ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
World Service on Freeview digital line-up
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service has been added to the new Freeview line up of
digital television, radio and interactive services, it was announced
today (27 October 2002).
The international news and information radio service will be on
Freeview channel 80. It joins 11 UK digital radio stations from
the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ and Commercial Radio, and up to 30 digital television channels,
on the new free-to-view digital terrestrial television (DTT) service
when it is launched this week on Wednesday, 30 October.
This
means UK listeners will find it easier to listen to the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World
Service's renowned global agenda of in-depth news, analysis and
reporting in high quality sound.
At
present an estimated 1.3 million people in the UK listen to the
World Service every week. Over 150 million people around the globe
listen to the world's leading international radio station.
"Until recently it's been easier to hear the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service
in Dhaka, Singapore or Lima than in Belfast, Cardiff, or Glasgow
– unless you're a night owl tuning into World Service programmes
on Radio 4, Radio Ulster or Radio Wales," says Director, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
World Service Mark Byford.
"Our new presence on the Freeview digital platform - added
to our relatively recent availability via digital satellite, digital
radio and online – means even more of the people who fund us,
taxpayers in the UK, can benefit from and enjoy the service.
"International news is at the heart of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service programming
and on-the-spot coverage is delivered by the largest world-wide
team of reporters, with 250 correspondents reporting from 50 bureaux,"
he says.
Radio listening through television sets
Listening to radio through digital television sets, whether by digital
satellite or digital cable, has become increasingly popular over
recent years.
Some 2.8 million adults listen to radio via Digital Satellite or
Digital Cable televisions every week, according to recent figures
from RAJAR – the official audience research body for the radio
industry.
That
figure equates to some six per cent of the adult population (around
20 per cent of Digital Satellite or Digital Cable subscribers).
Almost 14 per cent of all UK adults have ever listened to radio
via their TV – that's around 6.7 million people.
How
to hear World Service in the UK
Medium wave: 648kHz/463
metres medium wave in parts of South East England
Overnight
on the following ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ radio stations:
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Radio 4 92.4-94.6 FM and 198 LW (between 1.00am and 5.30am)
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Radio Ulster 92.4-95.4 FM, 1341 MW, Enniskillen 873 MW
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Radio Wales 93.9-103.9 FM, 882 MW
Digital
satellite: Sky Digital Channels 865 (ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service in English)
and 902 (for World Service Extra - a service featuring the key languages
of Afghanistan and the surrounding region - Arabic, Bengali, Hindi,
Persian, Pashto, and Urdu)
Digital
Terrestrial Television (Freeview): World Service in English
is available on Freeview channel 80. Further information on Freeview
(including how to retune your existing DTT receiver) is available
online at
(The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ is not responsible for the content of external
internet sites)
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½i:
World Service in English can be heard 24-hours a day, with many
"on demand" programmes and broadcasts in more than 40
other languages - including Arabic, Chinese, Bengali, Greek, Hindi,
Somali, Turkish and Urdu.
Digital
radio (DAB): World Service is available on the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s national
DAB digital radio multiplex. Further information on digital satellite
and digital radio is available at
Short
wave: 6195 kHz (49 metre band) - morning and evening; 9410 kHz
(31 metre band) - morning and evening; 12095 kHz (25 metre band)
– daytime; 15485 kHz (19 metre band) - daytime.
Notes to Editors
Freeview to launch on 30 October (03.10.02)
|
