Annual Review 2007/08

Home , Alan Johnston, BBC Persian, BBC Urdu, Robin Lustig

Annual Review 2007/08 Osman Mohamed (left) and Fida Bassil present Newshour live from the BBC Arabic television studio in London. A YEAR IN BRIEF ANNUAL REVIEW 2007/08

A year in brief

CONTENTS

01 A YEAR IN BRIEF BBC World Service’s weekly global audience estimate is 182 million. 02 OUR AIMS 04 DIRECTOR’S OVERVIEW BBC World Service is now available in 154 capital cities on FM, as

A YEAR IN REVIEW: well as via satellite, cable, podcasts, mobiles and online – in addition 08 BBC ARABIC ENTERS THE FUTURE to short and medium wave. There were significant audience increases 10 PAKISTAN – REPORTING ON A NATION IN TURMOIL of 1.1 million in Nigeria and 0.9 million in India (where radio audiences 12 MAJOR PROGRAMME SEASONS are now over 20 million a week); a new audience of 1.2 million was 16 75TH ANNIVERSARY 18 FUTURE MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY recorded in Sierra Leone; and although the year also saw a decrease 20 GLOBAL NEWS – THE BIGGER PICTURE in Bangladesh, following a sharp increase in 2006/07, audiences there 22 BBC WORLD SERVICE TRUST remain well above 2005 levels. English language audiences overall 24 BBC WORLD SERVICE MANAGEMENT BOARD 26 MEASURING OUR PERFORMANCE were up by 2 million. BBC Arabic’s television channel launched. 30 FINANCIAL REVIEW It is the first Grant-in-Aid funded television channel for BBC World 31 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 34 STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES Service. The BBC World Service’s online sites attracted a record 36 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 259.6 million page impressions in March 2008, compared to 48 REPORTS ON COMPLIANCE 189.8 million in March 2007 – an increase of 37%. The international websites continued to respond to high information demand at times of crisis; the bbcurdu.com site reached over 1 million unique users in November 2007. Traffic to bbcbrasil.com more than doubled over the year, bringing the total weekly users to 1.4 million. The number of weekly unique users of the BBC World Service websites combined with the international news site in English averaged 13.2 million in March 2008, up 11% on the previous year. BBC World Service’s Grant-in-Aid funding from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for 2007/08 was £255 million. BBC World Service delivered £6.5 million efficiency savings in 2007/08. The BBC’s Global News division – BBC World Service radio, BBC World News Left: During the pro-democracy protests by monks in Burma in September many ordinary citizens television and our international-facing online news sites – reached witnessed the story and sent in video and photos taken with mobile phones to international news a combined global weekly audience of over 233 million,with organisations, as well as uploading information and pictures to their blogs and websites. many people using more than one service. 01 OUR AIMS ANNUAL REVIEW 2007/08

Our aims

To be the world’s best-known and most-respected voice in international news, thereby bringing beneﬁt to the UK, the BBC and to audiences around the world. To provide the most trusted, relevant and high-quality international news in the world and an indispensable service of independent analysis and explanation, with an international perspective that promotes greater understanding of complex issues. To connect and engage audiences by facilitating an informed and intelligent dialogue – a global conversation – which transcends international borders and cultural divides, and to give audiences opportunities to create, publish and share their own views and stories. To enable people, by so doing, to make sense of their increasingly complex world and, thus empowered, lead more fulﬁlling lives.

Top left: In Bangladesh, BBC journalists, including those from 17 language services, were on hand to speak to people who lost their homes to Cyclone Sidr in November. Bottom left: Audiences have been engaging in debates on local and international issues throughout the year and across the world.

02 03 DIRECTOR’S OVERVIEW DIRECTOR’S OVERVIEW A deﬁning year for BBC World Service

“With the launch of BBC Arabic television, our multimedia strategy took a giant step forward.”

our stakeholders in Parliament and across all the major language services. Long gone media portfolio by extending broadband over this issue, BBC World Service’s global to improve the size of our user base Whitehall, in particular from the Foreign are the days when BBC World Service could video and Wap portals for mobiles into reputation appeared unaffected. In all seven in the years to come and to keep and Commonwealth Office and the Treasury. simply be a radio broadcaster with a single more languages and offering podcasts of key markets surveyed, except Russia, the pace with audience needs. global offer.We are now tailoring services selected programmes. At the time of writing, BBC scored highest for trust and objectivity STRATEGIC PROGRESS to each market.Where possible and preparations were well underway for the among international broadcasters.We also A REPUTATION FOR QUALITY With the launch of BBC Arabic television, affordable, we are focusing on multiple launch of BBC Persian television in 2008. In did better than domestic stations in Nigeria, The quality of our journalism and our multimedia strategy took a giant step means of delivery, whether it be through the longer term, if we are going to compete Bangladesh and three Indian states where programme making undoubtedly forward.That moment in March 2008 increased FM relays, partner stations, seriously in regions like South Asia, and in surveys took place last year. contributed to the maintenance of marked the successful culmination of a four- streaming on the web, downloadable parts of Africa, we know we need to offer Online traffic grew by over 30% across our global reputation and the depth year journey to secure funding and deliver programmes or podcasts.We maintained a targeted television service there, too. the BBC’s language sites funded by Grant- of our audiences’ trust.We also had It was a broadcasting year that saw the a high-quality television service in a vital the necessary pace of change in our future in-Aid. Investment in 24/7 news provision strong external vindication of this when launch of the first BBC television news channel region of the world. BBC Arabic television AUDIENCES BROADLY STABLE contributed to the success of sites such BBC World Service won nine awards for international audiences for a decade, complements revamped radio and online With the impact of Arabic television yet as bbcbrasil.com, which more than doubled at the 2008 Sony Radio Academy improvements to our future media services services, enabling us to compete effectively to be measured, BBC World Service’s global the number of page impressions in a highly Awards, including four Golds. and the retention of our global radio as a trimedia broadcaster.The new channel audience held up well in the face of stiff competitive market over a 12-month period. Special seasons of programmes listenership after the large increases of investigates the issues that dominate people’s competition in many markets. In terms Another strong performer was BBC Urdu, extended the quality and range the previous 12 months. In these ways, lives in the Middle East and wider Arab world, of the number of people who use us every which took advantage of the paucity of of our output throughout the 2007/08 can be seen as a defining year; we from regional politics to global economics, week, our target was to consolidate our reliable and accessible media in Pakistan year. One of the highlights was demonstrated our ability to innovate while from conflict to climate change. It is stretching position on radio and increase online usage during the state of emergency, in the winter the Bangladesh by River journey – retaining the affection of audiences who have the boundaries for interactive programming significantly.These goals were broadly of 2007, to attract new users. By contrast, a centrepiece of the Taking the been loyal to us for a large part of our history. with the widest range of opportunities achieved. At 182 million, the radio audience it was harder to make headway in South Temperature season on climate We also celebrated our 75th birthday yet offered to audiences to participate was virtually unchanged from the record America, Russia and the Arab world with change – when journalists, in December 2007 with a special season in multimedia debate and discussion. 183 million a year ago. As always, there are our Spanish, Russian and Arabic sites. It is including those from 17 language of programmes and events, which looked In another historic move, BBC Arabic ebbs and flows beneath this topline figure. not easy to find the right opportunities for services, travelling in a floating at the challenges free and independent also became the first part of BBC World The estimate for Africa and the Middle partnerships to showcase our news content. studio were on hand to report media face worldwide. Service to leave Bush House to occupy East was up three million to 86 million, We achieved our objective of relaunching Our ability to meet some of those studios in the new BBC News Centre in with strong performances in Nigeria and the bbcworldservice.com site to enable users Above: Radio audiences remained challenges will be boosted by the significant London W1.The technology is state of the Kenya. Asia Pacific audiences were down to access the best of our English language stable and trust ratings remained extra funds we will receive over the next art, integrating fully digital radio, television by 3.1 million to 79.1 million, a decline radio content in a more effective way. It was high. Top left: Programming three years. Following discussions with the and online production systems.The editorial largely attributable to Bangladesh, where gratifying that the site won the top award and seasons addressed major UK Government, the 2007 Spending Review and technical teams have helped to pioneer there had been a major and arguably in the Radio category of the Webbys – global stories, including in-depth granted us new resources to launch Persian new ways of multimedia working for unsustainable increase during the previous the equivalent of the Oscars for the internet. coverage last year of what became known as the ‘credit television in the autumn of 2008, develop the whole of the BBC. I congratulate year’s political unrest. The new Arabic site led the way in the use crunch’. Bottom left: our web operations and extend our Arabic them on the way they rose to the challenge Ratings for audience trust remained of ‘embedded’ video, offering users the Expanding the means television service to a full 24/7 schedule. on schedule and on budget. very positive. In a period when the BBC increasingly familiar experience of watching of delivery is extending I am grateful for the continuing support The move into Arabic television and commercial broadcasters in the UK video without having to open a new browser access to BBC World BBC World Service has received from symbolises the way we aspire to modernise had to address widespread public concern window. But we accept there is much to do Service content.

