Last updated September 2007
Printable version
World Service programming
International news forms the core of BBC World Service's programming in all 33 languages.
This is supported by a diverse range of programmes that include education, sport, business, music and features, with content varying according to the number of hours each language service is on air.
News and information
BBC World Service reports and analyses world events around the clock, every day of the year.
On-the-spot coverage is delivered by the largest worldwide team of news reporters, with 250 correspondents reporting from 50 bureaux.
Additional regional expertise is also contributed by an extensive network of local reporters and stringers who contribute to BBC World Service's 33 non-English language services.
Vital information is also sourced from radio, television and news agency reports around the world, provided by BBC Monitoring.
These enable BBC World Service journalists to obtain the latest local reports on events from 150 countries and 100 languages.
News programmes in all languages are built around the same core of global news, plus the main regional stories of the day.
British or regional views are reflected where appropriate, and are covered in regular programmes.
Languages broadcast
BBC World Service's programmes are broadcast around the world in English and in 32 other languages to the following areas:
Americas
Caribbean – English, Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish (Latin America)
East Asia
Burmese, Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Indonesian, and Vietnamese
Eurasia
Azeri, Kyrgyz, Pashto, Persian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian and Uzbek
Europe
Albanian, Macedonian, Romanian
Middle East
Arabic and Persian
South Asia
Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, Sinhala, Tamil and Urdu
Sub-Saharan Africa
French (Africa), Hausa, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Portuguese (Africa), Somali and Swahili
News and information is central to all language services, while a range of additional programmes are broadcast to meet the needs of listeners.
Content and diversity of programmes varies according to the number of hours each service is on air.
Most languages can be listened to on short wave in the target region and the majority can also be heard on FM in major towns and cities.
All language services have a website and are available in audio on the World Service website.
See the online section for more on multimedia language sites with text, audio and video, which are updated 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
English language teaching
BBC World Service aims to provide innovative, high quality multimedia support to some of the millions of English language learners around the world.
A comprehensive guide to what is available can be found at bbclearningenglish.com, which provides a wide range of materials for teachers and learners all round the world, including interactive debates, web casts, downloadable quizzes and worksheets, and radio programmes both for short wave and FM.
They are designed to help with comprehension and speaking and many include exercises to encourage listeners to practise their English.
Many different topics are covered, including English for business, current affairs, science, literature and music.
There are also specially prepared materials and radio programmes for learners with Arabic and Mandarin Chinese as their mother tongues.
