BBC World News

The latest EMS survey*, which monitors the media habits and attitudes of Europe's top income earners, has revealed that BBC World News has experienced substantial growth in Europe on daily and weekly audiences.

Among the main EMS survey, daily audiences are up by 15% to 1.2 million, and weekly audiences up 5% to 5 million. On the more upscale EMS Select survey, daily television audiences were up a substantial 21% (to 379k) and weekly up 9% (to 1.5m). Monthly audiences were up marginally in Western Europe to 10.3 million, and to a record 12.2 million across Western and Central Europe.

The survey shows the BBC international website continues to attract by far the largest number of opinion formers and decision makers among news websites across Europe, with 6 million per week. Among the EMS Select target of this group, more than 20% visit the BBC online each week, while no other site attracts more than 10%.

The growth has come at a time when, despite a news agenda which included a US presidential election and the economic recession, many international news channels and print titles have seen viewer figures decline. In that period, however, BBC World News’ weekly audience has doubled.

Jeremy Nye, Head of Audience Insight, BBC Global News, says: "The BBC's reach among Europe’s business leaders and opinion formers is looking stronger than ever. These results show that viewers trust and value the BBC’s coverage of world events”.