04 05 DIRECTOR’S OVERVIEW

“The whole of the BBC, and its audiences, salute the bravery and dedication of our teams in the ﬁeld who risk much to make sure important stories get told.”

on the devastating effects of Cyclone Sidr. violence and security restrictions. Our teams Top left: BBC Arabic reported This initiative won the Sony Gold Award worked hard to extend coverage beyond in depth on the unfolding story for Multiplatform Radio activity. day-to-day events, providing context and of social unrest and strikes caused In other focused weeks, we offered fresh analysis for a global audience. Conditions by rising living costs in Egypt. perspectives on the state of democracy are hazardous for correspondents and Bottom left: BBC World Service covered the Kenyan elections in Russia and the role of politics in China. contributors in a long list of countries, from comprehensively with reports in The global economy was a major theme Afghanistan to Somalia. The whole of the English, Swahili and Somali coming throughout the year.We investigated whether BBC, and its audiences, salute the bravery in from reporters around the country. economies such as those of China, Japan, and dedication of our teams in the field When other FM news providers Singapore and India would be dragged down who risk much to make sure important were temporarily prevented from by the credit crisis in the United States in stories get told. carrying live news about the violence a series that anticipated the upheavals that that followed, BBC World Service followed later in the year. CONTINUING CHALLENGES remained on FM in Nairobi, Mombasa It is regrettable that access to BBC news and Kisumu. AT THE HEART OF THE STORY material is still obstructed in some parts The most uplifting news of the year was the of the world. In China, blocking of Mandarin release of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston radio and online content remains deep in July 2007, after spending 114 days in and persistent: access to online news captivity in Gaza. His work was recognised material in English continues to be by a number of awards: from the BBC World intermittent. In Iran, our Persian website Service in its own annual awards; human is still blocked despite our best efforts rights group Amnesty International; and, to persuade the authorities there to widen the London Press Club.We were delighted access.When I visited Iran in November, when he became the new presenter of I met key government advisers in preparation BBC World Service’s edition of From Our for the launch of BBC Persian television. Own Correspondent. They told me how, in contrast to the We continue to rely on the courage obstacles faced by ordinary users, the and dedication of correspondents like Alan BBC Persian website is read daily by to cover challenging stories. Among many officials, some of whom brief senior officials whose work stood out was Owen Bennett- in the government of Iran. It is our hope Jones and the rest of the English and Urdu that the BBC’s commitment to its Persian language teams who reported on the death audiences will be matched by a more of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan. Owen won open climate and greater access to Iran a clutch of awards for his work on Pakistan, for our correspondents in the future. including the Sony Gold for Best News The theme we chose to celebrate Journalist. In the violent aftermath of Kenya’s the 75th anniversary of BBC World Service presidential election, Karen Allen and her in 2007 is an appropriate note on which colleagues combined their analysis with to finish this review. It was Free to Speak. a vivid picture of events on the ground. Let us hope that more of the world will The contribution of local reporters who be free to speak, listen and watch in the work for all the language services is immense. year ahead. In Burma, for example, exceptional coverage of the pro-democracy uprising in the autumn of 2007 stood out for the way sources on the ground were able to channel crucial knowledge of the story to all parts of the BBC, informing audiences in the UK as well as around the world, often at high risk to themselves. NIGEL CHAPMAN Iraq remains a particularly difficult country DIRECTOR, BBC WORLD SERVICE in which to operate because of the level of June 2008

06 07 A YEAR IN REVIEW: BBC ARABIC A YEAR IN REVIEW: BBC ARABIC

BBC Arabic enters the future

“BBC Arabic broadens the news agenda for audiences in the region, reflecting the breadth of their interests.”

09:56 GMT on 11 March 2008: the opening internationally has to use the medium sometimes geographical and political barriers was broadly positive. Most felt it was MOVING ON shots were of a flight up the Thames past of choice for its audiences, whether that are high – everyone needs an opportunity likely they would continue to use it and Less than four months before the familiar London landmarks, arriving at BBC is radio, television or online.” to express their views.” recommend it to others. launch of the new television service, Broadcasting House for a glimpse of the With news headlines every 15 minutes BBC Arabic television is funded through BBC Arabic bade farewell to the new multimedia production studios. On the and a full summary every half hour, BBC WIDER PERSPECTIVE the BBC World Service Grant-in-Aid. studios on the fourth floor at Bush hour, presenter Fida Bassil read the headlines Arabic television combines the BBC’s global BBC Arabic immediately stood out in the A commercially backed Arabic channel was House they had occupied for much and BBC Arabic television was on the air newsgathering resources with on-the-spot market by offering a wider news agenda and closed in 1996 after editorial disagreements of the service’s 70-year history. with its first news programme. reporting. Its network of Arabic-speaking greater depth. On the day of the TV launch, with the subsidiary of a Saudi Arabian The move was completed without Seventy years after making its first radio reporters and correspondents spans the as Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced a thaw company that had financed it. disruption to the 24/7 radio and broadcasts, BBC Arabic had become the Middle East as well as London,Washington in relations, BBC Arabic analysed the origin online operations. most comprehensive multimedia service to and other world capitals. of the rift between the two countries and NEWSROOM OF THE FUTURE the Arab world, with news and information “There is a need in this market for BBC the issues in dispute.“Audiences had to In the Arabic newsroom at the BBC’s now available on television, radio, the values,” says Hosam El Sokkari, Head of BBC come to the BBC to understand exactly new W1 News Centre, staff working internet, mobiles and handheld devices. Arabic.“We give a global take on news that what the problem was because other on radio, television and online content sit Initially broadcasting for 12 hours a day, is objective and balanced. Our journalists do media were only talking about reconciliation side by side using dual-language keyboards extending to 24/7 later in 2008, the TV not promote a particular agenda.We are there and brotherhood,” says Hosam El Sokkari. and large IT screens that can show up channel is freely available to any household, to help people make sense of the story, to Another story that signalled a different to 16 Arabic television channels.There from North Africa across to the Middle help different parties to explain their position, approach was the BBC’s international poll, are no longer any audio or video tapes, East and the Gulf, with a satellite connection. to help people to understand and engage.” which revealed that support for tough just digital files that can be shared at Live output, which is streamed through New developments in interactivity have international action against Iran over its the click of a mouse.“The technology is the relaunched website bbcarabic.com, increased opportunities for audiences to nuclear programme had fallen.“It is our job integrated so that you can move content can be viewed anywhere in the world. contribute, comment on events and engage to be objective and report events as they between any of the major platforms Launching the channel is a key part of with decision-makers.The live interactive happen without fear or favour, and audiences seamlessly,” explains Technology Programme BBC World Service’s strategy for 2010 and debating forum Nuqtat Hewar (Debating tell us that kind of reporting stands out,” Director Bob Gentry.“Because it is is seen as essential for future success in the Point) is featured three days a week, says Jerry Timmins.“The difference is being file-based, you can maximise collaborative Arab world, where television increasingly fulfilling a commitment to bring a new noticed in the region already.” working, with journalists editing footage Left top: The website bbcarabic.com is the medium of choice for news. dimension to debate in the region. Already In the first few weeks, BBC Arabic television at their own desktop. It’s very flexible is one of the first BBC sites to The BBC is a widely respected source. In popular on radio and online, the show debated stories ranging from an eight-year- and fast.” contain embedded video, offering surveys, 85% of those asked said they would has been adapted for television with a old Yemeni’s marriage annulment to growing Around 180 new staff, many recruited visitors to the site faster and watch the news service. It is hoped that some new multimedia format, enabling people social unrest in Egypt and the trial of Iraq’s from the Middle East, had to be introduced better access to the day’s stories. 35 million people will be using BBC Arabic to contribute using webcams and 3G former deputy prime minister,Tariq Aziz. to the new ways of working.The outcome Left bottom: Nuqtat Hewar, in five years’ time across all platforms. mobile phones as well as via email. “We are reporting more than just is regarded as a great success.“It is for (Debating Point) presented by Samir Farah, leads the “It was great to launch Arabic TV in this “At no time have people in the Arab conflict and politics,” says Hosam El Sokkari. me one of the best projects and the best interactive programming for anniversary year because it is such a powerful world felt the need to communicate more “BBC Arabic broadens the news agenda results there has ever been,” says Project BBC Arabic. Above: The new, statement about BBC World Service’s future,” than they do now,” says Hosam El Sokkari. for audiences in the region, reflecting the Manager Elwyn Evans.“The launch went state-of-the-art BBC Arabic says Jerry Timmins, Head of Africa and Middle “We are offering them an opportunity to breadth of their interests.” very well – the channel immediately had studios make working East Region.“It is the first step in the major take part using all these different technologies. Initial feedback from an audience panel assurance and confidence and looked across three platforms new strategy of saying that the BBC Across this very large region – where of BBC online users towards the TV channel as if it had been there forever.” a seamless operation.

