BBC World: Encyclopedia - BBC World

BBC World

BBC World is the British Broadcasting Corporation's 24-hour international current affairs TV channel with BBC News, documentaries, lifestyle programmes and interviews, and was launched in January 1995. Its main global competitor is CNN, though it also competes with News Corporation's Sky News, Fox News and Star News in other markets.

The channel is based in the BBC's new Broadcast Centre and takes News feeds from BBC Television Centre both of which are in west London.

BBC World - History

BBC World was formerly known as BBC World Service Television, although unlike BBC World Service radio it was (and is) commercially funded, as the British government refused to extend the Foreign Office grant-in-aid.

BBC World - Distribution

BBC World is most commonly watched as a subscription channel. In most of the world, it is carried on nearly all satellite and cable platforms. It is currently not available in the United States, but according to on-air promos on BBC America, will be available in 2006.

It is also available globally online through the Dong-a Ilbo, Korean newspaper website and RealPlayer Plus. In Bahrain it is additionally available as a subscription mobile phone service.

The channel is also available free-to-air in Berlin via digital terrestrial television, and in many parts of the world via satellite. A daily version of its news bulletins are also rebroadcast on many FTA terrestrial channels, especially in the United States where bulletins are broadcast on PBS.

It was originally carried on Star TV, the pan-Asian satellite television service based in Hong Kong, which was later acquired by Rupert Murdoch. Owing to the Chinese government's dislike of the BBC's news coverage, Star TV dropped its carriage of the channel in the region, although the Corporation later found another satellite.

It is not officially available in the United Kingdom, on the grounds that it carries advertising, although it can be received via satellite. However, between 0100 and 0600 UTC each day, news bulletins and programmes on the channel are simulcast on BBC News 24; when they are simply identified as "BBC News" with no reference to any channel. On weekdays BBC World also produces a 30 minute analytical news programme called The World which can be seen in the UK on BBC Four, and an edition of BBC World News is shown every morning at 0930 on BBC News 24 in the UK with a more international news agenda.

BBC World - Programming

BBC World produces much of its own programming. This includes programs such as HARDtalk, which features interviews with famous people, World Business Report, Asia Today, Click Online (technology), Fast Track (travel), and Talking Movies. In addition, a special half hour version of the popular BBC Two program Top Gear airs on weekends, and other BBC documentaries such as Holidays in the Danger Zone air from time to time.

In India, many programmes tailor-made for a local audience are shown , including Question Time India, quiz show University Challenge India, India Business Report, IT India Tomorrow, Face to Face and motor show Wheels.

BBC World - Reputation and Criticisms

The BBC has a reputation amongst many for independent and accurate reporting of news and current affairs. However, being one of the newest of the BBC's media entities, BBC World is funded by commercial sponsors which has raised questions about its ability to report impartially.

Though generally considered quite accurate, BBC World has occasionally made mistakes, as in the incident where on the twentieth anniversary of the Bhopal disaster, the 3rd of 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 offering a $12bn settlement to the 120,000 surviving victims of the Bhopal disaster. 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.

Nonetheless, BBC World provides a further and different voice to the world and another point of reference in a diverse media market.

BBC World - Censorships

BBC News has been banned in several countries primarily for unbiased reporting which has been unfavourable to the ruling government. Most notable examples have been in Uzbekistan [1], China [2] [3], Sri Lanka [4], Zimbabwe [5] and Pakistan in 2005 [6].

BBC World - Variation

"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 the Indian feed. 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, 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 on American public television. However, there are some global commercials and sponsorships which air throughout the network.

The current slogan for BBC World is "Putting News First".

BBC World - The Hourly Countdown

Since its inception, and more so since its extensive association with BBC News 24, the countdown to the hourly news bulletin has been an attractive 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 since February 2004, when a large scale rebranding was brought out on both BBC World and BBC News 24. However, the countdowns in the latter featured some stunning visuals of the world and the UK in the background as the countdown proceeded, while the former merely had the usual 'world-spinning' image.

As of September 5, 2005, the BBC World Countdown was also altered, modelling on BBC News 24. The countdown features reporters in the field, including extensive number of images from SE Asia, especially India. A week earlier, the channel's well established break-filler also switched to a new music, without a change in its visuals.

BBC World - BBC World News

Half-hour BBC World News bulletins are made available to PBS stations in the United States through WLIW in New York. 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, DC.

On PBS, 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. The network airs three bulletins on weekday mornings (as part of a 3-hour block of BBC World coverage), plus one in the evening. One bulletin airs daily on the weekends (in the morning). As with the PBS bulletins, the Met Office forecasts are removed, but commercials are included.

The bulletins also appear on CBC Newsworld in Canada, and Access 31 in Perth. Travellers can watch the bulletins on Channel 1 shortly after take-off on British Airways flights from the United Kingdom.

There is also a half hour summary of the BBC World News on BBC News 24 every weekday and Sunday morning at 0930GMT.

There's some confusion as to what the ident for BBC News from BBC World should actually say. It has been changed over the past year from having "BBC News" overlayed on the trademark globe, to having "BBC World" overlayed, with BBC News in a slightly more squashed format towards the bottom of the screen.

See also

• PBS stations in the United States that air BBC World News

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "BBC World", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki