix, says the UN. Now, three of the world’s most high-profile humanitarians have vowed to tackle the issue together. In a BBC 100 Women exclusive, Michelle Obama, Amal Clooney and Melinda French Gates talk about the work they do to combat child marriage and amplify the efforts of grassroots organisations.

    Airs on BBC News on Saturday 25 November at 7 am and 2 pm IST, Sunday 26 November at 1 pm, 8 pm and Monday 27 November at 3 am IST.

    BBC 100 Women In Conversation: Gloria Steinem

    The face of the women’s rights movements in the US during the 1970s and an icon of feminism, Gloria Steinem has spent the last 50 years focusing her efforts on advancing women’s political participation and reproductive rights. Her activism followed her career in journalism, where she was the co-founder of Miss Magazine, one of the first US publications to focus on women’s issues beyond the perils of housekeeping. Now at 89 years old, Steinem has sat down with BBC 100 Women to discuss how feminism has changed over the decades, the impact of cancel culture, and what the future might look like for women’s rights around the world.

    Airs on BBC News on Saturday 2 December at 6 pm, Sunday 3 December at 6 am, 1 pm and Monday 4 December at 1 am.

    BBC 100 Women Documentaries

    Rising tides, shifting futures

    With sea levels rising fast, women are leading grassroots efforts in coastal areas to help mitigate the effects of climate change. From Miami’s increasingly gentrified Little Haiti neighbourhood to the fishing villages of eastern Ghana and the outskirts of Cape Town in South Africa, BBC 100 Women meets the women at the forefront of the climate battle – working against the odds to secure a future for themselves and their communities.

    Airs on BBC News on Saturday 25 November at 8 am and 9 pm, Sunday 26 November at 6 am, 3 pm and Monday 27 November 12 am IST.

    Ride Above It

    Balance, stamina and sequins: BBC 100 Women enters the show-stopping world of disabled equestrian vaulting. A small-town troop of disabled children and women in Italy train hard all year and compete to find glory in the ring, doing gymnastics and coordinated dances on a horseback. But the rewards of the sport go well beyond the medals – as they work to deal with stigma and overcome their own fears, one pirouette at a time.

    Airs on BBC News on Saturday 2 December at 8am and 9pm IST, on Sunday 3 December at 3pm and Monday 4 December at 12am IST.

    On The Road with Mexico’s Traileras

    Clara, Liszy and Paty are breaking gender barriers in the male-dominated cargo transport industry – they are some of Mexico’s traileras, women truck drivers travelling distances on the country’s dangerous routes. Robberies and abuse are part of the hazards they face in the job – but the traileras are determined to overcome adversity. BBC 100 Women rides with them as they work to make a better life for their families and change the face of the next generation of drivers in Latin America.

    Airs on BBC News on Saturday 16 December

    The Last Wakhi Shepherdesses

    Deep into Pakistan’s Karakoram mountains lies the scenic Shimshal Valley, home to the Wakhi shepherdesses. Every year, over many generations, these women have taken their flocks to high pastures, where they prepare dairy products to barter while their animals graze during the warmer season. Their income has brought prosperity to the village and allowed them to build roads and provide an education for their children – but their tradition is about to end. BBC 100 Women follows the last shepherdesses on their journey up the mountains, on a dangerous trek 4,800m above sea level.

    Airs on BBC News on Saturday 23 December

    BBC 100 Women at COP28

    BBC 100 Women will be present at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28, from 30 November to highlight the strand’s commitment to telling the climate story. We will be holding a TV broadcast from Expo City, Dubai and from Nairobi, bringing some of our grassroot pioneers together to provide a space to share their thoughts and deeply personal experiences of living life right on the forefront of the climate crisis, amidst a growing sense of climate anxiety.

    This programme will air on BBC News on 3 December and will also be available on The Climate Question podcast from 10 December.

    BBC World Service Radio

    The Conversation – BBC 100 Women special: Climate pioneers

    Kim Chakanetsa meets two women on this year’s BBC 100 Women list: Basima Abdulrahman, founder and CEO of KESK, the first company in Iraq to offer green building services and products, and Jennifer Uchendu, founder of SustyVibes in Nigeria, a youth-led sustainability organisation, and The Eco Anxiety Project, an initiative promoting awareness and research into climate change and its impact on young Africans’ mental health.

    They’ll discuss their commitment to the environment, the challenges of getting their messages across, the impact that climate change is having on their mental health and their hopes for the future.

    Airs on BBC World Service Radio Monday 27 November at 11:30 GMT

  • BBC News continues to be no. 1 in India: IPSOS survey

    BBC News continues to be no. 1 in India: IPSOS survey

    Mumbai: According to the latest Ipsos Affluent survey, BBC News is the number one online news brand consumed daily in India. The data reveals that BBC News digital also continues to top the chart as the number one international news brand accessed on mobile in India.

    The results indicate that BBC News is the number one news brand accessed online daily in the category of national and international news brands, not only by business decision makers but also by prospective car buyers, investors, sustainability-minded consumers, etc.

    The survey further announced that BBC World News continues to hold the number one position among the international television news channels with India’s affluent audiences in the categories of c-suites, top management, in-charge of departments, automobile enthusiasts, interested in sports, and travellers.

    Speaking of this milestone, BBC Studios director of sales, South Asia, and news Vishal Bhatnagar said, “It’s delightful to see our world-class journalism continuing to reach affluent audiences in the crowded media landscape of India. This truly is a result of our commitment to analysing and examining the complex news and business stories that provide valuable information with which businesses can make informed decisions.”

    BBC News also maintains its position as the number one international online news brand in APAC, topping the chart among business decision makers and top management.

  • The Trusted News Initiative forms Asia-Pac network

    The Trusted News Initiative forms Asia-Pac network

    Mumbai: The Trusted News Initiative (TNI) partners have agreed to expand their global representation by establishing a regional Asia-Pacific network.

    TNI’s new Asia-Pacific network of media organisations has received training funded by the Google News Initiative to help their journalists navigate the disinformation environment.

    The TNI is an industry collaboration led by the BBC of major news and global tech organisations working together to stop the spread of disinformation where it poses a real-world risk. The Asia-Pacific network will allow the TNI’s regional partners to share their insights on combating disinformation and discuss regional trends. Through the TNI cooperative framework, they will draw on their expertise to share best practices and findings with the larger TNI and alert each other to the most dangerous forms of disinformation.

    The TNI is expanding its Asia-Pacific presence with the addition of various groups of independent news organisations, including ABC (Australia), Dawn (Pakistan), Indian Express (India), Kompas (Indonesia), NDTV (India), NHK (Japan), and SBS (Australia). 

    BBC News International Services senior controller & BBC World Service director Liliane Landor said, “With the creation of TNI’s first regional network, we are bringing together trusted Asia-Pacific news-publishing organisations to further reinforce our collaboration and to make it even more efficient and productive.” 

    Google News Lab head Matt Cooke said, “As part of the Google News Initiative’s ongoing efforts to strengthen journalism and fight misinformation, we’ve worked with a range of academics, news organisations and nonprofits across the globe for several years. Now, we’re supporting the Trusted News Initiative to deliver targeted, expert training workshops on a variety of digital tools to help journalists as they seek to continue day-to-day verification and fact-checking in newsrooms across the region.”

    AP, AFP, BBC, CBC/Radio-Canada, European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Financial Times, Google/YouTube, The Hindu, Information Futures Lab, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Microsoft, The Nation Media Group, Reuters, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Twitter, and The Washington Post are current TNI partners. 

    The TNI partnership works collectively in four main areas:

    Fast alert: creating a system so organisations can alert each other rapidly when they discover disinformation that threatens human life or disrupts democracy.

    Intelligence sharing: a real-time conversation of equals between news organisations and tech platforms about the evolving nature of harmful disinformation. 

    Media education: sharing insights and research on how audiences and users react to disinformation, thus informing best practice and supporting better digital literacy.

    Engineering solutions: sharing information on engineering solutions for authentication of trusted news sources and improving the information environment.

    This is entirely separate from, and does not in any way affect, the editorial stance of any partner organisation.

  • BBC & Disney partners for next season of ‘Doctor Who’; announces major logo change

    BBC & Disney partners for next season of ‘Doctor Who’; announces major logo change

    Mumbai: The BBC and Disney Branded Television—two giants of entertainment—have come together to transform Doctor Whointo a global franchise for UK audiences and the rest of the world.

    Disney+ is now the exclusive home for new seasons of Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland. The announcement—which was made by the next Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa, during an appearance on live with Kelly and Ryan—begins a new collaboration between the BBC and Disney Branded Television.