08 09 A YEAR IN REVIEW: PAKISTAN A YEAR IN REVIEW: PAKISTAN

Reporting on a “Our multimedia service in Urdu played a crucial public service broadcasting role in Pakistan itself and we were an international hub for news, multimedia nation in turmoil content and debate.”

The former Pakistani prime minister, did it with the highest level of professionalism Owen Bennett-Jones’s coverage of Benazir Bhutto, was at a rally campaigning and competence, even though they were these events in Pakistan was recognised ahead of parliamentary and provincial dazed, like others, by the enormity of the at this year’s Sony Radio Academy Awards. elections when she was assassinated in story,” says Nazes Afroz, Regional Executive He received the Gold Award for News an attack on 27 December 2007. It was the Editor, Asia Pacific.“It was a quintessential Journalist of the Year and Newshour, on most challenging news event in 12 months BBC programme about a huge breaking which he is a presenter, also won Gold. of major stories in Pakistan, following story. It needed to be informative, not To cover the unfolding story, bbcurdu.com Bhutto’s dramatic return from self-imposed speculative. It captured the mood of the switched to rolling news with a dedicated exile in October, the declaration of a state country without getting emotional and website, images and videos. An all-time of emergency a month later and the encompassed all possible angles. Our network record of 2.9 million page impressions was presidential elections in February 2008. of reporters made it possible to report recorded in 24 hours and the interactive “Throughout the year Pakistan was from almost every corner of the country team handled thousands of emails, a huge global story,” says Mohammed with authority.” comments and personal insights.The site Hanif, Head of BBC Urdu.“Our multimedia In English, special programming is the largest Urdu news site in the world, service in Urdu played a crucial public combined reports of the day’s events with receiving around 32 million page impressions service broadcasting role in Pakistan itself analysis and reaction from Pakistan and a month. It was one of the first to offer and we were an international hub for around the world, including information video content in Urdu. news, multimedia content and debate.” provided by the BBC Urdu news team. There were difficulties in maintaining News teams in English, Urdu and other BBC staff overcame transport problems FM news broadcasts in Pakistan. A service regional languages moved quickly to cover and blackouts.The former Islamabad broadcast on two networks, launched in the assassination and its aftermath. A special correspondent, Owen Bennett-Jones, June 2007, was disrupted and the BBC was edition of the Urdu evening news and was in place to cover the election run-up. taken off the air when the state of emergency current affairs programme, Sairbeen, was “Owen stood out in the way he was able was declared, although shortwave services produced and presented from Islamabad to cover a story that he knew intimately, were unaffected.The growth in traffic to the within 90 minutes of Benazir Bhutto being explaining it and talking to the right people,” BBC Urdu website reflects the value audiences pronounced dead.The programme was the says Liliane Landor, Editor World Service in Pakistan and around the world place on first to air her last speech, made at the rally. News and Current Affairs.“He succeeded the BBC in times of crisis.The BBC provided “This was possibly the biggest story that in getting an interview with Benazir a vital service while access to media was BBC Urdu had to cover in decades and they Bhutto’s husband, which was outstanding.” restricted during the state of emergency.

“WE WERE ALWAYS AWARE Newshour presenter and former Islamabad completed.The new facilities mean OF THE DANGER” correspondent had been aboard Bhutto’s the bureau is permanently networked “Nothing has devastated me more than flight home from self-imposed exile. and ‘online’ with Bush House in this has. It’s not that it was not in our “She really did have guts,” he reported London. Brand new studios, with minds.We were always aware of the in From Our Own Correspondent,“which radio and TV capacity, mean full danger Benazir faces. But somehow is why even those Pakistanis who programmes or packages can we were hoping that we would succeed despaired of her failings are shocked be produced in Islamabad for BBC and they would not, the terrorists this weekend – shocked and appalled World Service broadcast and there and the people who back the terrorists… at her brutal death at the hands is a new phone-in facility, allowing But, alas, it wasn’t so.” Benazir Bhutto’s of a nameless fanatic.” for increased audience participation. widower,Asif Zardari, gave an interview As well as the BBC Urdu reporters Top: Covering events in Pakistan over the past 12 months was a challenge to BBC World Service reporting teams – to bring to Owen Bennett-Jones at the Bhutto EXPANSION IN ISLAMABAD and staff, members of the BBC Arabic the story to audiences, both within Pakistan and throughout the rest of the world. Above left: Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, family home in Sindh Province following At the end of 2007, upgrade work team are also based there along less than three months after her return to Pakistan, led to a postponement of the presidential vote. Above right: A successful his wife’s death.Weeks earlier the at the BBC’s Islamabad bureau was with BBC Newsgathering reporters. online campaign was mounted in early 2008 to encourage people to access the BBC Urdu site for news.

10 11 A YEAR IN REVIEW: MAJOR PROGRAMME SEASONS A YEAR IN REVIEW: MAJOR PROGRAMME SEASONS

Sailing to the “Two days after the cyclone, our reporters were back in the same villages they had visited ten days earlier. heart of the story Those programmes are most vivid in our minds.”

