Why isn't my language included?

The languages in which BBC World Service broadcasts are decided in consultation with in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British government.

This body administers the grant-in-aid that currently funds us to broadcast in English and 27 other languages outside the UK. The FCO does not have any editorial influence on the content of our programmes, however, under the terms of the click BBC Charter and Agreement.

The decision to launch or maintain a language service is based upon many criteria, including the demographics of the target audience, the local need for news and information in the region where the language is spoken and the strategic importance of that region globally. In the developed world where the media environment is becoming increasingly competitive, the BBC World Service strategy is to target opinion formers and decision makers through our English programmes, increasingly through local FM broadcasting and click online.

In order to start broadcasting in a new language, it would be necessary for BBC World Service and the FCO to identify a specific need and for the FCO to provide the necessary funding.

click The non-English language news pages on the BBC website are supported by our international broadcasting, so the languages offered are only those in which we already broadcast.