    Both partners have aligned under returning showrunner Russell T. Davies, who takes control of the Tardis in 2023. He was responsible for Doctor Who’s revival in 2005 and is credited with propelling the show into one of TV’s biggest hits.

    The new episodes will premiere on the BBC and Disney+ beginning in late 2023 for fans all over the world.

    The show will be produced in Wales by Bad Wolf in association with BBC Studios Production.

    Speaking on the collaboration, Davies said, “I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds—with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together, we can launch the Tardis all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK.”

    BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore said, “We are thrilled to announce this exciting global partnership with Disney, who are the perfect partners to bring this very British show to the rest of the world. Russell T. Davies’ vision for Doctor Who has always been out of this world, and we are committed to ensuring that audiences across the globe get the opportunity to enjoy the Doctor’s epic adventures with the scale and ambition that they deserve. Joining forces with Disney will elevate the show to even greater heights and reach new audiences, so it’s an extremely exciting time for fans in the UK and across the world.”

    Disney+ president Alisa Bowen added, “We’re excited by the opportunity to bring new seasons of this beloved franchise exclusively to Disney+ and introduce the show to the next generation of audiences in more than 150 markets around the world. The series is a perfect addition to our ever-growing catalogue of global content that continues to make Disney+ the home for exceptional storytelling.”

    Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis said, “Doctor Who has captivated the imaginations of families around the world for the past six decades. We are so excited about this collaboration with the BBC and the opportunity to bring this iconic franchise—and Russell T. Davies’ brilliant vision—to life for a huge new global audience. Grab your sonic screwdrivers and prepare to travel through time and space!”

    BBC Studios’ CEO and global distribution Rebecca Glashow said, “We’re delighted to join forces with a partner who shares our vision and ambition for one of the most iconic shows in British TV history. This is great news for everyone who loves Doctor Who and for all the new fans we will reach through this powerful partnership.”

    Bad Wolf executive producers & co-founders Jane Tranter, Julie Gardner said, “For Doctor Who to have the backing of two of the most innovative and respected media organisations in the world is a testament to the unique drive and vision at the heart of this show. Bad Wolf are beyond delighted to be once again working with the genius that is Russell T. Davies and, with the exciting new partnership between the BBC and Disney, we can together reach even greater heights, producing from Wolf Studios Wales ambitious stories through time and space for audiences around the globe.”

    The new episodes of Doctor Who will return to screens in November 2023 to coincide with the 60th anniversary and will premiere exclusively on the BBC in the UK and Ireland. David Tennant will play the Fourteenth Doctor for three specials, before Ncuti Gatwa takes over the role as the Fifteenth Doctor over the festive season.

    A new Doctor Who logo has also been unveiled for the new era.

  • Banijay celebrates 25 years of Survivor

    Banijay celebrates 25 years of Survivor

    MUMBAI: Banijay is celebrating 25 years since the adventure reality format, Survivor, debuted in Sweden in September 1997. The milestone achievement follows the format’s most successful year-to-date last year, with 25 productions in 2021.

    Survivor tests the spirit of a group of ordinary, yet extraordinary people who are marooned, with little more than the clothes on their backs and their own animal cunning. As they catch their own food, build their own shelter and order their own society, castaways must compete in increasingly difficult tests of strategy and guile.

    Ranked the Best Reality Show Of All Time (Variety), Survivor, the format which is created by Charlie Parsons, has been commissioned in 50 territories and is one of the most loved and watched formats around the world. The anniversary follows the recent announcement that Survivor will return to the UK in 2023, with Remarkable Entertainment (part of Banijay UK) producing the series for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Other recent comebacks for the format include Brazil, Norway, Bulgaria and Romania, with all-new first-time adaptations in Mexico and Serbia, as well as an upcoming launch in Canada (French).

    Banijay global head of content operations Lucas Green said, “Survivor has all the elements of a hit format combining jeopardy, reality, strategy and adventure. Whilst each version is unique to its territory, every Survivor season celebrates the core values of this much-loved show. It has been honed through hundreds of seasons of expertise and is head and shoulders above the countless copycats which never quite stand up to the test. We are proud to produce the original – and in our view the best – adventure reality format on television. Most of all, we give thanks to those hard-working production teams around the world, with whom we celebrate this distinguished anniversary.”