The team of 50 journalists aboard the MV world’s largest mangrove forest, the of programming on China was scheduled Aboshar – which included staff from 17 Sundarbans. BBC teams spoke to villagers to coincide with the 17th Party Congress language services at different times during whose homes were disappearing because of the Communist Party, presenting an the month-long trip – could not have had a of land erosion. BBC Bengali broadcast unprecedented opportunity to explore more vivid demonstration of the impact of live discussions with local people and the internal political processes. extreme weather on people in Bangladesh. co-produced special editions of the interactive “We thought, how often have these The aim of their journey had been to meet TV, radio and online programme Bangladesh processes been explained? The Congress communities affected by climate change.Two Sanglap (Dialogue) with the BBC World is not democratic but it sets the stage for weeks after setting out from Dhaka on their Service Trust. decisions,” says Senior Commissioning Editor ambitious river journey, Cyclone Sidr hit. The vessel was equipped with solar- Anne Koch.“So we had people such as The most destructive storm in the country powered recording equipment and a number James Reynolds inside the Congress hall for more than a decade, it killed more than of solar panels that provided light and power explaining what was going on and using it as 3,000 people and left millions homeless. to the eight ‘hot desks’, satellite phones and a way to talk about politics in the country.” The Bangladesh by River tour was other portable equipment.The solar power Teams in Beijing, Shanghai and central China a vivid and moving highlight of Taking enabled the team to record and broadcast added to the breadth of coverage. Jill the Temperature, one of the year’s major from the boat without the engine noise McGivering’s reports focused on the voices programme seasons, which explored the in the background and reduced emissions of those migrating from country to city. global impact of climate change. During the and saved valuable fuel.The latest interactive Among the week’s highlights were the year, BBC World Service’s special coverage technologies made it possible for audiences BBC Debate: China’s Growing Pains, chaired looked beyond the day-to-day headlines to track the boat’s journey.They could follow by Nik Gowing from Dalian, and Assignment: to provide insights into global trends and an interactive map, view and tag pictures on China’s Long Arm on the spread of China’s offer a fresh perspective on countries from the photosharing website flickr.com and find economic influence. Many language services Afghanistan and Iraq to China and Russia. out what journalists were doing through the took part in the season but BBC journalists New interactive technologies brought issues social networking site twitter.com. Journalists from the Mandarin service were refused to life for audiences in ways that had never from four of the country’s main television visas to report on the Congress. been attempted before. channels as well as newspapers in the UK In Bangladesh, plans to highlight the impact also joined the boat, generating publicity RUSSIA WEEK of climate change on local communities were and interest. It was the depth and innovation “Reporting elections is nothing new: we do rapidly changed as BBC journalists left the of the team’s approach that won the it all the time. Reporting an election which planned route to witness Sidr’s devastation Bangladesh by River project Gold in the looks more like a selection is a different and assess the effectiveness of the relief 2008 Sony Radio Academy’s Multiplatform story,” says Olexiy Solohubenko, Executive effort.They were among the first broadcasters Radio Award category. Editor, Americas and Europe, of the BBC to reach communities affected. “The river project lifted the profile of World Service Russia Week.“We wanted “We abandoned our journey in the BBC Bengali in Bangladesh and created a lot to show how the country has changed north of the country and went back down of excellent programming on climate change,” in eight years of the ‘Putin Project’.” south,” says Sabir Mustafa, Head of BBC says project manager James Sales.“It showed Scheduled in the run-up to the election Bengali, who advised broadcasters from all our strengths as an organisation and what of President Putin’s successor, the week’s parts of the BBC.“Two days after the cyclone, we can achieve when we work together – focus on Russian issues was BBC World our reporters were back in the same villages we achieved all of our aims and more.” Service’s biggest yet. Programmes ranged they had visited ten days earlier.Those from a review of Putin’s policies and the programmes are most vivid in our minds.” CHINA WEEK role of the FSB security service (successor Before the cyclone, thousands of people The last time BBC World Service ran a to the KGB), to the booming film industry, Top left: Russia Week programming explored the opinions of individual voters as well as the wider political climate came out to greet the adapted tourist boat week of special programming about China, the music scene and the state of the nation’s within the country. Top right: Timed to coincide with the 17th Communist Party Congress, programmes in the China as it travelled from Dhaka to the edge of it focused on this huge nation’s dramatically health. A BBC World Service-commissioned Week season covered a wide range of issues, from politics to migration. Above: The Bangladesh Sanglap (Dialogue) the Bay of Bengal and into the heart of the changing role in the world. In 2007, a week global survey revealed that a majority discussion programmes allow ordinary people to put their questions directly to politicians and other important figures.

12 13 A YEAR IN REVIEW: MAJOR PROGRAMME SEASONS

of citizens in G7 countries regarded the most ambitious and comprehensive yet. GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY outgoing president as a “negative influence Match commentary and special reports Programming and seasons on democracy and human rights in Russia”. available on radio and online captured throughout the year engaged Reporting from Russia throughout the all the excitement. Audiences in Africa audiences in the debate.The flagship week, and co-presenting with Konstantin could follow the tournament in Arabic, programme World Have Your Say Eggert of BBC Russian, the BBC’s former English, French, Hausa, Kinyarwanda, is at the forefront of BBC World Moscow correspondent, Alan Little, concluded Kirundi, Portuguese, Somali and Swahili. Service’s interactive output.The that the big question, whether Russia is a At internet cafés in the four host programme won the Gold Sony democracy, remained open.“The Putin circle cities fans could try out the website, Award for listener participation calls the new Russia a sovereign democracy bbcworldservice.com/africanfootball, at this year’s Awards. – a democracy defended against hostile and compete for a virtual trophy foreign meddling,” he said.“But the odd – by playing a fun online game. and very Russian – paradox is this: that this A record number of more than 40 FM retreat from the democratic experiment partner stations across Africa carried live in the 1990s seems genuinely popular.” coverage and updates.“We had a lot of innovative programmes tailored for them,” IRAQ FIVE YEARS ON says Editorial Coordinator Vera Kwakofi “It was five years since the invasion of Iraq of BBC African Productions.“The Swahili and we looked at how those years have Service was crucial for East Africa because impacted on the United States, Iran, the they provided the only programming serving Arab region and Iraq itself,” says Liliane Swahili listeners.We helped out a lot of Landor, Editor World Service News and people by keeping them in touch with one Current Affairs. Five half-hour programmes of the biggest stories on the continent.” culminated in special coverage on the day of the anniversary. COAST TO COAST IN SPANISH Iraq is now the most dangerous place Reporters Jose Baig and Carlos Ceresole Left: Taking the Temperature – a in the world for journalists. Around 280 are from BBC Mundo took to the road from BBC World Service season – brought believed to have been killed, many of them the east to the west coast of the United audiences up close to the effects Iraqis. BBC Baghdad correspondent Jim Muir States to see if it would be possible to of climate change. Top left: BBC met Fatima Salloumi, Director of the Islamic do so speaking only Spanish.They produced World Service teams covered Press Centre, whose husband, also a online video, still pictures, text and audio every match from every stadium journalist, was killed. She now presents her in addition to filing a blog and sharing in nine languages during the husband’s programme.“We can’t give up material on flickr.com and facebook.com. Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana. Top right: Journalists from and leave the field to those people in Iraq Their journey attracted crowds and BBC Mundo made two trying to silence the truth,” she told Muir. widespread media coverage.“It was a very journeys across the USA successful interaction with the US community, speaking just Spanish. Entitled AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS which generates key traffic to bbcmundo.com,” ¿Hablas español?, the trips BBC World Service’s coverage of the 2008 says Hernando Alvarez, Current Affairs drew attention to issues of Africa Cup of Nations from Ghana was the Editor for the site. economics and migration.

14 15 A YEAR IN REVIEW: 75TH ANNIVERSARY A YEAR IN REVIEW: 75TH ANNIVERSARY

“The stress was on Celebrating history, today and the future rather than just having a sepia-toned facing the future romp through our triumphant moments.”

