Operating Agreement: BBC World Service June 2007 1. Remit BBC World Service, as part of the BBC Global News Division, aims to be the world's best known, most creative, and most respected voice in international news, thereby bringing benefit to audiences around the world, the UK and the BBC. At the core of the service are the BBC’s values of impartiality, accuracy, independence and authoritativeness. 2. Scope of BBC World Service To deliver its remit, BBC World Service provides services in 33 languages (including English) around the world, on radio and online. Radio services are available on short wave, medium wave and increasingly, in cities, on FM – either through the BBC’s own relays or through partner stations – as well as via satellite and cable channels. BBC World Service’s English output is also available on the digital multiplex in the UK, and is the sustaining service for BBC Radio 4 overnight. All languages have an online presence in audio and at least some text, with nine key services (English, Arabic, Portuguese for Brazil, Chinese, Hindi, Persian, Russian, Spanish and Urdu) providing a 24/7 online news offer. In English, BBC World Service is responsible for providing the international facing online news site (IFS) to global audiences. From late 2007, BBC World Service will have a publicly funded television service in Arabic, available throughout the Middle East, and from 2008 it will also have a television service in Farsi, available in Iran. 3. Overview of aims and objectives BBC World Service should, through demonstrating the BBC’s values of impartiality, accuracy, independence and authoritativeness, provide a trusted, relevant, and high-quality international news service. It should make a significant contribution to sustaining citizenship around the world through providing an indispensable service of independent analysis and explanation, with an international perspective which promotes greater understanding of complex issues. It should connect and engage audiences by facilitating a ‘global conversation’ - an informed and intelligent dialogue which transcends international borders and cultural divides; by giving communities around the world opportunities to create, publish, and share their own views and stories; and, thereby, enabling people to make sense of increasingly complex regional and global events and developments. To deliver these aims, BBC World Service should: • provide a 24-hour international news and information radio service in English, with schedules tailored to different parts of the world, and available on the most relevant platforms in each market. • provide a strong English 24-hour online news service through the BBC’s International facing news website, in partnership with BBC News Interactive. • provide news and information radio services in 32 further languages, with schedules and volume of output tailored to each market. • provide audio and text services online in all languages, with full 24-hour online news offers in nine key services (English, Arabic, Portuguese for Brazil, Chinese, Hindi, Persian, Russian, Spanish and Urdu1) • provide a range of debates, interactive forums, opportunities for user generated content and other interactive initiatives to drive a ‘global conversation’ with and for audiences. 4. Accountability Managerial BBC World Service, as part of the BBC, has complete editorial independence from Government2. Responsibility for ensuring that BBC World Service delivers its remit in accordance with the Royal Charter rests with the BBC Trust through the BBC’s internal mechanisms. The Trust is responsible for approving any submissions to government seeking funding, and for the BBC’s stewardship of any Grant-in-Aid income. The Trust and the Executive Board, as appropriate, shall consult with the FCO on matters relating to the operation of BBC World Service. The Executive Board may inform the FCO of proposals that require the approval of the Foreign Secretary prior to these proposals being presented to the Trust, however the Foreign Secretary’s approval shall not be formally sought until the Trust has made a determination on the matter. Notwithstanding the need for a collaborative working relationship with the FCO, the Trust and the Executive Board shall ensure that the BBC’s editorial independence is protected at all times. Budget and financial BBC World Service is funded through a parliamentary Grant in Aid, negotiated with HM Treasury through the FCO as part of the Government’s Spending Review process. The Trust will approve any funding bid before it is formally submitted to the FCO as part of the SR process. In 2007/08, BBC World Service’s budget is £246m. 1 bbcworldservice.com; bbcarabic.com; bbcbrasil.com; bbcchinese.com;bbchindi.com; bbcpersian.com; bbcrussian.com; bbcmundo.com; bbcurdu.com 2 BBC/FCO Broadcasting Agreement, June 2005 The FCO appoints an Accounting Officer, usually the Director of BBC World Service, to ensure financial accountability. Arrangements for this are set out in a Financial Memorandum between the BBC and the FCO. BBC World Service’s accounts are independently audited and reported to Parliament as part of the BBC’s Annual Report and Accounts. 5. Contribution to the BBC’s public purposes BBC World Service makes a key contribution to delivering the key public purpose of bringing the world to the UK and the UK to the world. Bringing the UK to the world BBC World Service, as part of the Global News Division, should make a very significant contribution to this purpose by providing high-quality, trustworthy and relevant news and information to audiences around the world, building the BBC’s – and thereby Britain’s – reputation and influence globally. To achieve this, BBC World Service should serve focused roles in different market contexts: • In developed media markets, such as the United States and Western Europe, BBC World Service should be a niche international news provider, targeting opinion formers and decision makers with a high-quality complement to local providers, in English • In developing markets, such as China and Russia, BBC World Service should provide international and regional news, complementing local broadcasters, targeting opinion formers and decision makers in English and local languages • In least developed markets, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, BBC World Service news operations may serve as substitutes for national broadcasters, where relevant, for example in countries where there is an absence of free and independent media . World Service should target mass audiences, from information poor to opinion formers and decision makers, in local languages and English, mainly on radio. In some markets it should serve as a ‘lifeline’ service to those in greatest need of information. In each category it should focus especially on key markets, determined by geopolitical importance and information need. BBC World Service should also provide a range of debates, interactive forums, opportunities for user generated content and other interactive initiatives to drive a ‘global conversation’ with and for audiences Bringing the world to the UK BBC World Service should make the global material it generates, including debates, discussions, features and analysis of international events, available to UK audiences online and as part of the English output on the digital multiplex. BBC World Service should enhance co-productions with the BBC’s domestic services by adding greater international depth to the domestic output BBC World Service