    Amongst the hugely successful iterations around the world are the U.S., which is the longest-running version with season 44 confirmed and more than 7.5 million viewers tuning in to the most recent season on CBS; The Netherlands, which has aired every year since 2000; the hugely popular French series, which will air its 29th season next year; and the originating market Sweden, which recently aired its 21st run of Expedition Robinson. The format also enjoys successful companion shows, all-star spin-offs and celebrity versions.

    Survivor has created iconic moments over the last 25 years. These include an Israeli contestant meeting his child for the first time via video link at the Tribal Council, a player voting off her mum so she could progress in series 29 in the US, a proposal between two All Star contestants in the US. There was even a visit to the beach from Ivanka Trump in the Italian production, in heels and a sequinned dress!

  • Authenticity drives brand affinity for Gen Z: BBC Studios study

    Authenticity drives brand affinity for Gen Z: BBC Studios study

    Mumbai : BBC Studios has released a new study titled “Brands, News and Gen Z,” focused on revealing the preferences and motives of a new generation with purchase power, making it easier for advertisers to target an emerging, commercially receptive segment. The study offers advertisers deeper insight into what motivates Gen Z, how this generation engages with the news and what influences their decision-making process for purchases.

    The study shows that despite growing up in a digital, filtered and increasingly volatile world, Gen Z are grounded, self-assured, ambitious and steadfast in their values, which align most closely with those of the boomer generation while incorporating the sensibilities of younger generations.

    Authenticity, as defined by Gen Z, is about honesty, originality, trust, and quality. For Gen Z, brands aren’t just an expression of what they like; they’re an expression of what they value. They are more inclined to consume brands that are authentic, as they come closer to representing their values, beliefs, and sense of community. The research found that 80 per cent of India’s Gen Z respondents said that authenticity plays an influential role in their choice of brands. If a brand is genuine, Indian Gen Z are more likely to be loyal to it (81 per cent), recommend it to others (78 per cent), and purchase their products and services again (73 percent).

    The research found that globally, Gen Z is more likely to trust the content of media platforms that they find authentic. This preference for authenticity also extends to where Gen Z obtains their information, with only 18 per cent of them being inspired by someone they follow on social media. Despite growing up in a digital world, Gen Z believes social media has created pressure to ‘present’, ‘perform’ and ‘perfect’, making it much harder to be authentic. In order to be authentic, Indian Gen Z respondents agree that it is crucial for news publishers to provide readers with a 360-degree perspective (64 per cent), give a platform to people whose voices are trusted (63 per cent), and publish fact-checked stories (61 per cent).

    When a news media brand is trusted and perceived as authentic, Indian Gen Z prefers to engage with advertising and branded content presented by that news media brand. 60 per cent of the Gen Z respondents in India said they try out the brand they see on the authentic news media brand, and even more, 73 per cent engage further with other content that the news media brand produces or reports on.

    BBC News APAC SVP commercial development Alistair McEwan said, “This research is particularly prominent in India, where the results show increased importance placed on authenticity by Gen Z compared to the rest of the world. We are always striving to learn more about the composition of our audience and the Gen Z cohort is an important emerging segment, and this research highlights that there are many similarities with older cohorts. These insights will help brands better understand the nuances of marketing to Gen Z and assist in creating effective policy settings and appropriate messaging.”

    Aspirations in life for Gen Z are being successful, being authentic (true to yourself) and being content. The study found the Indian Gen Z to be the most ‘driven’ cohort among all in terms of their ambition to ‘be successful’ in life. The most popular definitions of authenticity among global Gen Z are embracing who you truly are (44 per cent), and remaining honest in all circumstances (40 per cent).

    ‘Being a good friend’ is rated highly as being one’s authentic self by Indian Gen Z, and 58 per cent consider their career to be an important aspect of their life. Being successful is very important for Indian Gen Z, which is much more important than the global average, 49 per cent vs. 29 per cent.

  • BBC News is the no.1 online news brand in India, reveals IPSOS

    BBC News is the no.1 online news brand in India, reveals IPSOS

    Mumbai: According to the Ipsos Affluent survey, BBC News is the number one online news brand consumed daily in India. The data also reveals that on mobile, BBC News online is the number one international news brand and on television BBC World News is the top international news channel in India.

    The survey also showed the outstanding performance for BBC News among leaders in business and technology as the number one online news brand accessed in India including IT purchase influencers, C-Suites, business decision makers, frequent leisure travellers – domestic and international, sustainability minded consumers and automobile enthusiasts.