It was much more than just a celebration. “The stress was on today and the future Music and drama were also celebrated: The theme chosen to mark 75 years rather than just having a sepia-toned romp Sir Arnold Wesker’s play, The Rocking Horse, of international broadcasting by the BBC through our triumphant moments,” says was written specially for the 75th anniversary was Free to Speak, an in-depth look at Project Editor Sara Beck.“The idea was to and starred Clive Swift and Prunella Scales. issues of censorship, political and economic take a broader, reflective look at the state of Thousands of musicians from 88 countries pressure, and how technology is changing the media and the way people are accessing entered The Next Big Thing, a search the way information is disseminated and information and look ahead to the challenges for the best unsigned artists in the world. consumed. In addition to a series of special not just for BBC World Service and the rest of “We didn’t want the whole season to programmes, the season gave people the BBC but for the media across the board.” be serious and issues-based,” says Sara all over the world a chance to take part In Press for Freedom, media commentator Beck.“Everyone had freedom of expression in debates and share stories, while a major and former newspaper editor Roy Greenslade to sing about anything in any language.” survey came up with some surprising explored the dangers facing journalists, The winning group,Yunasi from Kenya, played results gauging attitudes to press freedom their freedom to report and how it can at the O2 Arena in the BBC World Service around the world. be protected.The way news is made came 75th anniversary concert alongside Squeeze, under scrutiny as Alan Little compared Daby Toure,Toumast, Katie Melua and a day’s news coverage by three international Carbon Silicon. television news channels. In How Free the BBC?, World-changing events selected media specialist Ray Snoddy looked at the from three-quarters of a century of news relationship between BBC World Service were broadcast in 75 daily, one-minute and the British Government, which funds it. instalments. BBC Director of News Helen In London, the ﬁrst-ever Reith Global Debate Boaden introduced the historic media brought together former Reith Lecturers to moments, which included General Charles consider the Free to Speak theme. A series of de Gaulle calling the French resistance to BBC World Service debates held in New York, arms via the BBC in 1940; American reporter Delhi and Cairo gave regional perspectives Herb Morrison witnessing the Hindenburg on freedom of expression as audiences airship bursting into flames in 1937; put their questions to expert panels. People and items from Radio Mille Collines, the everywhere were encouraged to participate station that played a key role in the Rwandan in the season and share their experiences. genocide in 1994.

FREEDOM POLL and Britain. Doug Miller, the President programmes would be neither “very good” A special BBC World Service survey for of the international polling ﬁrm GlobeScan nor “very interesting” in the early days. the Free to Speak season showed that world Incorporated, commented,“While people “How astonished he would be that we now opinion was divided on the importance generally support a free media, the Western attract over 180 million listeners a week via Left: Robin Lustig chaired a debate in New York on the of press freedom.The poll of more than view of the necessity of a free press 33 language services,” said the current question:“Is it ever right to limit free speech?” Top: Programmes 11,300 people in 14 countries showed that to ensure a fair society is not universally Director BBC World Service, Nigel Chapman, on the theme of the BBC World Service 75th anniversary a majority thought it was important to shared across all regions of the world.” marking the 75th anniversary.“The challenge season – Free To Speak – looked at freedom of the media ensure a free society. But 40% believed that now is to continue to provide impartial, and democratic issues. Above left: Kenyan group Yunasi social harmony and peace are more highly EMPIRE CALLING engaging news and information in a new won the BBC World Service’s Next Big Thing 2007 contest. valued even if it means controlling what When the BBC Empire Service – technological age, and to continue to buck Above right: Katie Melua celebrated the BBC World Service’s is reported. Only 19% said there was little forerunner of today’s BBC World Service – the pessimism of our founders; it has proved 75th birthday as the headline act of the anniversary concert. or no media freedom in their country. went on the air via shortwave in December quite possible to make lively programmes, Right: The ﬁrst ever Reith Global Debate brought together Concern over the ownership of private 1932, BBC Director-General Lord Reith full of interest, that are easy to listen to three former Reith lecturers – Baroness Onora O’Neill, Nobel media was greatest in Brazil, Mexico, USA predicted that lack of funds would mean and enrich the lives of millions every day.” laureate Wole Soyinka (pictured) and Professor Jeffrey Sachs – to debate questions of media freedom.

16 17 A YEAR IN REVIEW: FUTURE MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY A YEAR IN REVIEW: FUTURE MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY

Connecting with audiences

In a year when future media teams in works where video adds value to the story.” BBC World Service focused on building By the end of the year, broadband video deeper relationships with global was available in six languages, and take-up audiences, it became easier for users levels were encouraging. to access and share content on the web Work also began on tailoring the look and other new media platforms.Websites and feel of all language sites to suit the in Arabic and English were relaunched diversity of tastes and reflect designs more and access to video was enhanced competitive with local providers’ services. in a range of key languages. Known as ‘localisation’, the aim is to showcase Behind the scenes a more flexible a wider range of content in a more system was introduced for journalists accessible way. to produce and publish multimedia content. A new global satellite distribution system RICHER RELATIONSHIPS transformed delivery of audio, video and Increased functionality gave users more online material worldwide. opportunities to discuss issues among The new bbcworldservice.com website, themselves as well as giving their viewpoints launched at the end of 2007, gives in BBC debates. Multimedia votes are now immediate access to a rich mix of audio taking place, using images, audio and video. ‘BEST OF RADIO’ SHOWCASE MOBILE NEWS GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION content in English.The facelift is designed Improved blogging tools allow users to In its first facelift for four years, To reach growing audiences seeking The new Global Satellite Media to make the site clearer and less cluttered. add their view to other people’s comments. bbcworldservice.com made it easier than content on mobiles,Wap portals were Distribution System completed “We wanted to put the fantastic breadth Greater personalisation has been ever to enjoy the wealth of content also launched in four languages – Arabic, in January 2008 has transformed and depth of our audio at the heart introduced, allowing users to extract produced for BBC World Service radio Russian, Spanish and English. Users distribution of all BBC World of the user’s experience,” explains Sally content and use it in ways that suit them. programmes in English.“We have made audio can download news content onto their Service content around the world, Thompson, Managing Editor BBC World Experiments with uploading information central to the site – ‘this is our best radio mobile devices from the BBC sites including FM and video content. Service Future Media.“Audiences can to social networking sites gathered pace content, get it here’ is the message,” says and view it on demand. The system, installed in over 1,200 find their favourite audio and schedules during the Bangladesh by River journey Managing Editor Kelly Shephard.“We are locations, delivers better quality more easily as well as experiencing the (see page 12-13). not going to wait four years to change the EXTENDING audio, uses smaller receiver dishes serendipitous nature of BBC World Service “We want to develop a deeper, richer site again – it should be an ongoing process, PARTNERSHIPS and saves £0.2 million per annum. radio output.” relationship with our audiences. Increased so we are going to be continually adding In Africa and the Middle East, which “We completed on time With the relaunch of bbcarabic.com interactivity gives us the opportunity to do to it and revamping it.” The launch was accounts for 70% of all new Business and on budget, including in some to coincide with the new Arabic television that,” says Thompson.“With the phenomenal the start of a major programme of work Development investment, we gained pretty challenging locations such channel (see page 8), the website became success of social networking sites where you to improve websites in all 33 languages. two million extra listeners via FM relays as Afghanistan and Iraq,” says the place where audiences can discover can aggregate content from many different and 0.8 million new listeners via FM Mike Cronk, Controller Future the full range of multimedia content now sources, audiences have now grasped the TOP PODCASTS partners.And in the United States, Media,Technology and offered by the BBC in Arabic.With a new, power of personalisation.” BBC World Service programmes were made 5.3 million people listen to the BBC Distribution.“The new system modern look, the site makes video and The BBC World Service’s online sites available as part of the new BBC podcast every week through our distribution enables us to reach audiences audio as easy to access as text. attracted a record 259.6 million page service launched in the summer of 2007 partner, PRI – our highest figure to date. with an industry standard The technology of ‘embedding’ video, impressions in March 2008, compared to after a two-year trial. Initially seven Partnerships on the internet are technology.Anyone can go making it unnecessary to launch a separate 189.8 million in March 2007 – an increase programmes were offered. By the end also increasingly important.They helped out and buy a DVB receiver Above and top: The redesigned window to watch a video clip, is being of 37%.The success of partnerships played of March 2008, a summary of BBC World our Brazilian service exceed its reach and a dish in their local bbcworldservice.com won the 2008 Webby Award for best radio website. Right: The ability extended to other major language sites. an important part in achieving this result. Service global news was the BBC’s most targets by over 100% and serve 1.4 million store and start listening of new devices to offer a full multimedia service It offers the same user experience as Syndication with third-party sites has popular daily podcast, with more than unique users weekly. On the strength of to BBC World Service. means that users are demanding more and better websites such as youtube.com.“It places been facilitated by new developments 1.24 million monthly downloads. BBC partnerships, our Learning English content In time it will enable content. BBC World Service is providing relevant video in the story instead of it being an to improve the speed and consistency World Service now provides 31 programmes for China tripled its traffic, reaching us to do a lot more content in flexible and innovative ways. add-on,” explains Thompson.“That really with which content is delivered. to the podcast service. 44 million page impressions monthly. for the audience.”

