BBC World (PatrZDZ's vision)

**BBC World** is an international English-language pay television channel owned by BBC Worldwide—and operated by the BBC News division of the BBC. The network carries news bulletins, documentaries, and other factual programmes; its programming is based out of studios in London.

Launched on 11 March 1991 as **BBC World Service Television** outside Europe, its name was changed to **BBC World** on 16 January 1995.

Unlike the BBC's domestic channels, it is funded by subscription and advertising revenues, and not by the United Kingdom television licence. As such, the channel is not broadcast in the UK directly, although selected programmes and bulletins are carried on the domestic BBC News 24 (especially during the overnight hours), and vice versa (including domestic programmes such as Click and HARDtalk, and during breaking news and special events in the UK). The linear service is aimed at the overseas market, in a similar manner to RT, Al Jazeera, and France 24.

## History

The channel originally started as BBC World Service Television and was a commercial operation. The British government refused to fund the new television service using grant-in-aid. (BBC World Service radio was funded by a grant-in-aid from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office until 2014.) The channel started broadcasting on 11 March 1991, after two weeks of real-time pilots, initially as a half-hour bulletin once a day at 19:00 GMT.

On Thursday, 26 January 1995 at 19:00 GMT, BBC World Service Television was split into two services:

* **BBC World** started broadcasting on Monday, 16 January 1995 at 19:00 GMT and became a 24-hour English free-to-air international news channel.
* **BBC Prime** started broadcasting on Monday, 30 January 1995 at 19:00 GMT and became the BBC's light entertainment channel, later renamed BBC Entertainment.

BBC World's on-air design was changed significantly on 3 April 2000, bringing it closer to the look of its sister channel in the UK which was then known as BBC News 24, the on-air look of which had been redesigned in 1999. The look of both channels was made up of red and cream and designed by Lambie-Nairn, with music based on a style described as 'drums and beeps' composed by David Lowe, a departure from the general orchestral nature of music used by other news programmes.

On 8 December 2003 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 2000. The music was changed slightly while the main colour scheme became black and red, with studios using frosted glass and white and red colours. Later in 2004, the channel's slogan became Putting News First, replacing Demand a Broader View.

On 21 April 2008, as part of a £550,000 rebranding of the BBC's overall news output and visual identity, the channel was rebranded as BBC World News. It later moved to the renovated studio vacated by BBC News 24. New graphics were produced by the Lambie-Nairn agency and music reworked by David Lowe.

### Move to Broadcasting House

The channel relocated to Broadcasting House from its previous home at Television Centre on 14 January 2013. This was part of the move of BBC News and other audio and vision departments of the BBC into one building in Central London. Broadcasting House was refurbished at a cost of £1 billion. A new newsroom and several state-of-the-art studios were built.

## Broadcasting

Live news output originates from studio C in Broadcasting House with some recorded programming from Broadcasting House studios A and D and the BBC Millbank studio, as well as Washington. The BBC News newsroom is now part of the new consolidated BBC Newsroom in Broadcasting House along with BBC World Service and UK domestic news services.

Previously, the channel was broadcast in 4:3, with the news output fitted into a 14:9 frame for both digital and analogue broadcasting, resulting in black bands at the top and bottom of the screen. On 13 January 2009 at 09:57 GMT, the then-called BBC World News switched its broadcast to 16:9 format, initially in Europe on Astra 1L satellite, and Eutelsat Hot Bird 6 satellite to other broadcast feeds in the Asian region from 20 January 2009. The channel ceased broadcasting on analogue satellite on 18 April 2006.

### High-definition

As a result of the move to Broadcasting House, BBC World gained high-definition studios and equipment to be able to broadcast in high-definition. On 5 August 2013, BBC World was offered as a High Definition (HD) feed across the Middle East when it launched its international HD channel on the Arab Satellite Communications Organization. Arabsat was the BBC's first distribution partner in the Middle East to offer the channel in HD. On 1 April 2015, BBC World started broadcasting in high definition from Astra 1KR at the 19.2°E orbital position, available free-to-air to viewers with 60 cm dishes across Europe and coastal North Africa.

### Worldwide

BBC World claims to be watched by a weekly audience of 74 million in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. BBC World is most commonly watched as a free-to-air (FTA) channel. The channel is available in Europe and many parts of the world via subscription television providers in cable, satellite, IPTV and streaming platforms.

In the United States, the channel is available through providers such as Cablevision, Comcast, Spectrum, Verizon Fios, and U-verse TV. US distribution and advertising sales for the channel is handled by Discovery Communications.

In addition, BBC News syndicates its daytime and evening news programmes to public television stations throughout the US, maintaining a distribution partnership with Garden City, New York-based WLIW which began in 1998.

### Online

The channel is available in the US as part of Sling's World News add-on package.

The international feed of BBC News was available on LiveStation from 2012 until the platform closed in 2016.

### United Kingdom

TV platforms in the UK (i.e. Freeview, cable operators, Sky, BSB, BT TV, Freesat) do not officially offer BBC World as a standalone full-time channel because it carries and is funded by advertising (BBC's domestic channels are funded by a television licence fee which households and establishments that want to watch television programmes as they are being broadcast must pay), although it can be easily received due to its 'free-to-air' status on many European satellite systems, including Astra and Hot Bird and is available in selected London hotels. BBC World can also be viewed in the public areas of Broadcasting House (the lobby and café).