should use its strong network of newsgathering and reporting from correspondents overseas in local languages to increase and enhance the range and breadth of the BBC’s newsgathering operations. Conditions BBC World Service should: • Provide 24 hour coverage of international stories and events to international audiences in English and in 32 other languages as specified in the Appendix, on radio and online, focusing on key markets, including Africa, the Middle East and Asia • From 2007, provide 12 hours daily of coverage of international stories and events on television in Arabic • Facilitate discussion and debate among global audiences through interactive online forums • Make its English radio service available to UK audiences through the digital multiplex and other platforms • Make its online output, including interactive forums, available to UK audiences • Contribute strong international expertise and intelligence to BBC news and information content for UK audiences Performance measurement In order to meet its key public purpose the BBC World Service will carry out research annually to determine its performance: globally, among specific target audiences and against international competitors. BBC World Service aims to : • be the international news provider with the highest reach in every key market in those media on which it is present • have the highest reach among opinion formers and influencers in every key market • be rated highest among competitors in key markets on all reputational measures Success measures Reach Highest reach vs. key international competitors on radio and online (and, in the Middle East, on TV), including • Global weekly reach • Overall reach in key markets • Reach among target audiences in key markets Quality Highest ratings for key reputational indicators in key markets, overall and among target audiences, vs. key competitors, including • Trust • Objectivity • Relevance Impact • Highest awareness of the BBC’s news services vs. competitors, overall and among target audiences in key markets • High-profile joint initiatives: seasons, interviews, debates – that set the BBC apart • Assessment of the impact of interactive initiatives Value • Demonstration of efficient use of Grant-in-Aid money, including adherence to service level budgets and annual efficiency savings APPENDIX A: BBC Global News Division BBC World Service: Radio and new media services in 33 languages Radio offer* Online offer Service Hours of output per week, 2007 Weekly audience (millions), 2006 24/7 multi- media Other Remit English Global 168 (9 regional streams) 41.8** .. To provide a core service of accurate, impartial and independent news and current affairs, covering national and international developments, on the platforms specified • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information African programmes (opt-out from core English schedule) 33.5 (inc. in above) To provide a core service of accurate, impartial and independent news and current affairs, covering national issues and developments Caribbean programmes (opt-out from core English schedule) 4.5 (inc. in above) To provide a core service of accurate, impartial and independent news and current affairs, covering issues and developments in the region Delivery • New media: fully multimedia service updated 24/7 • Five hours daily of news from and about Africa • Half an hour daily of news from and about the region Africa and Middle East Arabic 168 12.3 .. To provide a core service of accurate, unbiased and independent news and current affairs, covering national and international developments, on the platforms specified • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Swahili 17 19.4 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Hausa 10.5 19.0 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information French 53.5 3.6 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Somali 14 1.1 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Kinyarwanda (Great Lakes) 4.5 2.4 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Portuguese (Africa) 4.5 0.5 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Americas and Europe Spanish (inc. sustaining music service) 168 5.2 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information • New media: fully multimedia service updated 24/7 • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio. • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: fully multimedia service updated 24/7 Portuguese for Brazil - - .. As above • Radio: core offer of international and regional news and current affairs; mainly short news bulletins for radio partners. • Video: international stories produced for a television partner and for bbcbrasil.com website. Russian 43.5 2.6 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Ukrainian 21 1.3 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Turkish 13 1.4 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Romanian 17 1.6 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information, Macedonian 5 0.1 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Albanian 20.5 0.2 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Serbian 14.5 0.2 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information • New media: international and Brazilian issues, with analysis and background • New media: fully multimedia service updated 24/7. • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio . • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio Bengali 10.5 10.8 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Urdu 21 9.4 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information. Hindi 16 17 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Mandarin 42 2.3 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Cantonese 1.5 0.1 As above Indonesian 17 6.1 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Sinhala 3.5 2.1 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Nepali 5.5 3.2 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Vietnamese 10.5 0.3 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Tamil 3.5 0.7 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Asia & the Pacific • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: fully multimedia service updated 24/7. • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: fully multimedia site updated 24/7. • Radio: Core offer of international news, current affairs and information • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in and audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in and audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: basic presence with live and on demand audio, Burmese 9 7.1 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Persian/Pashto 70/70 4.1/2.0 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information, in three streams tailored for Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan Uzbek 10.5 0.3 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Kyrgyz 7.5 0.2 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information Azeri 15 0.4 .. As above • Radio: core offer of international news, current affairs and information updated around transmission time. • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: fully multimedia service updated 24/7. • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio • New media: core offer of programme information; all output available in audio *available on short wave, medium wave, FM, and digital platforms depending on market ** new global audience figure expected mid April 2007