    The survey further showed that BBC News is the number one international online news brand in APAC10 and the #1 international online news brand in Hong Kong11.

    Excited about this accomplishment, BBC Studios director-sales South Asia Vishal Bhatnagar said, “These fantastic results speak for themselves, BBC News’ leading position in the Indian market demonstrates the audiences’ preference of impartial, accurate and factual journalism. Recently published Reuters Digital News Report 2022 also ranks BBC News as the third most popular online news brand accessed weekly in India. Through this level of engagement and trust in audiences we look forward to offering more impactful campaigns to brands advertising on our platforms.”

  • UK based broadcaster BBC plans to build ‘digital-first’ focused services

    UK based broadcaster BBC plans to build ‘digital-first’ focused services

    Mumbai: UK pubcaster BBC director-general Tim Davie shared his plan to build a “digital-first” British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The plan will see the broadcaster prioritising its apps and websites over traditional broadcasting channels, said in a company statement.

    In the statement, BBC revealed closing its children-focused channel CBBC and art-skewing BBC-Four including slashing 1,000 jobs over time while putting more investment into digital services like iPlayer.

    Davie also said, “Quite simply, the success of our online services is the success of the BBC over the next five years. Each needs to be in the top two or three in their market in the UK, with our online services growing globally too.”

    Elaborating on iPlayer he said, “Today, iPlayer reaches less than 50 per cent of BBC viewers on average per week. Our ambition is to grow this to 75 per cent. We’ll do this by re-allocating significant amounts of money every year into video that delivers on iPlayer, across a broad mix of genres.”

    “We will propose to Ofcom to expand boxsets and archive, to have more BBC series available on demand. And we want to ensure that news and current affairs is as important to iPlayer as it is on broadcast, which means new on-demand content and formats to build new audience habits.”

    “We will continue to personalise iPlayer to make it much more relevant to every age group and different parts of the UK.”

    While speaking about budget slashing he said, “What we are laying out today is a £500 million plan for the next few years. This is made up of two things: £200 million a year of cuts which are necessitated by the two-year licence fee freeze. This represents the majority of our £285 million a year challenge by 2027-28. £50 million of this £200 million is already baked into our current budgets. The rest is delivered by stopping things and running the organisation better where we can. Then there’s a further £300 million a year which is about moving money around the organisation and delivering additional commercial income. This means that we are not just cutting money everywhere but making choices where to invest.”

    He also said that the plan is not to simply deploy flat savings targets across every department but to act more deliberately. “Focussing resources on frontline areas where we can maximise the value we deliver to those that pay for us.”

    Davie is clear that the future is digital. “The market challenge is clear. Though broadcast channels will be essential for years to come, we are moving decisively to a largely on-demand world. Today around 85 per cent of the time people spend with the BBC is with linear broadcasts. Too many of our resources are focused on broadcast and not online. And less than 10 per cent of our usage is signed in, so we can’t offer a properly tailored service, unlike all our global competitors. If we do not respond faster to these changes we will cede too much ground to those who are not driven by public service values.”

    “The vision is simple: from today we are going to move decisively to a digital-first BBC. We have a chance to do something that no-one else is doing: build a digital media organisation that makes a significant positive impact, culturally, economically and socially. A global leader driven by the search for truth, impartiality, outstanding creativity, and independence.”

    So what will happen to linear broadcast with the enhanced focus on digital? “As we move money into digital, we will inevitably have to spend less on linear distribution. But we will do this with great care – our big channels will be popular for the next decade, at least, and they are incredibly powerful.”

    Davie added: “We do plan to stop scheduling separate content for Radio 4 Long Wave, consulting with partners, including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, ahead of the closure of the Long Wave platform itself. 5Live on medium wave will also close no later than December 2027, in line with a proposed industry-wide exit from the platform.”

    “Over time we expect to consolidate and share more content between services, and expect to stop broadcasting some of our smaller channels on linear. This will include services like BBC Four, CBBC and Radio 4 Extra. But we won’t do this for at least the next three years because for the moment they are still delivering value to millions of viewers and listeners, at low extra cost.”

    He further said that when it comes to network TV, the UK pubcaster will reduce the volume of hours commissioned a year by around 200. “We’ll still offer thousands of originated hours and a very broad range, but fewer hours will mean we are not constantly thinning programme budgets.”

    “We will focus our money where we are distinctive and more uniquely BBC. We will make tough choices about titles which may be performing on linear but are not doing enough to drive viewers to on-demand. A number of them will be cancelled this year. Importantly, higher-impact content will attract more investment from third parties to make our money go further.”

    “And while we will continue to play a vital role in classical music in this country, we must be realistic about the resources we use. We will continue to support the classical music sector, invest in Radio 3 and improve our educational impact. However, we will look to reduce licence fee funding in our performing groups – preferably by looking for alternative sources of income where possible.”

    In terms of news one of the things he mentioned was that putting digital first applies just as much to its international news services. The world service he pointed out is critical to the BBC, and its growing digital reach means bigger impact with audiences, more brand value for the BBC and the UK, and bigger opportunities for commercial growth.

    “Broadcast services will continue to play a vital role but unfortunately the licence fee settlement means that we cannot offer every service on all the platforms we do today. So we propose to move some of our broadcast radio and television services off linear where digital provides the better future route to audiences. This builds on the model we’re already using in Latin America and parts of Europe. Of course, we will protect broadcast services where that’s likely to remain the best way of reaching people in the long term.”

    He said that the government’s commitment to extend its £94 million annual funding for the world service for a further three years is very welcome. But he also noted that UK licence fee funding for the world service, which has been around £254 million in recent years, is now running at over £290 million including world news – a level that is unsustainable following the licence fee settlement.

    “We will set out plans in the coming weeks for how we will initially reduce licence fee spending on the World Service by around £30 million by the start of 2023/24, while protecting the full breadth of languages.”

    “At the same time, our strategic review will identify the right longer-term model for a digital-first world service and lay out a strong case for more investment from the government over the coming years. This case for a strengthened world service is compelling but we can only expect UK licence fee payers to fund so much.”

    One of the challenges in digital is that on the tech front there is work to be done. “Around 30 million UK adults come to BBC online on average per week, and 200 million globally on digital platforms. We are now up to over 45 million UK accounts, with over 25 million signed in monthly. But we have much work to do to be a leading-edge player in functionality, user experience and data.”

    “We’ve already begun investing more in product development, with an extra £10 million this year. From 2025 we expect to be investing up to an additional £50 million per year, transforming our level of personalisation and our use of real time data, and making our services as easy to use as possible.”

    “In news, we will fully roll out and continuously improve the new News app as a signed-in experience. We will grow our live news pages and transform the quality, prominence and impact of local news.”

    “In sounds, we will continue to improve our on-demand music offer. We will showcase some of the best non-BBC podcasts from British creators and host more of our podcasts on sounds first, before distributing more widely. We want to deliver local and network news better across Sounds and ensure we are securing distribution in connected cars.”

    He concluded by saying, “This is our moment to build a digital-first BBC. Something genuinely new, a Reithian organisation for the digital age, a positive force for the UK and the world. Independent, impartial, constantly innovating and serving all. A fresh, new, global digital media organisation which has never been seen before. Solely driven by the desire to make life and society better for our licence fee payers and customers in every corner of the UK and beyond. They want us to keep the BBC relevant and fight for something that in 2022 is more important than ever. To do that we need to evolve faster and embrace the huge shifts in the market around us.”

    “I believe in a public service BBC for all, properly funded, relevant for everyone, universally available, and growing in the on-demand age. This plan sets us on that journey.”

  • Zee5 partners with BBC to expand its premium content offerings

    Zee5 partners with BBC to expand its premium content offerings

    Mumbai: Video streaming platform Zee5 has announced a partnership with BBC Studios India. The two top entertainment companies will work to build a robust content slate of new Zee5 originals in Hindi across genres exclusively for Zee5 viewers.

    With this partnership, Zee5 aims to further bolster its existing premium content offerings with captivating and diverse stories based on successful British formats.
    The first Hindi project introduced as part of this ongoing partnership is an original drama series titled “The Broken News,” which also marks actor Sonali Bendre’s debut on OTT.

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by ZEE5 (@zee5)

    In line with the theme of the new series; to generate excitement amongst the news viewers, Zee5 will announce  the release of “The Broken News” in the primetime slot across prominent news channels on 11 May.  

    It is an adaptation of the  popular British series “Press,” directed by award-winning director Vinay Waikul with a stellar star cast featuring  theatrical favourites like Jaideep Ahlawat, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Indraneil Sengupta, Taaruk Raina, Aakash Khurana, Kiran Kumar, amongst others. The plot of the show features two rival news channels based in  Mumbai – Awaaz Bharati, an independent, ethical news channel, and Josh 24/7 News, which offers sensationalist and invasive journalism, and what transpires between the main characters in their quest for news.  

