The internet provides global access to BBC World Service programming offering greater choice, convenience and interactivity. As a result, development of online services has a high priority.

Multimedia sites with text, audio and video updated 24 hours a day seven days a week are now available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, Indonesian and Portuguese for Brazil services.

All 33 language services now have a website with audio available on the site.

The international English language version of the BBC News online site – bbcnews.com – was successfully launched in July 2002.

In 1998 World Service pioneered an interactive programme, Talking Point, debating issues in the international news.

The programme, now renamed Have Your Say, is broadcast simultaneously on radio and on the internet, including live video from the studio, and listeners are invited to contribute by telephone or online.

As a forum for international debate, discussions continue online after the broadcast has ended.

Guests such as President Putin of Russia, former Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain, King Abdullah of Jordan, and former UN General-Secretary Kofi Annan have answered questions phoned or emailed to them from BBC World Service listeners.

The World Service website also features a wide range of content to support education and general programmes, plus full programme and frequency information for all language services.

The BBC Chinese service site is currently blocked for many people trying to access it from China. Also the Persian online site is unavailable to many in Iran following the orders from the authorities to local Internet Service Providers to block the service to users.

The internet cannot be jammed as effectively as the radio and there are still ways of gaining access to blocked websites.