Category: News
Date: 24.10.2005
Printable version
A 91Èȱ¬ ONE Real Story special on volunteer doctors from Britain trying to save lives in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in south-Asia will be broadcast simultaneously in the English language and Urdu.
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The programme will be broadcast in English but will be available at the same time in Urdu to all digital viewers.
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All viewers need to do is press the red button on their remote control which they will be invited to do at the beginning of the programme.
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The Urdu language version is aimed at Britain's Pakistani and also other South Asian communities who might have a particular interest in the programme.
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Paul Clabburn, Editor of Interactive TV and Broadband, says: "Like last year's broadcast of One Night In Bhopal in Hindi we're using interactive 91Èȱ¬ TV platformsÌýto support programmes in additional ways, in this case making the programme more accessible to members of communities directly affected by the earthquake for whom English is not their first language."
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Urdu was chosen as it is the main language of Pakistan and it is also very similar to Hindi, the main language of India.
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It can therefore be understood by British Asians of Indian origin who speak Hindi or other South Asian languages.
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Last December the 91Èȱ¬ ONE documentary One Night in Bhopal was offered in Hindi via the red button so this is the second time that 91Èȱ¬ Current Affairs has offered a similar service.
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Digital reach among British Asians is relatively high, partly due to the availability of Asian programming on satellite and cable, so the red button is a particularly appropriate technology to use.
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Other digital language services have included a guide on how to vote at the time of the last General Election. This was offered in broadband by 91Èȱ¬ News interactive in six languages including Urdu, Chinese (Cantonese) and Arabic. (Note: this was not available on digital TV except in English).
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The Urdu language version is being made in Manchester with the help of staff from 91Èȱ¬ World Service's Urdu language service.
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Real Story: Earthquake Stories, Wednesday 26 October 2005, 7.30pm, 91Èȱ¬ ONE
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Notes to Editors
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Britain's Pakistani and also other South Asian communities number more than two million people according to the latest 2001 census figures.
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Real Story: Earthquake Stories follows Great Ormond Street paediatrician Dr Mukhtar, consultant urologist at Guy's hospital Dr Khan and his wife who is a qualified GP and leading paediatric cardiologist Dr Qureshi, also from Guy's.
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They have all volunteered to help those affected by the mountainside rubble of Bagh, one of the worst hit parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
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Operating in extremely difficult conditions, made worse by the rain, the four doctors are dealing with emergency caesareans, amputations, head injuries and a host of other life-threatening illnesses.
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They have no electricity, light, water, heat or proper shelter and their field hospital was washed away in the rain yet they are working solidly throughout daylight hours.
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