However, some programmes are officially available to UK audiences through BBC News 24. Such programmes air on the BBC's domestic channels, and some are available on demand on the BBC's iPlayer. A 15-minute portion of 02.00 and 03.00 UK time bulletins are broadcast on BBC News 24 and BBC World. At 20.30 weekdays, Europe Direct also airs on both channels. A special unique edition of BBC World News with a more international news agenda is shown every weekday morning at 09.30 and Sunday mornings at 07.30 UK Time on BBC News 24.

Because BBC World is available on several European satellite systems 'free-to-air', including Astra and Hotbird, the channel is 'available' to anyone in the United Kingdom who sets up their own dish to point at one of these satellites.

## Programming

Live News Programmes:

* BBC World News – For most of the day the channel produces 26 minute bulletins of international news beginning at the top of each hour. Each contain two breaks which are either filled by advertising or by continuing news depending on the region. The 2300 GMT edition is also broadcast on CBC News Network in Canada. Some editions are rebroadcast via PBS stations in the USA. Each day during the overnight hours in the UK (0100-0500 local time), twenty-five minute news bulletins from the top of each hour on the channel are produced by and simulcast on the UK feed. During these overnight hours, the bulletins are usually presented from the domestic channel's studio (although the 'World' studio is sometimes utilised).

* The World Today - Transmitted at 0600, 1100/1200 (season dependent), 1330/1430 (season dependent) and 1800 GMT, it was launched in January 1995. The 0600 GMT edition presented by Lucy Hockings acts as a morning programme for Europe. The 1200 GMT edition is aimed to the breakfast audience in the USA and is presented by Jon Sopel. The 1330 Asia Edition is hosted by Martine Dennis. The flagship 1900 United Kingdom time edition is aimed at European audiences and is presented by Christian Fraser.

* USA Direct - Launched in October 1997, the programme is broadcast at 0000 GMT from the BBC's Washington Studios. The main presenter is Katty Kay with Gary O'Donoghue acting as Washington correspondent. The programme is broadcast on BBC America who provides much of the funding.

* Europe Direct - Lewis Vaughan-Jones presents news, business and sport from across the European continent.

Business Programmes:

* World Business Report – International Business News, live from London. Broadcast around the world, apart from in Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
* Asia Business Report – Broadcast live from Singapore and only seen on the Asia feeds of BBC World.
* Middle East Business Report is pre recorded and broadcast at the weekend.
* India Business Report is pre recorded and broadcast at the weekend (only shown in South Asia).

Other live programmes:

* Asia Today - Asia-specific news broadcast. Transmitted live twice each day. The last edition is repeated at various times on the South Asia and Asia Pacific feeds.
* Sport Today – International sport news. Transmitted five times each day.

Pre-recorded programmes:

* Click – technology programme aimed at non-technical audiences.
* Dateline London – foreign correspondents based in London discuss the week's international news.
* Fast Track - a weekly round-up of travel news for both the leisure and business sectors.
* HARDtalk – in-depth interviews with personalities from all walks of life.
* Newsnight – weekly highlights from the daily domestic news programme.
* Our World – documentaries
* Panorama – current affairs programme, featuring interviews and investigative reports on a wide variety of subjects.
* Reporters – showcases news reports of the week.
* Talking Movies
* The Record Europe - European political show (only shown in Europe).

### Variations

BBC World is, for the most part, the same channel all over the world; the commercials are intended to be the only differences. 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, and the Middle East. The rest of the world sees the World Business Report.

On most feeds of BBC World, when there are no commercials being inserted by the cable or satellite provider similar to other channels, the break filler shows promotions for upcoming programmes on the channel. During BBC World News, a news story that has not been promoted airs during what would be the television advertisement. This is the case on the broadband versions of BBC World, and on versions of BBC World News aired in the US on PBS stations. However, there are some global commercials and sponsorships which air throughout the network.

On 11 September 2007, the break filler was redesigned and now more closely resembles previous versions. 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. Instead, each 20-second promotional video uses music selected from a handful of themes, which have some unifying musical characteristics. The information screens, such as the 10-second plug for the website or YouTube channel, and the 15-second weather/time/coming up screens each feature their own theme. The colour theme was updated following the relaunch of the channel in April 2008.

Since its inception, and more so since its extensive association with the BBC News 24, the countdown to the hourly news bulletin has been a feature of the channel's presentation, accompanied by music composed by David Lowe. The current style of countdown features reporters and technical staff in many different locations working to bring news stories to air. The new countdown keeps the same music, but with Chameleon-style branding and clock relocated to the middle from the bottom right corner. The countdown can range from 45 seconds to as little as 3 seconds.

### BBC World News

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 United States. The network airs three bulletins on weekday mornings (as part of a 3-hour block of BBC World coverage). One bulletin airs daily on the weekends (in the morning). Another BBC World News program, USA Direct, airs on BBC America twice each evening. As with the PBS bulletins, the Met Office forecasts are removed, but commercials are included.

BBC World News bulletins also appear on CBC News Network in Canada, and Access 31 in Perth, Australia.

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.

The channel also produces short bulletins for public transport services in Singapore and Hong Kong:

* Singapore Mass Rapid Transit service from Marina Bay to Changi International Airport
* Hong Kong MTR service from Chek Lap Kok International Airport-Disneyland Resort station to Disneyland Resort line

These broadcasts begin with the statement: "Welcome to BBC World News on board the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit and Hong Kong MTR". The short bulletin is updated twice a day.

Travellers on the Heathrow Express rail service from London Paddington to London Heathrow Airport are also treated to a specially-recorded BBC World News 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.