18 19 A YEAR IN REVIEW: BBC GLOBAL NEWS A YEAR IN REVIEW: BBC GLOBAL NEWS

The bigger picture

BBC World Service forms part of the BBC’s and objectivity, which remains strong, according PUTTING NEWS FIRST ON TV BBC World News ahead of competitors increase to £25 million per annum “It is about Global News division, which brings together to independent surveys. Results show that BBC World News (formerly BBC World), Bloomberg, CNBC and CNN International over the next three years, an extra all the BBC’s international news services, the combined BBC international news services the BBC’s commercial international news in the categories of trust and influence. £1.6 million per year.This made moving all of both publicly and commercially funded, outperformed both CNN International and information channel, attracted a global it possible to go ahead with key on radio, television, online and mobile media. and international radio competitors when audience of 78 million viewers, up from GLOBAL INSIGHT investments in technology and our international The aim is to maximise the BBC’s impact audiences were asked about these values 76 million the previous year. By March 2008 It was a year of significant change for infrastructure.“BBC Monitoring in converging media markets and obtain in almost all major markets. it was available in more than 274 million BBC Monitoring, which reviews some sits at the nexus of the rapid changes news provision the best value from both Grant-in-Aid The BBC’s international-facing online homes around the world, 1.4 million hotel 3,000 radio,TV, press, news agency and that are now taking place in global and commercial funding. sites attracted a record 808.2 million page rooms, on 50 cruise liners, 38 airlines, internet sources in 150 countries and media – changes brought about In 2007, the combined audience was stable impressions in March 2008, up from 763 32 mobile phone platforms and online. In 100 languages.The service provides an by a host of geopolitical, social into a more at 233 million a week, of whom 78 million million a year earlier. In November 2007 May 2007, a new, dedicated channel was insight into global developments, focusing and technological factors,” watched the commercially funded international BBC World Service ceased to contribute launched on the video sharing site YouTube. on political, economic and security news, says Director Chris Westcott. coherent news and information television channel, to the cost of the BBC’s international-facing The service offers 30 news clips a day. High information and comment. It is funded “Our ability to keep pace with BBC World News, and 13 million used the English website, bbc.com, and the news levels of trust for BBC World News were by a grant from the Cabinet Office, which ongoing developments is crucial multimedia BBC’s international-facing online services. site bbc.com/news.The new sites are now revealed in a Media Brand Values survey is the sponsoring department and chairs if we are to provide the insight Many people used more than one service. commercially funded through BBC Worldwide among influential business professionals the Governance Panel. In November 2007, our stakeholders need to make operation.” “We are moving into multimedia provision and editorially controlled by BBC Global in three continents. Respondents placed it was announced that funding would sense of this changing world.” for international news rather than resting News. Following approval of the arrangements primarily on radio, especially shortwave by the BBC Trust, international users now radio, as we have in the past,” says Richard see advertising on selected pages. Sambrook, Director of BBC Global News. “The BBC website has a large number “So it is about how we pull together our of international users and advertising various strengths: on radio, which still provides seems to be the obvious way for them to a very large audience, but also on television contribute to the costs of the site,” explains and the internet, increasingly with video Richard Sambrook.“In addition, profits content as well. It is about moving all of our from the site will be reinvested in the international news provision into a more BBC’s international journalism and we coherent multimedia operation.” believe this will enable us to more strongly With the development of BBC Arabic into develop the site for international users.” a multimedia service, combining radio, television BBC Monitoring provides analysis of and online, and the forthcoming multimedia international media and its usage.The service service in Persian, BBC World Service is monitors more than 3,000 sources, providing playing a central role in the development valuable and reliable insights and coverage to of the BBC’s Global News strategy. BBC news services as well as to external clients. “BBC World Service is part of the bigger BBC Monitoring and BBC World Service Trust picture – we no longer look at what we do complete the BBC Global News line-up. in isolation,” explains Director Nigel Chapman. “These developments are important as they show how we are modernising our services Left top: BBC Monitoring continued its strategy to move operations closer to sources, for people in the right way for each market. local knowledge and skills in a number of cities – The international audience perception is including Tashkent (pictured), Delhi, Baku, Kabul, simply of news from the BBC across all Cairo,Tbilisi and Yerevan. Left: Making BBC platforms and languages.” content available through external sites such Underpinning all international news as YouTube has helped build new audiences. services is the BBC’s reputation for trust Right: Matt Price reporting for BBC World News.

20 21 A YEAR IN REVIEW: BBC WORLD SERVICE TRUST A YEAR IN REVIEW: BBC WORLD SERVICE TRUST

Innovation helps “Even in remote, developing areas, technologies such as mobile phones are enabling people change lives to access and share information quickly.”

The BBC World Service Trust, the BBC’s and places strong emphasis on measuring RIGHTS OF WOMEN international development charity, placed the impact of projects.The principal source AND CHILDREN increasing emphasis on interactive of funding is grants from international IN CENTRAL ASIA technologies in its work to alleviate poverty donors, ranging from government aid BBC World Service Trust began and promote human rights in over 43 programmes to international foundations, helping the media to support countries – primarily in Africa, Asia and the trusts, United Nations organisations and the rights of women and children Middle East. Building on greater access to non-governmental organisations. in Central Asia in a two-year the internet and mobile communications, The BBC World Service Trust worked project primarily funded by it took advantage of growing opportunities with colleagues across the BBC in projects the European Union as part for dialogue with audiences. designed to give communities greater of the European Initiative for “A striking development in the past year freedom of expression. Its multimedia Democracy and Human Rights has been the continuing rise of new media Question Time-style debating programme (EIDHR).The initiative involves and new communication technologies,” Bangladesh Sanglap (Dialogue) formed training journalists, not-for-profit says the BBC World Service Trust’s Director, a centrepiece of the BBC World Service organisations and senior media Stephen King.“Interactivity is key and even Bangladesh by River project (see page 12-13). managers in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan in remote, developing areas, technologies The programmes offer an opportunity and Tajikistan. Skills learned will such as mobile phones are enabling people to question politicians and commentators be put to use in the co-production to access information and share news quickly.” first hand and have a combined radio and of a series of television and One of the most successful interactive television audience of more than 17 million. radio programmes. campaigns was the ZigZag project, which In Sierra Leone, BBC World Service enabled young Iranians to develop skills as Trust worked in partnership with the TOP AWARDS ‘citizen’ journalists.The site received well over conflict resolution NGO Search for Common A BBC World Service Trust a million visits. By accessing a virtual newsroom, Ground to develop and implement a national music video involving more aspiring journalists were able to generate campaign to support free, fair and peaceful than 40 top Bollywood stars content for a variety of BBC platforms, elections. It carried out journalistic training and intended to raise awareness including the BBC Persian website, and gain and population surveys and strengthened about HIV and Aids won three feedback from experienced professionals. technical support to local media. Indian Telly Awards.The video More than 7,500 contributions were received. Television and radio programmes, including was made for the TV series “The vibrant mix of content appeals popular drama series, are the centrepiece Haath se Haath Milaa (Let’s to a young audience eager for something of mass media health promotion campaigns Join Hands), part of one different,” says King.“Issues covered have in countries such as Angola, Cambodia, India, of the world’s biggest mass included gay Tehran and illegal salsa classes. Nigeria and Vietnam. Radio remains the RADIO LIFELINE KENYA’S VIOLENCE – media projects to promote All this goes hand in hand with training cornerstone of projects to reach mass FOR DARFUR WERE THE MEDIA TO BLAME? Aids awareness. in topics such as impartiality, accuracy and audiences in many of the world’s poorest Life-saving information was broadcast In its first Policy Briefing, the BBC World Among other awards fairness.”As well as using the BBC’s own communities. Projects ranged from Radio Lifeline to 6.5 million people in Sudan’s western Service Trust examined the role of the received in 2007, BBC World airwaves, it forms partnerships with local for Darfur to Hip Hop Girls, a weekly phone- province, including more than two million media in the 2007 Kenyan presidential Service Trust’s radio talk and national broadcasters, reaching millions in made in partnership with Cambodian radio living in refugee camps. Programmes in elections and their violent aftermath. shows – which explore of people around the world.The BBC World stations to get girls aged 18 to 20 talking Darfuri Arabic are made in Sudan by “Many factors were held responsible for issues around HIV and Service Trust has a track record of innovation about reproductive and sexual health. producers trained by BBC World Service the violence,” say the authors, James Deane Aids, sexual health and Trust and broadcast by BBC World Service and Jamal Abdi.“High among them has gender – won two prizes Above top: In Nigeria, BBC World Service Trust partnered the Nigerian NGO Integrity to encourage better on shortwave.“The radio is the only way been the free and vigorous Kenyan media.” at the Nigerian Media reporting on financial issues and government spending. The project included training and contests for we get information.We listen to this so The Briefing was based on research and Merit Awards. journalists and cartoonists. Above: The BBC World Service Trust provides training for journalists in countries we know what is going on in our country interviews. It argues that the crisis where media is less developed, such as Afghanistan (pictured). Right: The award-winning mass market and how people in other areas are being demonstrates that free and plural media campaign to increase discussion about condom use among men in India continued. affected,” said a young listener. are an answer as much as a problem.