    Commenting on the partnership, Zee5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra said, “This year  we have a fantastic line-up with many big titles announced in the first quarter of the year.”

    “The focus for 2022  is to bring premium quality content across genres and languages. Zee5, in addition to bolstering its portfolio  of Hindi originals, is simultaneously working on curating a list of unique stories across formats and languages  to build a platform of varied choices for its viewers,” he explained.

    “With ‘The Broken News’ we are marking the beginning of  another partnership with a reputed content studio to bring interesting and unique story narratives for our audiences. This partnership is in line with Zee5’s strategy to build a portfolio of unique and compelling content for an enhanced value from the services. We are sure our audiences will enjoy and love it as much as they have  loved our content so far. Zee5 has been working with the best talent in the creative ecosystem to create a  riveting slate of originals, in line with our content strategy of keeping the viewers at the centre of the business,” added Kalra.

    On the announcement of the new title, Zee5 Hindi originals chief content officer Nimisha Pandey said, “’The Broken News’ is an extremely relevant story for the times we live in. We are glad to partner with BBC Studios India and director Vinay Waikul to bring this story to life.”

    “It is a riveting drama depicting the  nuances of the media houses and the daily hustle-bustle of a newsroom. The story revolves around the  ideological differences of the protagonists, beautifully played by Shriya Pilgaonkar and Jaideep Ahlawat. The  story has a strong, contemporary and compelling narrative making it a perfect addition to our content bouquet,” she added.

    Speaking on the partnership, BBC Studios India general manager Sameer Gogate commented, “We are  thrilled to join forces with Zee5 as part of this partnership to produce this riveting BBC Studios format, set  in the fascinating world of TV news journalism. The strength of our formats lies in their ability to transcend across cultural boundaries and languages. We are honoured that Jaideep Alhawat, Sonali Bendre and Shriya  Pilgaonkar will be a part of this journey directed by Vinay Wiakul and we hope Zee5’s Hindi audience will enjoy the gripping personal and professional dramas facing the characters under the pressure of a 24-hour news cycle.”

  • Discovery was greatest global commissioner of TV shows in 2021: Ampere

    Discovery was greatest global commissioner of TV shows in 2021: Ampere

    Mumbai: The greatest global commissioner of TV shows in 2021 was Discovery, with a record-breaking 556 first-run TV show titles commissioned in the year, according to market-leading data and analytics firm Ampere. This extends Discovery’s lead of 46, recorded in 2020, to 153 titles by year-end 2021.

    ViacomCBS pipped Netflix for second place with 406 titles compared to Netflix’s 403. Three other contenders – Disney, the BBC and Comcast – came close with 387, 373, and 353 first-run shows respectively, it said.

    This group of six pulled further ahead of their global rivals through 2021 with each supporting the expansion of their own subscription video on demand (SVoD) services. WarnerMedia also accelerated through the year but not enough to rank in the top six.

    However, for 2022 it is those shows commissioned but not yet released, the in-production slate, that will be key, noted Ampere study. Discovery’s typical commissions (largely documentaries) have a shorter production timescale and are lower cost and less high-profile than titles on Netflix’s still predominantly scripted slate. Netflix is set to release most of its 243 in-production TV titles in 2022 (with an additional 106 films) which will push the streamer’s overall slate of original releases to over 2,000 titles.

    It should be noted that the above figures for 2021 exclude the US majors’ growing SVoD film slate.  The US majors combined commissioned 74 film titles specifically for SVoD. However, adding Netflix’s 203 commissioned films in 2021 would push the global streamer into first place, albeit via a less direct comparison.

    Through their in-production TV show commissions for their VoD platforms, studios’ intentions are laid bare. Among all the TV shows currently being produced by Disney, 58 per cent are now originals for its streaming platform, Disney+. WarnerMedia follows closely behind with 85 titles for HBO Max, representing 48 per cent of shows it currently has in production. Titles destined for VoD make up 39 per cent of ViacomCBS’s current slate and 28 per cent of Comcast’s.

    The year 2022 will see further additions to these slates as the studio-backed VoD services continue to expand both their original catalogues and subscriber bases, both domestically and, increasingly, internationally.