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Press Releases
91Èȱ¬'s global news audiences reach record 233m
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The 91Èȱ¬'s combined international news services attracted a record global
weekly audience of more than 233 million during 2006/7, according to
independent surveys.
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The global audience figure for the combined services of 91Èȱ¬ World Service radio, 91Èȱ¬ World television and the 91Èȱ¬'s international online news
service bbcnews.com is up 23 million from 210 million last year.
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Many
people used more than one service.
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 91Èȱ¬ World Service's weekly radio audience estimate is a record 183
million, up 20 million on last year.
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91Èȱ¬ World – the commercially-funded international English language news
and information television channel – now has estimated record audiences
of 76 million viewers a week, up from 65 million in 2005/6.
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The 91Èȱ¬'s international-facing online news sites attracted a record 763
million page impressions in March 2007, up from 546 million in
March 2006. There were a record 38.5 million unique online users across
the globe during March 2007, up from 32.8 million a year ago.
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91Èȱ¬ Global News Director Richard Sambrook said: "This is a strong and
welcome indication that the 91Èȱ¬'s news services are strengthening their
impact with audiences around the globe in the highly competitive
multimedia age.
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"People around the world are increasingly turning to the 91Èȱ¬ when they
need quality news and information that is independent and trusted."
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There were large 91Èȱ¬ radio audience increases in Bangladesh – up 8.3
million.
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Increased survey coverage added 7.5 million to the estimate in
Democratic Republic of Congo and 7.0 million in Afghanistan.
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Weekly
audiences in radio markets in India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Rwanda all
grew by a million or more during the year.
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91Èȱ¬ World saw substantial growth in audiences in Africa, Canada,
Egypt, India, Pakistan and the USA.
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Notes to Editors
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91Èȱ¬ World Service broadcasts in 33 languages including English. The other
languages are: Albanian, Arabic, Azeri, Bengali, Burmese, Caribbean-English, Cantonese, French for Africa, Hausa, Hindi, Indonesian,
Kinyarwanda/Kirundi, Kyrgyz, Macedonian, Mandarin, Nepali, Pashto,
Persian, Portuguese for Brazil, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala,
Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, and
Vietnamese.
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In the UK, World Service in English is available on 648 MW in south
eastern England. In addition, overnight on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 4, 91Èȱ¬ Radio Wales
and 91Èȱ¬ Radioi Ulster and via digital radio, digital satellite and the internet.
The English Network can be heard on the 91Èȱ¬'s digital multiplex in the
UK, Freeview digital channel 80 or in Europe on the Astra satellite,
channel 865.
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Outside the UK, 91Èȱ¬ World Service is available on short wave; on FM in
152 capital cities; and selected programmes are carried on almost 2,000
FM and MW radio stations around the world.
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91Èȱ¬ World television is the 91Èȱ¬'s commercially-funded global 24-hour news
and information channel. 91Èȱ¬ World is available in more than 200
countries and territories worldwide, and reaches more than 280 million
households (147 million 24-hour homes) and more than 1.3 million hotel
rooms. It is also available on 50 cruise ships, 37 airlines and 29 mobile
phone platforms.
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The new World Service global audience estimate is derived from a
comprehensive programme of independent audience research over a four year
cycle. This year's figure incorporates new data from 24 countries - some
69 per cent of this year's audience (some 65 per cent of last year's
audience).
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The 91Èȱ¬ World audience figure is compiled from multiple surveys
(syndicated, omnibus and specifically commissioned) across 100 countries.
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The surveys are carried out by independent market research groups and
comply with international standards of audience research.
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91Èȱ¬ World Service Press Office
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