22 23 BBC WORLD SERVICE MANAGEMENT BOARD BBC WORLD SERVICE MANAGEMENT BOARD

NIGEL CHAPMAN SANJAY NAZERALI GWYNETH WILLIAMS LINDSEY NORTH HUGH SAXBY RICHARD THOMAS DIRECTOR, BBC WORLD SERVICE (CHAIR) CONTROLLER, MARKETING, DIRECTOR, ENGLISH CONTROLLER OF LEGAL & RIGHTS HEAD OF GOVERNANCE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Responsible for the overall editorial leadership COMMUNICATIONS & AUDIENCES NETWORKS & NEWS Responsible for legal and rights advice & PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCE and management of BBC World Service. Responsible for marketing, publicity, audiences Responsible for news and all programming across BBC Global News division. Responsible for governance, public affairs, Responsible for the ﬁnancial and budgetary He is the BBC World Service Accounting Ofﬁcer. and market research. on the English World Service networks. accountability and internal communications. management of BBC World Service. JOHN RENNER BEHROUZ AFAGH MIKE CRONK NIKKI CLARKE DIRECTOR, PROPERTY JERRY TIMMINS JIM EGAN HEAD OF ASIA PACIFIC REGION CONTROLLER, FUTURE MEDIA, HEAD OF AMERICAS & DEVELOPMENT HEAD OF AFRICA & CONTROLLER OF STRATEGY Responsible for broadcasts and future media in TECHNOLOGY & DISTRIBUTION & EUROPE REGION Responsible for BBC World Service’s MIDDLE EAST REGION & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Azeri, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Pashto, Persian,Vietnamese, Responsible for operations and development Responsible for broadcasts and future media accommodation. Responsible for broadcasts and future media Responsible for setting corporate strategy for Indonesian, Burmese, Chinese, Urdu, Hindi, across future media, technology and in Albanian, English for North America and the in Arabic, French, Hausa, Kinyarwanda/Kirundi, BBC World Service and across Global News and Bengali, Nepali,Tamil and Sinhala. BBC World Service distribution arrangements. Caribbean, Macedonian, Portuguese for Brazil, Portuguese, Somali, Swahili and English for Africa. for overseeing teams of Business Development Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish for Latin professionals working to extend the reach of RICHARD BURDON America,Turkish and Ukrainian. the BBC’s international news services on radio, DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES television, online and mobile devices around Responsible for HR strategy and delivery the world. of HR services.

Lesley Granger, Director, Human Resources, retired on 30 June 2008. Richard Burdon joined on 12 May 2008. Alan Booth, Controller, Marketing, Communications & Audiences, left on 31 July 2007. Sanjay Nazerali joined on 1 September 2007. Phil Harding, Director English Networks & News, retired on 17 September 2007. Gwyneth Williams joined on 18 June 2007. Alison Woodhams, Chief Operating Ofﬁcer and Director of Finance, left on 30 September 2007. Richard Thomas joined on 28 April 2008.

The photographs above are of the permanently appointed members of the BBC World Service Management Board at the time of the Annual Review 2007/08 publication on 8 July 2008.

24 25 MEASURING OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURING OUR PERFORMANCE

BBC World Service is required to report a number of Public Service Agreement measures to the Foreign and Commonwealth REACH Ofﬁce annually as part of the accountability process.These measures support BBC World Service’s agreed objective to be the Percentage of adult population who listen to BBC World Service/main international radio competitor weekly. best-known and most-respected voice in international radio and online broadcasting. Main international 2007/08 2007/08 Country radio competitor BBC World Service Competitor 1. GLOBAL RADIO AUDIENCE Nigeria Voice of America 33.7 18.8 Kenya Voice of America 32.5 6.5 1a.AVERAGE WEEKLY AUDIENCE (MILLIONS) Bangladesh Voice of America 14.5 6.5 India Voice of America 2.9 0.3 Number of adults listening in an average week, through direct and/or indirect broadcasting via partners, excluding areas where Russia Radio Liberty 0.7 1.1 measurement is not possible. Global totals are shown rounded to whole numbers.

OBJECTIVITY 2006/07 2007/08 2007/08 Percentage of listeners who say that BBC World Service/main international radio competitor ‘provides unbiased and objective news Actual Target Actual and information’. Main international 2007/08 2007/08 Global 183 180 182 Country radio competitor BBC World Service Competitor Nigeria Voice of America 63 40 Regional Kenya Voice of America 26 11 Africa and the Middle East 83.0 82.0 86.0 Bangladesh Voice of America 64 33 Americas and Europe 17.9 18.0 16.8 India (Note 1) Voice of America 69 n/a Asia and the Paciﬁc 82.2 80.1 79.1 Russia Radio Liberty 13 19

1b.AWARENESS, REACH, OBJECTIVITY AND RELEVANCE Note 1: Base too small for VoA reputational data.

National surveys are carried out in a range of countries every year in order to update the global audience figure and to assess RELEVANCE performance among target audiences. Surveys are carried out annually in countries covering around 75% of the global audience, Percentage of listeners who say that BBC World Service/main international radio competitor ‘provides news that is relevant to me’. with other countries being surveyed periodically. No surveys were carried out for Egypt,Tanzania, Pakistan or Indonesia in 2007/08. Main international 2007/08 2007/08 In Romania, surveys were carried out in a limited number of cities therefore no national figures are available. Country radio competitor BBC World Service Competitor Nigeria Voice of America 58 39 Surveys include data on awareness, reach, objectivity and relevance, both for BBC World Service and for international public service Kenya Voice of America 15 6 radio competitors.This data is reported annually to enable trends to be identified over time. Bangladesh Voice of America 41 22 India (Note 1) Voice of America 60 n/a The following tables show BBC World Service performance in each of these categories: Russia Radio Liberty 14 19 AWARENESS Percentage of adult population who are aware of BBC World Service/main international radio competitor.

