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BBC uses mobile phones to teach the English language in China
BBC
has joined forces with China's leading media and internet services
company, Sina, to launch a unique mobile phone service - teaching
English to up to 200 million Chinese mobile phone users.
The
new service provided by the BBC and hosted by Sina.com
launched in China on Monday 1 September 2003.
The
BBC is the first international educational content provider to use
mobile technology in this way in China.
BBC
Worldwide - the BBC's commercial consumer arm - and BBC World Service
will work with Sina to provide busy Chinese learners with a convenient
way to learn spoken English whilst on the move.
Users
in the world's largest single mobile telephone market will receive
a daily text message on their mobile containing an English phrase
together with the Chinese translation.
They
can then log onto Sina.com to listen to and read the phrase as part
of a longer dialogue, and to read explanations about the language.
Users
can choose from three strands to suit their needs: Language &
Lifestyle, Work and Sport.
The
messages using authentic everyday English will range from "Who's
been on a spending spree?" to "Do you know how to get
into this computer?" - all designed to extend the user's English
language repertoire and encourage them to log on to Sina.com to
expand on the material contained within the text message.
Raymond
Li, Editor of bbcchinese.com, said: "We all are very excited
to get the service launched. This is certainly a milestone for the
BBC.
"With
over 60 years of experience in English Language Teaching (ELT),
it is the first time ever that we are able to provide our ELT content
directly to the people in China through mobile phone platform.
"We
are now looking forward to the prospect of launching more educational
content services to the China market."
Alison
Emmett, General Manager of English Language Teaching, BBC Worldwide,
added: "We're aiming to provide the right content through media
which suit people's lifestyle and purse strings, which is why SMS
messages - and online - are so exciting.
"We're
also launching English language learning TV, books and tapes in
China this autumn to reach as wide an audience as possible."
Yan
Wang, Sina's CEO and President, said: "SMS, backed by strong
market demand and approval by users, has become one of the most
rapidly developed businesses within Sina, as well as in the China
market.
"Therefore,
we are very confident of offering our users another popular service
through this co-operation with the BBC.
"Being
the window of the Chinese internet industry to the world, Sina has
the obligation to introduce more and better knowledge, education
and learning experiences to the users in China.
"This
is also one of the objectives Sina is aiming at in developing its
business.
"I
believe that this new service is just the beginning of the strategic
partnership between the BBC and Sina, and I am sure there will be
more to come."
The
new service can be accessed at http://sms.sina.com.cn/docs/c/bbcsms.html
Notes
to Editors
BBC
Worldwide Limited is the commercial consumer arm, and a wholly owned
subsidiary, of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
The
company was formed in 1994 to develop a co-ordinated approach to
the BBC's commercial activities: television, publishing, product
licensing, Internet and interactive.
BBC
Worldwide exists to maximise the value of the BBC's programme and
publishing assets for the benefit of the licence payer, and re-invest
in public service programming.
Turnover
in the last financial year (2001/2002) was £660 million and
£106 million was returned to the BBC.
BBC
World Service broadcasts programmes around the world in 43 languages
and is available on radio and online on www.bbcworldservice.com
It
has a weekly global audience of 150 million listeners.
BBC
World Service is funded through Grant-in-Aid by the Foreign Office.
SINA,
a leading Chinese media and internet services company, offers internet
media and entertainment services, entrepreneurial technology services,
and telecom access and subscription services through its three major
business lines - Sina.com, Sina.net, and SINA Mobile.
SINA
global network delivers China-related information inclusive of economy,
finance, business, sports, entertainment, technology, as well as
Chinese success stories and Chinese dreams via multiple devices
and SINA English Channel to the world's largest population group.
The
network of four localised web sites is produced and updated daily
by local teams in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and North America.
For
more information about SINA, visit the company's corporate site
at www.sina.com/corp,
or regional sites at www.sina.com
The
BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
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