Main international 2007/08 2007/08 Country radio competitor BBC World Service Competitor Nigeria Voice of America 64.7 44.6 Kenya Voice of America 83.0 32.0 Bangladesh Voice of America 75.6 47.6 India Voice of America 12.1 1.9 Russia Radio Liberty 29.4 27.0

26 27 MEASURING OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURING OUR PERFORMANCE

2. ONLINE AUDIENCE 4. SHORTWAVE AUDIBILITY

2a. MONTHLY TEXT AND AUDIO PAGE IMPRESSIONS (MILLIONS) Audibility reports are based on data from the total number of signals monitored.

March 2007 March 2008 March 2008 Quality is rated as follows: Actual Target Actual 5 very good 4 good BBC World Service site/International-facing news sites 704.3 700.0 See below 3 acceptable 2 poor Note: In November 2007 the BBC’s international-facing news site (IFS) in English ceased to be funded from the Grant-in-Aid; 1 unacceptable therefore traffic for it is no longer counted as part of Grant-in-Aid funded activity. On this basis the March 2008 figure for monthly online use is 259.6 million page impressions, up from a recalculated figure of 189.8 million in March 2007. Percentage of all shortwave signals scoring 3, 4, or 5: 2006/07 2007/08 2b. INTERACTIVE FORUMS Actual Target Global 79 80 Number of interactive forums by key language: Number of forums Number of forums (4th quarter) 2007/08 (4th quarter) 2007/08 Africa and the Middle East 79 84 Target Actual Americas 88 87 English at least 25 at least 25 Asia Pacific 78 77 Arabic at least 25 at least 25 EurAsia 82 81 Spanish at least 25 at least 25 Europe 73 77 Chinese at least 25 at least 25 Russian at least 25 at least 25 2007/08 Target 2007/08 Note: An extremely wide range of interactive discussions and forums has developed since the targets were set.These range from (recalculated) Actual high-profile, major multimedia and multilingual forums involving key political figures to the Have Your Say topics that are regularly posted on websites and invite comments from users. Global 80 78 3. CAPITAL CITIES WITH BBC WORLD SERVICE FM PRESENCE March 2007 March 2008 March 2008 Actual Target Actual Africa and the Middle East 84 78 Americas and Europe 82 80 Number of capital cities with FM presence 151 152 154 Asia Pacific 78 75

The recalculated targets reflect the split of language services into the three regions, effective since 2006/07: the Global and Africa and the Middle East regions remain the same while EurAsia is split into Americas and Europe and Asia Paciﬁc. If the jammed Mandarin and Uzbek transmissions are removed from Asia Paciﬁc, the total is 78%.

Re-engineering work at Ascension Island and Cyprus over the past year has had some effect and, once both are fully back in service, these improvements should bring enhanced audibility.

The continuing sunspot low requires use of the overcrowded lower frequency bands, which can result in poor audibility due to interference.

28 29 For internet users, BBC World Service is now much more than bbcarabic.com bbcalbanian.com bbcazeri.com bbcbengali.com just the world’s leading international radio broadcaster. The award- bbcbrasil.com bbcburmese.com bbccaribbean.com bbcchinese.com winning internet site, bbcworldservice.com, connects online bbcfrench.com bbchausa.com bbchindi.com bbcindonesian.com audiences throughout the world, including the UK. It is possible to listen to, or download, the latest BBC World Service programmes. bbckinyarwanda.com bbckirundi.com bbckyrgyz.com Audio and text are available online in all 33 languages broadcast bbcmacedonian.com bbcmundo.com bbcpersian.com bbcnepali.com by BBC World Service. bbcpashto.com bbc.com/portugueseafrica bbcromanian.com bbcrussian.com bbcserbian.com bbcsinhala.com bbcsomali.com Just like BBC World Service radio, bbcworldservice.com is synonymous with news and information, founded on the same bbcswahili.com bbctamil.com bbcturkish.com bbcukrainian.com core values of accuracy, trust and reliability. bbcurdu.com bbcuzbek.com bbcvietnamese.com

SONY RADIO ACADEMY AWARDS Webby Awards, Best Radio Website, Association of Turkish Journalists Best Radio GOLD BBC World Service Award, Emre Azizlerli, Producer, BBC Turkish The Listener Participation Award, Webby Awards, Official Honourees, British Council Innovation Award, World Have Your Say Bangladesh by River website Learning English, The Flatmates The Multiplatform Radio Award, British Council Innovation Award, Bangladesh by River The Judges’ Award at the Royal Television BBC Learning English blogs (BBC World Service and BBC World Service Trust) Society TV Journalism Awards, Alan Johnston English Speaking Union’s President’s Award, PICTURE CREDITS PAGE 14 The NCA Programme Award, Newshour Amnesty International Media Award, Alan Johnston The Teacher, Learning English BBC World Service FRONT COVER News Journalist of the Year, Owen Bennett-Jones UACES-Reuters Reporting Europe Award, BBC World Service/Ken Passley PAGE 15 Alan Little BBC WORLD SERVICE TRUST SILVER Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon, BBC World Service Russian National Research Council for Asia-Pacific Millennium Development Goals Media INSIDE FRONT COVER The News Feature Award, TV and Radio – Annual Telegrand Award, Awards, runner-up, Aangan Ke Paar (Hindi) Reuters PAGE 16 Benazir Bhutto:The Investigation Konstantin Eggert, BBC Russian Asia Media Summit 2007,World Award, BBC World Service Breaking News Award, the assassination PAGE 2 Haath se Haath Milaa (Hindi) of Benazir Bhutto BBC World Service PAGE 17 The Foreign Press Association Financial US Accolade Awards 2008, Honorable The Speech Programme Award, The Interview Reuters/Alberto Lowe, BBC World Service Story of the Year, The Baghdad Billions Mention, My Journey (Cambodia) PAGE 4 BRONZE The Society of Professional Journalists Nigerian Media Merit Awards, Eyevine/Andy Kropa, BBC World Service PAGE 18-19 The Live Event Coverage Award, Top Feature Reporting Award, Programme of the Year, Flava BBC World Service PAGE 5 The World Today: Chinese Congress The World: Rwanda –Trying to Move On Nigerian Media Merit Awards, BBC World Service PAGE 20 The Promo Award, India Rising Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards, Production of the Year,Ya Take Ne BBC Global News, Panos/Yola Monakhov Best Radio Feature, Business Daily: Senegal International Radio Broadcasting Awards, PAGE 6 ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL Commonwealth Broadcasting Association Bronze World Medal, Best Children’s / Corbis/Khaled El-Fiqi, Reuters/Radu Sigheti PAGE 21 BROADCASTING MEDIA EXCELLENCE Rolls Royce Award, Exceptional News Feature, Young Adults Programme, BBC Global News PAGE 8-9 AWARDS (AIB) Global Account: Turkmenistan The Ruined Castle (Pashto and Dari) BBC World Service PAGE 22-23 Most Innovative Cross-Media Production, The Overseas Press Club of America’s Indian Telly Awards, Best TV Lyricist, BBC World Service Trust Generation Next, BBC Global News Lowell Thomas Award, The World:Young China Best Music Director and Best Title PAGE 11 International Radio Personality of the Year, Singer for a TV Show, Reuters/Ahmad Masood, Reuters/ Printed using vegetable based ink on FSC certified George Arney Premio Ortega y Gasset Award, Haath se Haath Mila (Hindi) Jerry Lampen paper. The printer holds the environmental Best Topical Programme – Radio, Best Digital Journalism, BBC Mundo The American Indian Foundation PAGE 13 standard ISO 14001. Ghana:African Perspectives Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Award Honor, mass media campaign Reuters/Andrei Kasprishin, Reuters/ Clearest Coverage of a Single News Event – for Best Radio Documentary, to promote awareness of HIV Claro Cortes, BBC World Service Designed and produced by AB Design Group ab-uk.com Radio, the Israel-Lebanon war Rising Mercury, Deepening Crisis, BBC Hindi and Aids in India